I've used rooting hormone with no issue, Tommy. When using rooting hormone with most plant cuttings, it seems to be best to just have a light dusting on the cutting. Nancy, I would agree with Tommy that the problem may be that the hydroton might not be staying moist enough. You might try taking one of the cuttings out of the pot, repotting it in the same type of set up BUT then bag it -- pot and all -- in a clear plastic bag. The bag will keep the humidity high. Open the bag once every week or two to check on water and to refresh the air. Keep the bagged potted cutting in a warm (temps in the 70s) brightly lit (but no direct sun) location. It can make a difference whether your Nep is a highland, intermediate, or lowland plant. This pertains both to rooting and general growing culture. Many Neps look very similar if not identical -- especially if only looking at their foliage. The pitchers are where differences -- sometimes very distinct, sometime extremely subtle -- are seen. Those differences are what is often used to get a rough ID of NoID neps. Unfortunately this ID process is made even more challenging by the fact that pitcher form on a particular plant often changes substantially from the pitchers of a young/juvenile plant and those of an older plant (typically referred to by hobbyists as lower and upper pitchers). Best bet would be to contact the seller and see if they know what they sold you. Mike, neps do very well with humid conditions -- dry conditions do them in. Temperature can play a huge role with neps, though, as highlanders verse lowlanders have very different temperature needs. That is why if you are buying a nep, you should inquire whether it is a highland, intermediate, or lowland nep. If the seller does not know, don't by from them. (Unless it is so super cheap that you won't mind it dying if it turns out to need different conditions than you can provide.) Nepenthes can also be grown in orchid bark mix or coconut husk chunk mix. HOWEVER, as you'll be growing it in Florida, I can't vouch for any mix suggestions like mine or Tommy's. Your conditions, Nancy, are simply so radically different than ours. And don't feel too bad, Nancy, I found that even from the same plant in the same media, some cuttings would root easily, others refused.

Maybe try the houseplant forum. This one is pretty dead.

Yes, they are molded into the plastic. No need for heavy, messy stones. I found them at K-Mart last year and forgot I had them. I think it’s a brilliant concept.

I agree with Paul. I had filled all my trays with gravel (probably 250 trays or more) in the past (I would have to guess 1,500 pounds or more). After a few years, they had dirt, leaves, and other debris caught in the gravel. It wasn't worth it and I spent hours carrying tray after tray of gravel outside to toss. A waste of money and time. The biggest thing on the "big polka dot" begonia is to not water it heavily. Give it some good light and keep an eye open for mildew (the bane of begonias and the big polka dot types are very susceptible to mildew). The other possibility is to get a cane begonia that is not as prone to mildew (the silver streaked or smaller polka dots are fairly disease resistant). Here is my own seed grown maculata hybrid (I gathered some seed pods off my old mother plant which checked out this year). This hybrid is much easier to keep disease free. Two canes that are too big to put under lights so they stay close to a light shelf. The one on the left is a NOID and probably a seedling I let grow. The one on the right is 'Lana'. Both fairly easy. I do not do deep watering in winter unless I was going to go away for a week or more and then I hate that too. Avalanche that I had problems with in the past probably because it didn't get enough light and I kept too wet. Looks so much better this year. Some begonias (mostly) under lights. The left side has lights on from 8AM until 8PM. The right side comes on at 8:01PM and goes off at 7:59AM so I don't trip the circuit breaker. Some of the other canes. Valida on the left (not a cane but shrub or thick stem) and a polka dot cane on the right (no name) that I was about to lose for a few years until I stopped watering it heavy in winter.