Hi & welcome to Gardenweb! Did you just get that plant? It looks fantastic! You don't 'look' like a general newbie to plants, so the short answer, repot with root prune, bigger pot (it's a tree, will make lots of roots.) Well drained soil, water thoroughly and let drip out. Where the leaves attach to the main stem will start to pucker before actual wilt. It does look wilty, but could have just been in insufficient light, but doubtful with the full 'heads' of foliage. The foliage closest to the roots will always point down, but the foliage at the tips should be standing straight up. Do you know the light situation it was in before you got it? If the leaves generally perk up after a drink, continue with what it was getting before. If the leaves aren't pouty because it's wilty/thirsty, it needs more light, but not suddenly more. Starting with the first couple hours of the day would be great. What is the green thing?

Hi pampered_g_jr, Many Nepenthes can adapt to your home humidity and temperature, I have heard that lowii is best given a drop in nighttime temperatures down to 60 Fahrenheit and day highs of 80. It is an ultrahighland from Borneo I believe. The alata is much more adaptable and easier to grow in home. In any case, light is one of the most important considerations for any plant, so partial sun, like in a non-south window, or strong flourescents, like a compact 100 watt equivalent or 2 40 watt shop light tubes, are essential. If flourescent light is used, it would be best to place the Nepenthes at least 5-8 inches from the light for proper color and pitcher formation to occur. Water with distilled, rain, or mineral free water from the better R/O units... some do not remove salts which would build up in the soil and kill the plant slowly. Water by top watering and let the water drain through the soil and do not have a tray under the pot, Nepenthes roots will rot if they are left in stagnant water too long and so over watering and under watering are both a problem. Just water like a houseplant a couple times a week and make sure their soil never dries or gets waterlogged. Also, do not put distilled water in their pitchers, that does very little for the plant except make it more difficult for the plant to catch and digest insects properly. Some care sheets say to do that, but they must be joking, the pitchers have lids and produce their own fluid, which is a mix of enzymes and preservatives, after all. Sometimes Nepenthes will stop producing pitchers and have dieback in it's present pitchers when it's environment changes too drastically, like a humidity shock. A slow change from high humidity to low over several weeks will help harden the plant to your home humidity level. The lowii might never adapt easily, so a terrarium or some way to provide consistent humidity (100% at night and 80% in daytime) might help it. It probably will not die, but from reports I have seen, they do not grow their best without their requirements met. Normal household temperatures should be fine for the alata, the lowii can withstand temperatures up to about 80-90 degrees in the day and down to 60 at night with a requirement for that lower temperature at night. Once again, if this requirement is not met, it probably will not die instantly, but it will be distressed and be very unhappy. Some people fertilize their Nepenthes by foliar feed directly rubbed on their leaves with a damp cloth. The fertilizers that work best are orchid blood meal in very dilute solution of 1/4 or less and no more than one time every two weeks, once a month even better. It is easier to overfeed and burn the leaves or kill the plant than to underfertilize. I never have needed to fertilize my Nepenthes, I just make sure it gets an insect every week or two. If it looses it's pitchers, sometimes a little temporary fertilizing will perk it up and make it produce again. Make sure no fertilizer gets in the soil, that can kill carnivorous plants in a few weeks or months slowly. Soil requirements are dictated by acid mix and high level drainage. One part peat moss of the bale variety with no fertilizers or additives and 2 parts plain perlite is good as is one part coconut husk, one part orchid bark, and one part peat moss, making sure that no salts or additives were placed in any of your soil ingredients. It is safe to say that carnivorous plants of virtually all types are allergic to any additive to their soil that would change the Ph from acid. Water with minerals and salts (hard water over 100), fertilizers, and chemical treatments (like copper based fungicides) would all harm the plant if it gets in the soil (copper also inhibits pitcher production if sprayed on the leaves). Fungicides and pesticides should be sparingly used and of the sulfur or neem oil extract type with pyrethrines, no soap based natural insecticides, those would add nitrogen to the soil when bacteria breaks it down. There are not many fungus and insects that attack Nepenthes, but they do occur sometimes. The conditions I keep my N. sanguinea in are as follows: Light: 4 40 watt flourescents of the cool white shop light variety 5 inches from leaves. Watered with distilled water every 3-4 days and misted 1-2 times a day. Temperature is between 65-80 degrees according to seasonal difference indoors. Humidity is relatively high in my region, probably 60-70% indoors with central air. Plant is in a 5 inch pot of coconut husk/peat/bark mix. Each pitcher is digesting a variety of insects as it's fertilizer of choice. Flies tend to be more interested in the Nepenthes than they are in the Venus Fly Trap. Here is a recent photo of the young plant with it's newest 4 inch pitcher. Good luck with your plants.

Tamasine, your hosta should do well if you water it every time you think of it. Part shade is good for a 'Gold Standard' -- their colors vary depending on how much sun they get. Be careful about planting it at the same level it was. If the crown (the top part of the roots, where they joint the plant) is too deep, it will get root rot. And stop your mulch about 2" away from the roots. The only real pests to watch out for are slugs -- you can use slug bait around the plant -- and, alas, chipmunks who are too hungry in spring might go for your new hosta shoots as they emerge, as I learned to my sorrow this spring. Since she gave it to you out of her own yard, you probably don't have to worry about HVX, Hosta Virus X, which often infacts plants bought at Lowe's, Home Depot, Walmart, etc. The Hosta Library has a link on its home page. Here, you'll need this: Hosta Library: G And you don't need this, I'm just showing off: Lisa's Hostas Not many pix yet - I haven't uploaded much the past couple of years, busy with a dog, but I'll do better this summer.

Here is a link on the Mass Audubon website that you might find helpful. Here is a link that might be useful: Baby Birds out of the Nest