FlytrapCare Carnivorous Plant Forums

I'll post a picture and will gladly take any advice. My partner just put this together for me today and Ik it's not perfect but it seems to work for now until we get some different stuff.

Now I'm just worried a bit about the humidifier being inside lol I have holes for ventilation and a mini fan that is outside blowing into the enclosed space.

I just worry about possible airflow now being enough, how long/often I should be running it since the fan seems to immediately blow out an humidity pretty quick. Also noticed water wicking on the leaves of my Neps and that slightly worries me also..

Wondering if maybe should do no plastic, humidifier in front of fan and humidity trays? My Neps are Lady Luck, Miranda and a Spectabilis x Hamata..

I had someone with experience help me figure out this set up but honestly I'm not sure how confident I currently am about it.

All I ask if to be respectful as I know it's a bit on the clapped side from the DIYing lol but I'll take your advice happily

That seems to be a bit large for the humidifier. I like using the smaller USB/Rechargeable. Biggest problem with them is a vast majority use wick filters which get clogged by distilled water. No clue why, but they do. So, I found the one below and it seems to do the trick. The enclosure it is in is my germinating tent which is 2'x2'x3' and with it on intermittent the humidity stays between 80%-85%. On intermittent you have to add water every 2 days. You should not need the air going constantly. I have a small USB fan that I will run on low a couple hours a day and everything seems to be good. Also, I have to wonder if thicker plastic would increase the humidity. I keep my indoor plants in a greenhouse. Material is a bit thicker and does not need a humidifier.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CJY5F1RD?re ... tails&th=1

andynorth wrote: ↑Sat Oct 14, 2023 3:09 am That seems to be a bit large for the humidifier. I like using the smaller USB/Rechargeable. Biggest problem with them is a vast majority use wick filters which get clogged by distilled water. No clue why, but they do. So, I found the one below and it seems to do the trick. The enclosure it is in is my germinating tent which is 2'x2'x3' and with it on intermittent the humidity stays between 80%-85%. On intermittent you have to add water every 2 days. You should not need the air going constantly. I have a small USB fan that I will run on low a couple hours a day and everything seems to be good. Also, I have to wonder if thicker plastic would increase the humidity. I keep my indoor plants in a greenhouse. Material is a bit thicker and does not need a humidifier.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CJY5F1RD?re ... tails&th=1

Will take a look at that humidifier my current one has a display that tells me the humidity level and it tends to fluctuate between 60-70% (I have it set for 70%). One of my main concerns was the fan, wasn't sure how often to run it but what you said makes sense to me. The fan seems to blow a lot of humidity out but ik airflow is good so trying to find a balance. And same issue with the humidifier, I don't want to have it running all day and have to worry about damaging the plants, etc.
And you're probably correct about that. A greenhouse would make likely hold in humidity better than my DIY mess lol I hope to get one eventually. Not needing a humidifier sounds so much simpler to me haha

In your particular case, I have no idea why you'd do that. The nepenthes and sundews you have are generally easy going, "beginner" plants. They're typically not picky about light levels, humidity levels, or airflow. They're usually content living as a houseplant, provided you don't shove them in a dark closet or subject them to 5% ambient humidity levels. So the real answer I would give you is to just take all that stuff down. Let them chill for a few weeks, stop changing their environments and conditions, and see what they need. The sundews will be more reactive than the nepenthes. If they aren't getting enough water/light/humidity, they'll change the color of their leaves and change the amount of dew they produce. They'll tell you what they need, you just need to give them time to tell you, and learn to listen to them when they're telling you.

But, in an attempt to answer your question directly, the easiest answer is to get a programmable humidifier and an inkbird controller. You set the inkbird controller to the humidity levels you want (day and night if you'd like) and let the humidifier do it's thing. At that point you don't care if the fan increases or decreases the humidity, as the inkbird corrects it. But, both of those come at a cost. Not one that I would spend for a $20 nepenthes (but that's me).

Beyond that, you're observing what I refer to as The Great Triangle: (1) air flow, (2) air circulation, and (3) humidity. All plants need air flow, to some extent or another. If you sealed them in a plastic bin they'd die. So some air exchange helps, but they don't need much. If you increase air flow, it'll decrease your need for air circulation, but increase your need for humidity (assuming the humidity levels inside are greater than outside your grow area). Air circulation is needed to avoid mold growth, and make sure you don't have weird pockets of temperature or humidity in your grow area. As you increase air circulation, you decrease the need for air flow, but increase your need for humidity. Different plants need different humidity levels. As you increase humidity, you increase the possibility of mold growth, which requires increased levels of air flow and/or air circulation. But the three work off each other. Finding the right balance depends on your conditions/grow area/plants. Light also has an impact on mold growth, which can increase/decrease your need for air circulation, which can increase/decrease your need for humidity (but light levels are a little more fixed, because you can't say "well, I can't give as much humidity so I won't give as much air circulation so I'll give more light" because the plant's light levels are what the plant's light levels are).

Live sphagnum moss really helps you understand where your levels are. If it's humid enough, the sphagnum moss will look soft and fluffy. If the humidity levels are low, it dries out and looks brittle. Same if air circulation is too low/high. So it gives you a very good, quick, visual indicator of how you're doing.

To give you an idea of how that works, I built a 6' x 4' x 2' grow area. Had a bunch of plants in there, and some sphagnum moss. Plugged up my inkbird humidity controller, and over the course of a few weeks played with my humidity levels, increasing them slowly until I noticed the moss was happy and growing. Then noticed a little bit of soot mold growing. That tells me that I'm out of balance in the Great Triangle. Air flow is fine, as is humidity levels. So I increased air circulation. The increased air circulation dried out some of the moss, even though the area was in the same humidity. So I had to increase the humidity some to accomodate. If I increase the humidity too much, the mold continues, so I've accomplished nothing, but if I increase the humidity too little, the moss will dry out. I could also try to decrease the air circulation some, seeing if less air circulation will still prevent mold growth, which would need less humidity.

specialkayme wrote: ↑Sat Oct 14, 2023 12:32 pm In your particular case, I have no idea why you'd do that. The nepenthes and sundews you have are generally easy going, "beginner" plants. They're typically not picky about light levels, humidity levels, or airflow. They're usually content living as a houseplant, provided you don't shove them in a dark closet or subject them to 5% ambient humidity levels. So the real answer I would give you is to just take all that stuff down. Let them chill for a few weeks, stop changing their environments and conditions, and see what they need. The sundews will be more reactive than the nepenthes. If they aren't getting enough water/light/humidity, they'll change the color of their leaves and change the amount of dew they produce. They'll tell you what they need, you just need to give them time to tell you, and learn to listen to them when they're telling you.

But, in an attempt to answer your question directly, the easiest answer is to get a programmable humidifier and an inkbird controller. You set the inkbird controller to the humidity levels you want (day and night if you'd like) and let the humidifier do it's thing. At that point you don't care if the fan increases or decreases the humidity, as the inkbird corrects it. But, both of those come at a cost. Not one that I would spend for a $20 nepenthes (but that's me).

Beyond that, you're observing what I refer to as The Great Triangle: (1) air flow, (2) air circulation, and (3) humidity. All plants need air flow, to some extent or another. If you sealed them in a plastic bin they'd die. So some air exchange helps, but they don't need much. If you increase air flow, it'll decrease your need for air circulation, but increase your need for humidity (assuming the humidity levels inside are greater than outside your grow area). Air circulation is needed to avoid mold growth, and make sure you don't have weird pockets of temperature or humidity in your grow area. As you increase air circulation, you decrease the need for air flow, but increase your need for humidity. Different plants need different humidity levels. As you increase humidity, you increase the possibility of mold growth, which requires increased levels of air flow and/or air circulation. But the three work off each other. Finding the right balance depends on your conditions/grow area/plants. Light also has an impact on mold growth, which can increase/decrease your need for air circulation, which can increase/decrease your need for humidity (but light levels are a little more fixed, because you can't say "well, I can't give as much humidity so I won't give as much air circulation so I'll give more light" because the plant's light levels are what the plant's light levels are).

Live sphagnum moss really helps you understand where your levels are. If it's humid enough, the sphagnum moss will look soft and fluffy. If the humidity levels are low, it dries out and looks brittle. Same if air circulation is too low/high. So it gives you a very good, quick, visual indicator of how you're doing.

To give you an idea of how that works, I built a 6' x 4' x 2' grow area. Had a bunch of plants in there, and some sphagnum moss. Plugged up my inkbird humidity controller, and over the course of a few weeks played with my humidity levels, increasing them slowly until I noticed the moss was happy and growing. Then noticed a little bit of soot mold growing. That tells me that I'm out of balance in the Great Triangle. Air flow is fine, as is humidity levels. So I increased air circulation. The increased air circulation dried out some of the moss, even though the area was in the same humidity. So I had to increase the humidity some to accomodate. If I increase the humidity too much, the mold continues, so I've accomplished nothing, but if I increase the humidity too little, the moss will dry out. I could also try to decrease the air circulation some, seeing if less air circulation will still prevent mold growth, which would need less humidity.

Once again thank you for the helpful info. I don't mean to keep changing their environment much, I've communicating with someone who said they had 8 years of grow experience and really just did what they told me to do it. That's my own fault as I should've known better but at the same time, me being an over thinker and worry wort makes it easier for me to listen to people sometimes
It was after following everything he said that I was the "wait a minute" thoughts start creeping in bc it just seemed very extra and impractical after I had it set up. Like it was just gonna cause me more problems in the long run. All the humidity info and the Great Triangle was actually great info I'm gonna save.

I think I'm gonna listen and remove the plastic, there seems to be a general consensus that it's not necessary. And wait to do all of that until I have the room and take the time and money to buy proper equipment as my collection grows. Would the humidifier being kept nearby with a fan make any real difference for them at all? Was debating on at least doing that and the humidity trays tho ik opinions are conflicted on the trays

And before I had done all of this, the Sundews had just started producing dew in my apartment normal environment. I am gonna get hygrometers to place near them so I can see all the time but typically my humidity doesn't drop below 40% in my apartment, sometimes I'll go to the 30s.

Again I felt kind of silly having all of this stuff set up but after the guy found out what type of picture plans I had he kind of freaked out on me about them needing at least 60 to 70% or higher and so here I am now lol He also told me that the plastic set up is like a cast iron pan and needs time get sorted out but to just spray any mold with peroxide... And that made me giving some side eye. Bc cleaning the plastic is another pain the ass I'd have to try and figure out.

But TLDR; I should just remove the plastic completely and what are your thoughts on the humidifier with a fan behind it and the trays?

FriskyBiscuit wrote: ↑Sat Oct 14, 2023 2:50 pm I don't mean to keep changing their environment much, I've communicating with someone who said they had 8 years of grow experience and really just did what they told me to do it. That's my own fault as I should've known better but at the same time, me being an over thinker and worry wort makes it easier for me to listen to people sometimes

Well, for starters, keep in mind there are may different ways to keep carnivorous plants. Not everyone does everything the same. And magically, the plants seem to survive, lol.

When starting out, I'd try to listen to one person that appears to sync with your mindset. Don't try to listen to one person, and then incorporate everything everyone else says too. It'll cause a mess. If that person you're talking to matches your style, go for it and listen to 'em. Or you can post question on here and get a general consensus on answers and go with that. But don't do both.

FriskyBiscuit wrote: ↑Sat Oct 14, 2023 2:50 pm
And before I had done all of this, the Sundews had just started producing dew in my apartment normal environment.

Which means the plants were telling you they were happy. Listen to them

FriskyBiscuit wrote: ↑Sat Oct 14, 2023 2:50 pm
But TLDR; I should just remove the plastic completely and what are your thoughts on the humidifier with a fan behind it and the trays?

If I were you, I'd pick one person to listen to. You're driving yourself crazy.

If that one person is that guy, do what he says. If not, make your own determination on who to listen to and what they say.

But, if I weren't you, and you were me, I'd take down all that plastic. I'd also remove the humidifier and fan. Just let them be plants. See what they like. If you think they need more airflow, add a fan. If you think they need more humidity, add a humidifier. But do it because the plants tell you they want it. Not because some person on the internet says so.

But more importantly, stop changing environments so frequently. You want to mimic the conditions the plant was growing in before you got it first (if you can). Then slowly change conditions to what it's telling you it wants. Imagine if you pulled a caveman out of the wild and put him in a zoo like environment, not knowing what conditions he likes. You'd probably mimic the conditions he was in, if you knew and could. If you didn't know, or couldn't, maybe you'd set the temperature at 76 degrees F and see how he does. If he's sweating alot, drop the temperature. If he seems cold, raise it. Both slowly and gradually. But you wouldn't set it at 76 degrees, read a book about cavemen and say "oh crap, they lived in the tropical forests" and raise the temperature to 96 degrees with 80% humidity, then read another book and say "oh crap, they lived in the arctic" and drop the temperature to 25 degrees with 0% humidity . . . you'd shock the caveman to death, regardless of where he lived before and what he would have enjoyed.

andynorth wrote: ↑Sat Oct 14, 2023 3:09 am <ship>Also, I have to wonder if thicker plastic would increase the humidity. I keep my indoor plants in a greenhouse. Material is a bit thicker and does not need a humidifier.

Uh, I think, in regards to holding in/out moisture, that a 1mil piece of plastic will be as good as a 20mil piece. Maybe I'm missing something here? Maybe you have better edge/door sealing with the greenhouse?

On a different note. It appears as you've made up your mind to not use that particular setup, which I think is wise.
As others have said, and I agree with, Neps and other carny plants can adapt to conditions that differ from what they'd experience in situ. Watch what your plants are telling you. If they're not dying, they're probably trying to adapt, all you have to do is let them.
However, I have that same rack for a few of my plants and many of my wife's plants. I know that it is made of a low quality wood, designed to be pretty and functional to a point in ambient conditions. If you enclose it in such a humid environment, I would predict that it would very quickly begin to warp and become misshapen, if not collapse altogether.

specialkayme wrote: ↑Sat Oct 14, 2023 3:25 pm
Well, for starters, keep in mind there are may different ways to keep carnivorous plants. Not everyone does everything the same. And magically, the plants seem to survive, lol.

When starting out, I'd try to listen to one person that appears to sync with your mindset. Don't try to listen to one person, and then incorporate everything everyone else says too. It'll cause a mess. If that person you're talking to matches your style, go for it and listen to 'em. Or you can post question on here and get a general consensus on answers and go with that. But don't do both.

Yeah you're right about it causing a mess and driving me crazy. I'll do better about that. Like you and others have said I'll take it all with a grain a salt and use the pieces that I think will help me most right now while just monitoring my plants.

In hindsight I think I should've left them be like you said till they had some proper time to adjust and then go from there and see what they will need. And that is what I will do from now still getting used to plants not being "One size fits all" even when they're the same plants.

specialkayme wrote: ↑Sat Oct 14, 2023 3:25 pm Which means the plants were telling you they were happy. Listen to them

You are correct, and I should've listened to them but I'll stop bothering you guys so much and do more of that instead lol Like you said everyone does different things and the plants manage to live. Which is a good way to look at it actually, instead of stressing myself out trying to mimic people.

And in regards to the end, I agree with your advice about the plants and it's what I'm leaning more towards anyway. Just letting them hangout and get comfy before I start changing everything up on them. I'll clean out and keep all the stuff besides the plastic for just in case but otherwise I'll just take it small steps at a time rn. Really gonna just stop listening to people telling me what to do and instead just take in into consideration, bc if I hadn't gotten spooked when I was told they need more I wouldn't have bothered with all this.

I appreciate all the advice and the help you've been giving me on the forum. It's helped reassure me a lot and has given me more confidence in this, instead of being scared and trying to use all opinions given to me at once sorry to have been such a pain in the butt

ChefDean wrote: ↑Sat Oct 14, 2023 4:04 pm On a different note. It appears as you've made up your mind to not use that particular setup, which I think is wise.
As others have said, and I agree with, Neps and other carny plants can adapt to conditions that differ from what they'd experience in situ. Watch what your plants are telling you. If they're not dying, they're probably trying to adapt, all you have to do is let them.
However, I have that same rack for a few of my plants and many of my wife's plants. I know that it is made of a low quality wood, designed to be pretty and functional to a point in ambient conditions. If you enclose it in such a humid environment, I would predict that it would very quickly begin to warp and become misshapen, if not collapse altogether.

Thank you! Yeah I'm learning to just let the plants be instead of going crazy trying to get everything perfect and like they're growing in their native places lol
And actually that was one of my other concerns, along with mold growing into the mold and I had already noticed the stain or paint they used was leaking off

FriskyBiscuit wrote: ↑Sat Oct 14, 2023 3:34 am

andynorth wrote: ↑Sat Oct 14, 2023 3:09 am That seems to be a bit large for the humidifier. I like using the smaller USB/Rechargeable. Biggest problem with them is a vast majority use wick filters which get clogged by distilled water. No clue why, but they do. So, I found the one below and it seems to do the trick. The enclosure it is in is my germinating tent which is 2'x2'x3' and with it on intermittent the humidity stays between 80%-85%. On intermittent you have to add water every 2 days. You should not need the air going constantly. I have a small USB fan that I will run on low a couple hours a day and everything seems to be good. Also, I have to wonder if thicker plastic would increase the humidity. I keep my indoor plants in a greenhouse. Material is a bit thicker and does not need a humidifier.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CJY5F1RD?re ... tails&th=1

Will take a look at that humidifier my current one has a display that tells me the humidity level and it tends to fluctuate between 60-70% (I have it set for 70%). One of my main concerns was the fan, wasn't sure how often to run it but what you said makes sense to me. The fan seems to blow a lot of humidity out but ik airflow is good so trying to find a balance. And same issue with the humidifier, I don't want to have it running all day and have to worry about damaging the plants, etc.
And you're probably correct about that. A greenhouse would make likely hold in humidity better than my DIY mess lol I hope to get one eventually. Not needing a humidifier sounds so much simpler to me haha

I use a Govee Hygrometer. Smart app will send all the data to your phone. I f you do not want to have to turn on each day then just do not connect to timer that lights are on. I turn mine on each morning. I only use the humidifier in my germinating tent which light does not shine through.

Intheswamp wrote: ↑Sat Oct 14, 2023 3:31 pm

andynorth wrote: ↑Sat Oct 14, 2023 3:09 am <ship>Also, I have to wonder if thicker plastic would increase the humidity. I keep my indoor plants in a greenhouse. Material is a bit thicker and does not need a humidifier.

Uh, I think, in regards to holding in/out moisture, that a 1mil piece of plastic will be as good as a 20mil piece. Maybe I'm missing something here? Maybe you have better edge/door sealing with the greenhouse?

I honestly do not know. It is not sealed at the bottom yet when light is on it stays between 80-85%.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07Y3 ... =UTF8&th=1

I just put mine in a west window for the winter. Most of them grow like crazy but don't pitcher due to low humidity. When it warms up outside and we have like 3-4 humid days in a row they explode in pitchers.