TerraForums Venus Flytrap, Nepenthes, Drosera and more talk
Register a free account today to become a member! Once signed in, you'll be able to participate on this site by adding your own topics and posts, as well as connect with other members through your own private inbox!
didn't seem to see an answer, is decalf ok to use, or is it useless . yes reg and decalf are the same but decalf has much less caffeine , is the caffeine what they like about the coffee ? anyone ??
Has anyone thought of incorporating coffee grinds and/or beans into their media? Sounds a little nuts, but maybe it could have the same effect as a slow release fertilizer.
Has anyone thought of incorporating coffee grinds and/or beans into their media? Sounds a little nuts, but maybe it could have the same effect as a slow release fertilizer.
Coffee (liquid) adds a big acidic boost to the plants, it has nothing to do with the caffeine. They may have digestive systems of a sort but no nervous systems! lol
I have no idea if decaffinated is more or less acidic than normal coffee. What makes it decaf? Do they put chemicals on it? Pre-boil the beans?
Coffee grounds need to be composted and worked over by nitrogen fixing bacteria before using on plants so don't use that. I would imagine that the "instant" coffees would be the same as using grounds since the grounds "dissolve" in the water.
I get used grounds from Starbucks as fertilizer and then I brew them a second time - I put it all in a big stockpot and leave it simmering for a day or so. Then I skim off the grounds and let the water cool. I'll usually re-boil the grounds a few times to make sure I get all the "good stuff" out of them, and I try to use the liquid before it has a chance to start growing things. I haven't tried adding the grounds to a planting mix yet, but next time I make a batch for fertilizing I plan to save the grounds and try them in different concentrations in a few pots. (In the past I've applied them as mulch in winter, but I wasn't really monitoring for objectivity back then.)
I've heard of other growers using coffee, and in the past it sounded like there's some metabolic benefit to the caffeine. One suggestion to control mold is to oven-dry the grounds before applying them to the mix - not sure how that's supposed to stop the mold long-term, but applying it dry keeps it from clumping up.
~Joe
Has anyone done a controlled experiment, i.e. growing two of the same plants in the same conditions, one being given coffee and the other not? Without this how would you know if the the plant not given coffee wouldn't grow as well, or even better?
This site uses cookies to help personalise content, tailor your experience and to keep you logged in if you register.
By continuing to use this site, you are consenting to our use of cookies.