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Cutting Pitchers vs Feeding Pitchers?

  • #21
I thought I remembered a theory that the coffee provided certain micronutrients that are not available in fertilizers
 
  • #22
I don't think its really the PH change in the soil but more the absorption of nitrogen or micro nutrients while they are still dissolved in the coffee. My friend in South Africa tried coffee on his villosa with amazing results (the soil was live sphagnum). Nobody really knows why this happens, but most think it has something to do with the minerals in the coffee that can be safely absorbed into the roots. After two days, whats left cannot be absorbed which is why you wash it out. Heres a pic to show the differences in leaf size... some plants in the GH haven't been coffee fed in a long time but their massive leaf sizes are still being produced.


<a href="http://s1222.photobucket.com/albums/dd495/Lance_Plater/?action=view&current=DSC_0055-2.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1222.photobucket.com/albums/dd495/Lance_Plater/DSC_0055-2.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>

N. spathulata 1 month after feeding... the earlier leafs were 1 inch long while those big ones there are about 5 inches long and a lot fatter (and the basals are vining now)

Yeah, Id recommend the mountain coffee method... just make sure its not hot ;)
 
  • #23
Cut 'em off. It's all about the leaves anyway.
 
  • #24
I don't think its really the PH change in the soil but more the absorption of nitrogen or micro nutrients while they are still dissolved in the coffee. My friend in South Africa tried coffee on his villosa with amazing results (the soil was live sphagnum). Nobody really knows why this happens, but most think it has something to do with the minerals in the coffee that can be safely absorbed into the roots. After two days, whats left cannot be absorbed which is why you wash it out. Heres a pic to show the differences in leaf size... some plants in the GH haven't been coffee fed in a long time but their massive leaf sizes are still being produced.


<a href="http://s1222.photobucket.com/albums/dd495/Lance_Plater/?action=view&current=DSC_0055-2.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1222.photobucket.com/albums/dd495/Lance_Plater/DSC_0055-2.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>

N. spathulata 1 month after feeding... the earlier leafs were 1 inch long while those big ones there are about 5 inches long and a lot fatter (and the basals are vining now)

Yeah, Id recommend the mountain coffee method... just make sure its not hot ;)

OH MY GOSH. :drool:

Gonna go get some coffee right now... :-D

Cut 'em off. It's all about the leaves anyway.

Do you cut off the pitchers? Has it shown noticeable effects?

I think I may just try out coffee... Nothing to lose. :)
 
  • #25
No I was just joshing. I think it's sort of sacreligious seeing as pitchers are the whole reason for growing the plants in the first place. Plus, when I feed the pitchers, despite how small they are, I have noticed that a plant will small fed pitchers will grow better than one with none at all. Also, there are periods of time when you may not get any pitchers due to whatever reason, and you'll be sad that you cut any old ones off. Furthermore, a plant with no pitchers is not easily identifiable and could be mixed up.

In conclusion, I have used the coffee treatment and felt that it worked well.
 
  • #26
Just did my first very light coffee treatment. I used my five smallest plants. I put 2/3 cup of the coffee in there and it drained out the bottom, so it's pretty much coffee-ey... Here's the plants right after the first coffee treatment... (I took the live sphagnum off while putting the coffee in just in case)

N. truncata Pasian Highlands
20uu6au.jpg


N. densiflora x spectabilis
11aland.jpg


N. vogelii
lirfp.jpg


N. jacquelineae
dmp5di.jpg


N. singalana
2zqy4as.jpg


I put two tablespoons of Columbia coffee grounds into four cups of distilled water and warmed it in a pot to the temperature of a hot bath. It stirred it around a bit. It was the color of tea. I tasted some that was left after the treatment and it tasted more like water than anything, so it was pretty weak. I'll post more pics once their pitchers on the new leaves they put out develop.
 
  • #27
If nothing happen in a months time then I recommend using strong coffee which is what I use... it tastes awful bitter and looks almost black in color.
 
  • #28
If nothing happen in a months time then I recommend using strong coffee which is what I use... it tastes awful bitter and looks almost black in color.

Yeah, I didn't let it soak very long or use too much either. I guess I inadvertently eased them into it lol.

For future reference, does coffee kill live sphagnum if poured directly through it?
 
  • #29
For future reference, does coffee kill live sphagnum if poured directly through it?

No, it won't. However, I would not advise using full strength espresso-strength coffee (dilute that stuff in water) because it is very acidic and can be a bit harsh on plant roots.
 
  • #30
No, it won't. However, I would not advise using full strength espresso-strength coffee (dilute that stuff in water) because it is very acidic and can be a bit harsh on plant roots.

I've only drank coffee twice in my lifetime. Once at Starbucks because I thought Caramel Macchiato was fun to say, the second time at Starbucks trying to force myself to drink Caramel Macchiato because it was fun to say. I'm not coffee expert. All I know is that I got a light blend because it said 'L' and it was Columbia coffee... It was pretty diluted because I could barely taste it after I fed it to the plants... But now my greenhouse smells like coffee...

I'll try going very light. If this doesn't work, I'll make it a bit darker. Don't want to kill the poor plants though, haha.
 
  • #31
Flushed with about 1-1/2 to 2 cups of water for each plant. Water poured out the bottom. Will update when stuff happens.
 
  • #32
Mixed up another batch for my larger neps... This time I let it boil and sit for about 20 minutes. I can't see through and it tastes bitter...

2afivcm.jpg


Too dark?
 
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