Succumbing to French Roast Pressure . . .

[BigBella]

I haven't tried the coffee method, but one thing to keep in mind. I would never, ever pour coffee onto my plants without first looking over my coffee pot and cleaning it extremely thoroughly. I have taken mine apart already and the tubes that the water goes through were almost caked shut with mineral deposits. They sell brushes and solution to clean this. If you don't, Your asking for trouble. Reverse Osmosis water or not, you'll be adding minerals to your coffee and killing your plants. Like watering them with regular tap water, or worse.

Mineral-laden water doesn't seem to have the same deleterious effect on Nepenthes (I've tested tap water upwards of 350-400 ppm on my plants without a problem) than would otherwise be the case with most other carnivorous genera; and, besides, a biannual coffee application should hardly pose a threat, considering how often they are watered and -- typically -- how well-drained the compost.

Anyway, I generally use a French press or stove-top espresso maker; no Mister Coffee . . .

 

[dsrtfox1942]

Mineral-laden water doesn't seem to have the same deleterious effect on Nepenthes (I've tested tap water upwards of 350-400 ppm on my plants without a problem) than would otherwise be the case with most other carnivorous genera; and, besides, a biannual coffee application should hardly pose a threat, considering how often they are watered and -- typically -- how well-drained the compost.

Anyway, I generally use a French press or stove-top espresso maker; no Mister Coffee . . .

It's just a thought. I'd still clean the pot first. If not for anything else, so you don't drink the minerals. Lol. My pot wasn't brewing to good, and when I took it apart, I was disgusted with the amount of mineral build up in the coil.

 

[Chris_Himself]

Mineral-laden water doesn't seem to have the same deleterious effect on Nepenthes (I've tested tap water upwards of 350-400 ppm on my plants without a problem) than would otherwise be the case with most other carnivorous genera; and, besides, a biannual coffee application should hardly pose a threat, considering how often they are watered and -- typically -- how well-drained the compost.

Anyway, I generally use a French press or stove-top espresso maker; no Mister Coffee . . .

Could you PM me more about the tap water usage? Can I drop distilled altogether now? Thanks in advance.

 

[SirKristoff]

it seems since nepenthes generally need a more airy mix, that many materials are washed through before any damage can be done, the water may cause the media to break down faster, but i also use tap water here.
Though my tapwater is only 24ppm at its max it seems lol....monthly testing

 

[Chris_Himself]

it seems since nepenthes generally need a more airy mix, that many materials are washed through before any damage can be done, the water may cause the media to break down faster, but i also use tap water here.
Though my tapwater is only 24ppm at its max it seems lol....monthly testing

We've got an average of 280 here. I can skip rocks on the ground when the sprinklers turn on lol. My nep's tend to grow drier than what I imagine to be ideal because I'm a cheapskate with the water. This finding could revolutionize things for me.

 

[BigBella]

We've got an average of 280 here. I can skip rocks on the ground when the sprinklers turn on lol. My nep's tend to grow drier than what I imagine to be ideal because I'm a cheapskate with the water. This finding could revolutionize things for me.

I imagine that it depends upon which minerals are most concentrated in any given tap water; that being said, live sphagnum moss is far more sensitive to mineral-laden water than are the Nepenthes themselves. Cypress-based mixes are more effective in that situation . . .

 

[BigBella]

Here is a recent update on just one of those plants treated back in March. In the several years that I have had this Nepenthes, I have never seen it grow more rapidly in terms of leaf production, nor exhibit a more "sudden" change in leaf size . . .


Nepenthes villosa -- 22 April

18 May

 

[mobile]

Here is a recent update on just one of those plants treated back in March. In the several years that I have had this Nepenthes, I have never seen it grow more rapidly in terms of leaf production, nor exhibit a more "sudden" change in leaf size . . .

In those years, have you fed your plants any other root nutrients? My point being that all the posts I have read about how well Nepenthes grow after feeding with coffee are anecdotal, with no comparisons on how they would perform on a more traditional nutrient solution (fertiliser) or given no nutrients.

 

[BigBella]

In those years, have you fed your plants any other root nutrients? My point being that all the posts I have read about how well Nepenthes grow after feeding with coffee are anecdotal, with no comparisons on how they would perform on a more traditional nutrient solution (fertiliser) or given no nutrients.

I was as skeptical as any other and have mentioned on several occasions that I have regularly used biweekly applications of orchid fertilizers (typically 30:10:10) on my Nepenthes and Heliamphora for years; and while my "coffee results" are currently anecdotal, I am in the process of germinating some Nepenthes seeds, in order to do a more formal experiment . . .

 

[dvg]

Looking good there BigBella. That was a nice jump in size on that last leaf.

Your villosa is looking very happy.

dvg

 

[justjack]

Keep up the awesome work and keep us posted.
Thanx BigB.

P.S. I've heard a lot of people say if the sphagnum is happy then so is the nepenthes in that pot.

 

[dashman]

I too am beginning to see the light. I have had my ventricosa x inermis for close to a year now. It had one pitcher when I got it and has went pitcherless ever since. It grew just fine, but no pitchers.

I decided to pour a dilute solution of coffee into the pot and a month or so later I get this... Conditions really didn't change all that much other than a java infusion.

 

[mobile]

Has anyone tried using amino acids in Nepenthes pitchers? See my topic HERE for details on my trial with using them on Heliamphora.

 

[BigBella]

Here is an update on a couple of my older plants, treated with coffee back in March. For anyone familiar with the often glacial growth rate of ultra-highland Nepenthes, the results are very promising . . .

Nepenthes villosa -- 13 March 2010

Nepenthes macrophylla

Nepenthes villosa -- 9 June 2010

Nepenthes macrophylla

 

[pictureaday]

wow those are looking awesome!

And I've never had sphag grow like that!

 

[BigBella]

wow those are looking awesome!

And I've never had sphag grow like that!

Thanks . . .

I don't think that it's a strange coincidence that the sphagnum went wild after the coffee treatment. In the entire time that I have had those plants, it had never been necessary to trim the moss -- just since March . . .

 

[MasterGrower]

Beautiful plants, well done!

 

[Hermopolis]

It tried coffee with my n. gracilis that was refusing to pitcher. I didn't get any pitchers out of it. But, it did send the plant into a growth spurt to where it is now growing out of the top of the terrarium.

-Hermes.

 

[vraev]

BigB.....as always...u astound us with your fantastic plants. Terrific job!! wow!! BTW....do u grow these in a greenhouse? indoors?

 

[BigBella]

BigB.....as always...u astound us with your fantastic plants. Terrific job!! wow!! BTW....do u grow these in a greenhouse? indoors?

Thanks, you're very kind but I get plenty of ideas and advice from others here . . .

Strangely enough, I grow them outside in the back yard, under an arbor, which keeps the sunlight direct in the morning and filtered throughout the afternoon; and each night, the Tb falls into the low fifties or high forties . . .