coffee for drosera

[cpbobby]

anyone know if the frappe thing will work on the sundews like the nepenthes? I don't have the space to setup test atm. my logic says maybe so if they are in cultivation without access to constant prey.

 

[Millipede]

if youve got some drosera to spare, give it a "shot" durhurhurhur!

 

[Not a Number]

Except for D. regia root fertilization and Drosera don't mix.

No harm in trying if you are willing to sacrifice some of your plants.

You might be more successful with foliar feeding.

 

[mato]

I have used coffee on my Sarracenia pots in the past, which contained Drosera, and no harm was done.

edit: I forgot to note that I was top watering these plants daily.

 

[cpbobby]

once i get some space i will use some capes for the experiment. ill use 5 plants as control and 5 plants as test to compare......10 total SG and 10 total cuttings.....ill come back in a couple months and maybe make a thread or something....mainly hoping it was tried before to benefit from someone else's experience....but not always so lucky.

 

[BioZest]

For Science!

I was looking online, and I couldn't find any scientific reasons for why coffee works as a fertilizer other than that it contains some nitrogen which might help plants along..I wonder if that's the true reason...

 

[mato]

Here's a little bit about it: http://www.sunset.com/garden/earth-friendly/starbucks-coffee-compost-test-00400000016986/

You'll find all kinds of information here, too: http://www.terraforums.com/forums/showthread.php?121639-Succumbing-to-French-Roast-Pressure

 

[cpbobby]

well i set up a test......i have some broadleaf cape and marston's dragon strikes/seedlings......all were from the same parent, same age and close to the same size. i set 3 of each aside which i fertilized with coffee and the rest are not.....both species are fairly fast growers so they should benefit the most if there is a measurable benefit. I will update as necessary.

 

[corky]

this is very cool to me,i was thinking the same thing ,i was going to try on a ceph,i just do not have enough of one species to do a proper experiment with controls ect.good luck and i look forward to the results on this one

 

[BioZest]

Here's a little bit about it: http://www.sunset.com/garden/earth-friendly/starbucks-coffee-compost-test-00400000016986/

You'll find all kinds of information here, too: http://www.terraforums.com/forums/showthread.php?121639-Succumbing-to-French-Roast-Pressure

Thanks for the info! Cool article.

@cpbobby looking forward to seeing updates!

 

[cpbobby]

i will wait a few days until everything gets settled in before making initial photos....there are some variations to size but it hopefully will not be a factor if the coffee yields noticable benefit. It would need to be a substantial to justify it's application considering the havok it has the potential to wreck on the media.

my initial hypothesis however is if the roots are able to absorb the coffee without being damaged it will be of great benefit to smaller drosera especially SG ones but not so much to larger ones which can catch their own food. i wish i had enough plants to go around....would like to make a 3rd test with 30-10-10 fert. eh maybe another time if the coffee helps......common sense dictates if the coffee is ineffective then the 30-10-10 would be as well.

 

[cpbobby]

here is an initial pic after letting the plants get settled in.....the plants on the left are without coffee and the plants on the right with. So far no discernible difference other than the algae content.

 

[Maiden]

I have to try that !

 

[Firerock]

Ya those marston's dragons are good plants for this sort of thing.

Regards

 

[Sundrew]

Do these containers drain?

 

[cpbobby]

- the containers do not drain but the amount of fert to the length of root in insignificant.

update: nothing special to report here as of yet......the capes are about 5% larger on avg and there is not distinguishable change in the dragons. i will apply another dose of fert next wednesday(30 days) and have a pic then.

 

[amphirion]

interesting experiment.
my hypothesis is that there shouldnt be any real discernible difference since sundews do not primarily use their roots for nutrient uptake but for hydration. the only drosera that i could see truly benefiting from coffee would be regia, which does uptake nutrients via the roots.

keep us updated!

 

[Nepenthesis]

The Drosera in my Nepenthes pots and the Drosera in the Sphagnum cultures below that have all of the coffee drained into them don't react to it poorly. No browning or anything. They are growing quite well. It should work, and if not, it at least won't kill them. Just be sure to flush the pots (I don't change the water out in my sphagnum cultures very often, if ever).

 

[cpbobby]

update:

the capes are about 10% larger on coffee and the dragons are about 25% larger showing a visual improvement. one of them is actually making a seedstalk. rosetted dews seem to do well too......i will treat 1 more time in a few days and wrap up the experiment. will have a photo soon.

also while i didn't document it the coffee seems to show noticeable improvements for small seedlings that cannot feed yet. very useful for those of you who grow from seed or make your own hybrids.

 

[Nepenthesis]

update:

the capes are about 10% larger on coffee and the dragons are about 25% larger showing a visual improvement. one of them is actually making a seedstalk. rosetted dews seem to do well too......i will treat 1 more time in a few days and wrap up the experiment. will have a photo soon.

also while i didn't document it the coffee seems to show noticeable improvements for small seedlings that cannot feed yet. very useful for those of you who grow from seed or make your own hybrids.

Awesome! I'll have to use some coffee on my dews too.