Instant Coffee for neps?

[Predator]

Would instant coffee be Ok to use on neps? I did not realise you were supposed to use the coffee beans brewed type, and so I put some instant coffee on some of my that needed a boost.

Will this still help them or should I not have used instant coffee.

 

[eou812]

I have heard of people using instant coffee and it not harming them so it SHOULD be OK. I also hope you used a low concentration of coffee and i high concentration of pure water (preferably distilled water, reverse osmosis, and rain water not collected from a roof). Hope this helps.

Ean.

 

[KDodds]

Huh? What is the justification for using coffee grounds in CP plantings? Just as additional organics? Or is there some other reason?

 

[seedjar]

Coffee has lots of micronutrients in it, so it's used as a fertilizer. Coffee grounds offer the same advantage, plus they provide acidity, and are a good fibrous organic component that both retain moisture and promote good drainage. Or at least, that's what I've inferred.
Most Starbucks locations will give you free used grounds for use in your garden if you ask nicely. I make my coffee fertilizer from it by leaving it to boil in a large stockpot with RO water for several hours. I think that real coffee might be better than instant, but that's just a hunch - I've got no evidence to back it up.
If you're just getting started with Neps, though, skip the coffee altogether; it's not at all necessary. Learn to grow them the conventional way before you get fancy.
~Joe

 

[KDodds]

Ah, so pretty much the same reason gardeners (of the "traditional" variety) use coffee grounds, I guess.

 

[seedjar]

Right. But if you use it for fertilizer you should be observant of buildup in your media and make sure to flush the pot afterwards just as you would for using any other fertilizer with Neps. Additionally, some people have had mold problems when using grounds as an amendment, so be careful what potting arrangements you try to use it in. Do some background research in Nepenthes mixes before you decide it would be OK to try this on top of your own preferred recipe.
~Joe

 

[KDodds]

Right. But if you use it for fertilizer you should be observant of buildup in your media and make sure to flush the pot afterwards just as you would for using any other fertilizer with Neps. Additionally, some people have had mold problems when using grounds as an amendment, so be careful what potting arrangements you try to use it in. Do some background research in Nepenthes mixes before you decide it would be OK to try this on top of your own preferred recipe.
~Joe

Oh, no, I'm going totally with what you said at first:

If you're just getting started with Neps, though, skip the coffee altogether; it's not at all necessary. Learn to grow them the conventional way before you get fancy.
~Joe

In my mind, there just can't be a *need* for such exotic ingredients in a mix, regardless of what you're growing, and most of the "super-beneficial" effects you'll hear or read about, of one method or another, I've found over the years to be little more than snake oil. I mean, if it's not part of the natural growing environment that a particular plant has spent thousands, if not millions, of years adapting to, then I really have to question why it should even be used, you know? I've also found, in almost anything you try, it's always easier and leads to greater success sooner, to go with the old tried and true methods first.

 

[seedjar]

It probably does have some value compared to other methods of slow organic fertilization, such as fish emulsion or bloodmeal. It will smell a lot better, at the very least. But right - it's not necessary, and it introduces complications you wouldn't normally have to deal with. I think you're on the right path. Start with the basics, then once you get a feel for your plants, try fertilization through watering, and then once your collection is spiraling out of control and you really wouldn't mind killing some plants, try fertilized mixes and see if you can make it work for you.
~Joe

 

[jimmy0123]

How about using tea? Does it have the same effect as coffee? Has anyone try it before?

 

[seedjar]

I use black tea for some of my plants, but for a different reason. I'll put cheap black tea into the coffee grounds when I make fertilizer though, just for added kick. The main advantage of black tea is that it has lots of tannins, which promote the formation of red pigments in Sarracenia and perhaps some other plants. The tannins also help acidify the water, which most carnivores appreciate.
~Joe