Succumbing to French Roast Pressure . . .

[mato]

The dark hubris of the Pacific Northwest once again proves its hipness across the phylogenetic tree.


edit: Nice seedlings

 

[dionae]

Beautiful seedlings David!

 

[BigBella]

The dark hubris of the Pacific Northwest once again proves its hipness across the phylogenetic tree.

Crazy, nasty haiku . . .

 

[BigBella]

Here is a bit of a late update, since I haven't done much with the plants -- closing in on two years of age -- since January. Coffee has been added to the compost since 1 March . . .

Nepenthes villosa December 2012

24 March

 

[mato]

Progress is still great, but the leaves seem a bit smaller. Would you say this is due to the shorter photoperiod?

 

[BigBella]

Progress is still great, but the leaves seem a bit smaller. Would you say this is due to the shorter photoperiod?

That is probably the case; and the first leaves of the year are always a bit narrower. It'll pick up before Summer -- and I am far more interested in seeing an increase in pitcher size . . .

 

[pokie22]

Not even enough green for my morning salad.....

 

[n bicalcarata]

tasty villosa salad
aww they are so cute

 

[BigBella]

Not even enough green for my morning salad.....

And to think that it only took close to two years for that amuse-bouche to grow.

Say, Pokie, didn't you order a few micrograms of greens from Wistuba? They should mature about a decade into the zombie apocalypse . . .

 

[Maiden]

bigbella: I love your pot with your lils neps. well done

 

[pokie22]

They should mature about a decade into the zombie apocalypse . . .

I might get accused of being anorexic again.....

 

[BigBella]

Here is a bit of early Spring progress: a few older pitchers from December; and a nice fleetingly green-peristomed pitcher, which opened, I believe, this morning. Oh, and they've been "coffeed-up" since February; so too have I . . .

Nepenthes hamata (Katopassa) 30 March

Lamut

 

[leeslikkers]

Those hamata's are fantastic!

 

[raci22]

Hello

Does anybody did actual study what is in coffee what the Nepenthes like so much and what minerals and chemical elements are in it?
I did have a look on web but I could not find much.
Thank you
Regards
Raci

 

[mobile]

Hello

Does anybody did actual study what is in coffee what the Nepenthes like so much and what minerals and chemical elements are in it?
I did have a look on web but I could not find much.
Thank you
Regards
Raci

I've long suspected that it's the nitrogen. It's not uncommon for growers to be reluctant to feed their CPs with artificial fertilizers, so they have no ready supply of nitrogen if not catching plenty of bugs. Personally I feed my Nepenthe's with urea free fertilizer.

 

[BigBella]

I've long suspected that it's the nitrogen. It's not uncommon for growers to be reluctant to feed their CPs with artificial fertilizers, so they have no ready supply of nitrogen if not catching plenty of bugs. Personally I feed my Nepenthe's with urea free fertilizer.

In a given cup of brewed coffee, there are an estimated fifteen hundred chemical compounds, from aromatics and antioxidants, to alkaloids. Who is to say if nitrogen is the only element that poses any effectiveness? The plants still seem to do far better than those simply given a nitrogen-rich orchid fertilizer. . .

 

[mobile]

I have seen no real evidence that coffee is better than conventional fertilizer. Many growers starve their plants of nitrogen, so there is no surprise that an increase in growth is observed when a source is provided.

 

[BigBella]

Many of mine get their fair share of insects (my N. hamata, for example, are grown outside; and are brimming with ants by the end of Summer); some seedlings receive nitrogen-rich fertilizers; some coffee. In my experience, the coffee-treated plants trump those simply fertilized . . .

Sure, a formal study would be useful and perhaps even in minor demand; but we're talking about a bunch of mildly-interesting ornamental plants among a bunch of hobbyists . . .

 

[mobile]

I'm getting very sceptical with age. I've seen many miracle growth enhancers come and go over the years. Still, at least coffee is a free supply if you have left over in the jug

 

[pokie22]

Throw some in the mass spectrometer and separate on an HPLC. Oh wait, forgot my audience is a bunch of hobbyists...