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Old 18-07-2003, 08:52 PM
gal
 
Posts: n/a
Default Honey / Sugar fertilizer

Hello,

I have seen a few people mentioning adding honey and sugar to the
water as a fertilizer.
Is that effective? What is the recommended dilution ratio – honey to
water?

Regards

Gal
  #2   Report Post  
Old 18-07-2003, 11:10 PM
Jerry Hoffmeister
 
Posts: n/a
Default Honey / Sugar fertilizer

sounds to me like a recipe for a mess...

"gal" wrote in message
om...
Hello,

I have seen a few people mentioning adding honey and sugar to the
water as a fertilizer.
Is that effective? What is the recommended dilution ratio - honey to
water?

Regards

Gal



  #3   Report Post  
Old 19-07-2003, 12:18 AM
Ray
 
Posts: n/a
Default Honey / Sugar fertilizer

Sounds like an excellent way to attract insects - along with their
usually-accompanying bacteria and fungal spores.

--

Ray Barkalow - First Rays Orchids - www.firstrays.com
Plants, Supplies, Books, Artwork, and Lots of Free Info!

.. . . . . . . . . . .
"gal" wrote in message
om...
Hello,

I have seen a few people mentioning adding honey and sugar to the
water as a fertilizer.
Is that effective? What is the recommended dilution ratio - honey to
water?

Regards

Gal



  #4   Report Post  
Old 19-07-2003, 12:27 AM
Diana Kulaga
 
Posts: n/a
Default Honey / Sugar fertilizer

The ants'll love it.......


"Jerry Hoffmeister" wrote in message
s.com...
sounds to me like a recipe for a mess...

"gal" wrote in message
om...
Hello,

I have seen a few people mentioning adding honey and sugar to the
water as a fertilizer.
Is that effective? What is the recommended dilution ratio - honey to
water?

Regards

Gal






  #6   Report Post  
Old 19-07-2003, 03:27 AM
Boystrup Pb, ann,...
 
Posts: n/a
Default Honey / Sugar fertilizer

Hi, here a newbie speaking
I don't agree with the rest of you. I've experimented with this for over a
year now. No bug problems or fungus invasions to report. I use sugar to give
weaker plants a boost. (abused supermarket plants) That is a one time
treedment. Only the plants not with potmedia!!!

The honney on the other hand is used regularly. It contains a natural
antibiotic and that prevents the fungus invasion, it also has a big
nutritional value for the plants. I use honney for plants that like a lot of
fertilizer. (pleione, catasetum, zygopethalum) But also for the other plants
when they are actively growing. Chemical Fertilizers can damage the roots
when you aren't carefull, honney doesn't.

When I really started growing orchids in 2000, I found that the roots didn't
do very well. I don't have rainwater and the water I use is pretty hard. I
used different fertilizers but nothing helped. Than I tried a fertilizer
from Akerne (B, once every 14 days 2ml/litre) and I started leaving my water
in a bucket overnight. That did help a lot, but still because many of my
plants were in a windowsill at the time, I needed to give my plants an
extra boost during growth. (in the livingroom with a low humidity)

Extra fertilizer is out of the question and sugar does atract insects and
fungus!! So I started reading and asking for alternatives, and honney came
up several times, after asking a friend at the university I disited to try
it. Now I have used it in the windowsill and my mini greenhouse (higher
humidity). For over a year I have had no problems what so ever. Maybe I
might get problems in the future I don't know. Right now I take it one step
at a time. When I get a good result with an experiment or tip from a friend
I tend to stick with it. So until I get a better alternative or a bad
experience I'll keep on using it.

I use a teaspoon in 3 liters of water every 14 days.
My routine is basicly first weekend fertilizer and the next honney. And
during the week when nesessary just water.

This is just my own experience, not scientific facts. If you are interested
just try it on a cheap plant and wait and see what will happen. If you do
try, let me know how it works out. Who knows, maybe I'm just very lucky for
once

Good luck whatever you desite,
or good growing as I've read several times.

Peter




  #7   Report Post  
Old 19-07-2003, 04:32 AM
K Barrett
 
Posts: n/a
Default Honey / Sugar fertilizer

Xref: kermit rec.gardens.orchids:47335

As will any bacteria/fungi...

K Barrett

"Diana Kulaga" wrote in message
rthlink.net...
The ants'll love it.......


"Jerry Hoffmeister" wrote in message
s.com...
sounds to me like a recipe for a mess...

"gal" wrote in message
om...
Hello,

I have seen a few people mentioning adding honey and sugar to the
water as a fertilizer.
Is that effective? What is the recommended dilution ratio - honey to
water?

Regards

Gal








  #8   Report Post  
Old 19-07-2003, 04:42 PM
Ray
 
Posts: n/a
Default Honey / Sugar fertilizer

Part of the problem with sugars is that they are sources of carbon, oxygen,
and hydrogen only - all of which the plants get routinely from water and
air - so provide very little of the 17 other ions the plants really need.
Honey may contribute more stuff, but I don't know that they are significant.

There's lots of info on plant nutrition on the web. I placed a brief
summary in the free info section at the URL below.

--

Ray Barkalow - First Rays Orchids - www.firstrays.com
Plants, Supplies, Books, Artwork, and Lots of Free Info!

.. . . . . . . . . . .
"Boystrup Pb, ann,..." wrote in message
e...
Hi, here a newbie speaking
I don't agree with the rest of you. I've experimented with this for over

a
year now. No bug problems or fungus invasions to report. I use sugar to

give
weaker plants a boost. (abused supermarket plants) That is a one time
treedment. Only the plants not with potmedia!!!

The honney on the other hand is used regularly. It contains a natural
antibiotic and that prevents the fungus invasion, it also has a big
nutritional value for the plants. I use honney for plants that like a lot

of
fertilizer. (pleione, catasetum, zygopethalum) But also for the other

plants
when they are actively growing. Chemical Fertilizers can damage the roots
when you aren't carefull, honney doesn't.

When I really started growing orchids in 2000, I found that the roots

didn't
do very well. I don't have rainwater and the water I use is pretty hard. I
used different fertilizers but nothing helped. Than I tried a fertilizer
from Akerne (B, once every 14 days 2ml/litre) and I started leaving my

water
in a bucket overnight. That did help a lot, but still because many of my
plants were in a windowsill at the time, I needed to give my plants an
extra boost during growth. (in the livingroom with a low humidity)

Extra fertilizer is out of the question and sugar does atract insects and
fungus!! So I started reading and asking for alternatives, and honney came
up several times, after asking a friend at the university I disited to try
it. Now I have used it in the windowsill and my mini greenhouse (higher
humidity). For over a year I have had no problems what so ever. Maybe I
might get problems in the future I don't know. Right now I take it one

step
at a time. When I get a good result with an experiment or tip from a

friend
I tend to stick with it. So until I get a better alternative or a bad
experience I'll keep on using it.

I use a teaspoon in 3 liters of water every 14 days.
My routine is basicly first weekend fertilizer and the next honney. And
during the week when nesessary just water.

This is just my own experience, not scientific facts. If you are

interested
just try it on a cheap plant and wait and see what will happen. If you do
try, let me know how it works out. Who knows, maybe I'm just very lucky

for
once

Good luck whatever you desite,
or good growing as I've read several times.

Peter






  #9   Report Post  
Old 20-07-2003, 01:42 PM
TQPL
 
Posts: n/a
Default Honey / Sugar fertilizer

Hi Peter,

Since you have been doing the experiments I reckon
_you_ have the one up on most people.
It is a subject I have a keen interest in too.

A number of years ago the RHS Orchid Review
published an article about South American studies
where it was found that epiphytic orchids are
constantly drenched with a dilute solution of
simple sugars from the leachate of other plants
especially the mosses, liverworts, and ferns
growing on the trees. The levels of sugars and
nutrients was considered significant as a
nutritional souce. It seems everytime there is a
rain shower these simple sugars are released
during the natural breakdown of cell wall and
decay of plants, they flow down the tree trunks
feeding the orchids with sugars. I can imagine
some bromeliads might be significant in South
America as the sugary flowers decay and go into
solution.

It is also well known that often protocorms are to
be found growing in this moss forest. Here they
have a ready sugar supply.

Interstingly it is mainly simple sugars such as
fructose.

Some people believe it might be a reason for the
jungle vigor of collected plants ..namely their
sugar diet amoung other factors.

I used to work with an orchid grower John Banks of
Zygopetalum John Banks fame who grew orchid
commercially all his life. He and a number of our
customers believe that a bit of moss or liverwort
did no harm and may indeed have been beneficial on
the top of the pot. Could this be a sugar source
or realease mechanism for other growth regulators?
I have observed how well sometimes pots of
rockwool grown orchids grow with a colony of moss
on the top...maybe similar mechanisms are at play?

My interest was trying to identify possible growth
regulators or dormancy breakers of seed naturally
found in the moss substrate colonised by
germinating seed, however the route to moss
leachate research in the field dried up when I
last tried a few years back.

Keep up the good work
Best regards
Alan L Winthrop.

www.tissuequickplantlabs.com




"Boystrup Pb, ann,..."
wrote in message
e...
Hi, here a newbie speaking
I don't agree with the rest of you. Peter



  #10   Report Post  
Old 20-07-2003, 03:52 PM
Wendy
 
Posts: n/a
Default Honey / Sugar fertilizer

Xref: kermit rec.gardens.orchids:47403

Your post is very interesting Alan & to Peter, didn't see your post again?
Alan, you mention the moss growing with plants.
My mentor grows all his Paphs & Phrags with moss growing on the top of the
mix. (they bloom!)
I tried this & my moss just turns an orangy brown, any ideas?
Thanks,
Cheers Wendy
"TQPL" wrote in message
...
Hi Peter,

Since you have been doing the experiments I reckon
_you_ have the one up on most people.
It is a subject I have a keen interest in too.

A number of years ago the RHS Orchid Review
published an article about South American studies
where it was found that epiphytic orchids are
constantly drenched with a dilute solution of
simple sugars from the leachate of other plants
especially the mosses, liverworts, and ferns
growing on the trees. The levels of sugars and
nutrients was considered significant as a
nutritional souce. It seems everytime there is a
rain shower these simple sugars are released
during the natural breakdown of cell wall and
decay of plants, they flow down the tree trunks
feeding the orchids with sugars. I can imagine
some bromeliads might be significant in South
America as the sugary flowers decay and go into
solution.

It is also well known that often protocorms are to
be found growing in this moss forest. Here they
have a ready sugar supply.

Interstingly it is mainly simple sugars such as
fructose.

Some people believe it might be a reason for the
jungle vigor of collected plants ..namely their
sugar diet amoung other factors.

I used to work with an orchid grower John Banks of
Zygopetalum John Banks fame who grew orchid
commercially all his life. He and a number of our
customers believe that a bit of moss or liverwort
did no harm and may indeed have been beneficial on
the top of the pot. Could this be a sugar source
or realease mechanism for other growth regulators?
I have observed how well sometimes pots of
rockwool grown orchids grow with a colony of moss
on the top...maybe similar mechanisms are at play?

My interest was trying to identify possible growth
regulators or dormancy breakers of seed naturally
found in the moss substrate colonised by
germinating seed, however the route to moss
leachate research in the field dried up when I
last tried a few years back.

Keep up the good work
Best regards
Alan L Winthrop.

www.tissuequickplantlabs.com




"Boystrup Pb, ann,..."
wrote in message
e...
Hi, here a newbie speaking
I don't agree with the rest of you. Peter







  #11   Report Post  
Old 20-07-2003, 04:02 PM
TQPL
 
Posts: n/a
Default Honey / Sugar fertilizer

Hi Wendy.

Good observation about your friends Paphs and
Phrags.
Mosss does grow best if you use high quality
water. Rainwater or RO.
I find I can grow moss with feeding my plants but
I don't overdo it.
Sphagnum is very fertilizer sensitive but often it
is other species of moss that grow best.
It seems to grow better on some bark composts than
others and that might be a tannin thing, not quite
sure.
Certainly it grows well on rockwool which needs
feeding. Sometimes it is a mix with algae.
Good moss growing
Alan L Winthrop





"Wendy" wrote in message
news:c0xSa.6076$Ne.3382@fed1read03...
Your post is very interesting Alan & to Peter,

didn't see your post again?
Alan, you mention the moss growing with plants.
My mentor grows all his Paphs & Phrags with moss

growing on the top of the
mix. (they bloom!)
I tried this & my moss just turns an orangy

brown, any ideas?
Thanks,
Cheers Wendy
"TQPL" wrote

in message



  #12   Report Post  
Old 20-07-2003, 07:12 PM
Ray
 
Posts: n/a
Default Honey / Sugar fertilizer

Brown moss suggests one or more of the following:

Not wet enough
Too much fertilizer
pH too high

--

Ray Barkalow - First Rays Orchids - www.firstrays.com
Plants, Supplies, Books, Artwork, and Lots of Free Info!

.. . . . . . . . . . .
"Wendy" wrote in message
news:c0xSa.6076$Ne.3382@fed1read03...
Your post is very interesting Alan & to Peter, didn't see your post again?
Alan, you mention the moss growing with plants.
My mentor grows all his Paphs & Phrags with moss growing on the top of the
mix. (they bloom!)
I tried this & my moss just turns an orangy brown, any ideas?
Thanks,
Cheers Wendy
"TQPL" wrote in message
...
Hi Peter,

Since you have been doing the experiments I reckon
_you_ have the one up on most people.
It is a subject I have a keen interest in too.

A number of years ago the RHS Orchid Review
published an article about South American studies
where it was found that epiphytic orchids are
constantly drenched with a dilute solution of
simple sugars from the leachate of other plants
especially the mosses, liverworts, and ferns
growing on the trees. The levels of sugars and
nutrients was considered significant as a
nutritional souce. It seems everytime there is a
rain shower these simple sugars are released
during the natural breakdown of cell wall and
decay of plants, they flow down the tree trunks
feeding the orchids with sugars. I can imagine
some bromeliads might be significant in South
America as the sugary flowers decay and go into
solution.

It is also well known that often protocorms are to
be found growing in this moss forest. Here they
have a ready sugar supply.

Interstingly it is mainly simple sugars such as
fructose.

Some people believe it might be a reason for the
jungle vigor of collected plants ..namely their
sugar diet amoung other factors.

I used to work with an orchid grower John Banks of
Zygopetalum John Banks fame who grew orchid
commercially all his life. He and a number of our
customers believe that a bit of moss or liverwort
did no harm and may indeed have been beneficial on
the top of the pot. Could this be a sugar source
or realease mechanism for other growth regulators?
I have observed how well sometimes pots of
rockwool grown orchids grow with a colony of moss
on the top...maybe similar mechanisms are at play?

My interest was trying to identify possible growth
regulators or dormancy breakers of seed naturally
found in the moss substrate colonised by
germinating seed, however the route to moss
leachate research in the field dried up when I
last tried a few years back.

Keep up the good work
Best regards
Alan L Winthrop.

www.tissuequickplantlabs.com




"Boystrup Pb, ann,..."
wrote in message
e...
Hi, here a newbie speaking
I don't agree with the rest of you. Peter







  #13   Report Post  
Old 20-07-2003, 07:32 PM
Wendy
 
Posts: n/a
Default Honey / Sugar fertilizer

Thanks much Alan, my mentor does use rockwool & I haven't?
We both use the same regular street water from the same district.
Fertilizer is different, he uses some kind of tablets in a glass holder
which is on the front end of the hose?
He waters once a week?
I shall have to research the "tannin" thing. Isn't it in tea?
Cheers Wendy

"TQPL" wrote in message
...
Hi Wendy.

Good observation about your friends Paphs and
Phrags.
Mosss does grow best if you use high quality
water. Rainwater or RO.
I find I can grow moss with feeding my plants but
I don't overdo it.
Sphagnum is very fertilizer sensitive but often it
is other species of moss that grow best.
It seems to grow better on some bark composts than
others and that might be a tannin thing, not quite
sure.
Certainly it grows well on rockwool which needs
feeding. Sometimes it is a mix with algae.
Good moss growing
Alan L Winthrop





"Wendy" wrote in message
news:c0xSa.6076$Ne.3382@fed1read03...
Your post is very interesting Alan & to Peter,

didn't see your post again?
Alan, you mention the moss growing with plants.
My mentor grows all his Paphs & Phrags with moss

growing on the top of the
mix. (they bloom!)
I tried this & my moss just turns an orangy

brown, any ideas?
Thanks,
Cheers Wendy
"TQPL" wrote

in message





  #14   Report Post  
Old 20-07-2003, 07:32 PM
Wendy
 
Posts: n/a
Default Honey / Sugar fertilizer

Thanks Ray, could be the fertilizer (1/4 strength), see my reply to Alan.
Cheers Wendy
"Ray" wrote in message
...
Brown moss suggests one or more of the following:

Not wet enough
Too much fertilizer
pH too high

--

Ray Barkalow - First Rays Orchids - www.firstrays.com
Plants, Supplies, Books, Artwork, and Lots of Free Info!

. . . . . . . . . . .
"Wendy" wrote in message
news:c0xSa.6076$Ne.3382@fed1read03...
Your post is very interesting Alan & to Peter, didn't see your post

again?
Alan, you mention the moss growing with plants.
My mentor grows all his Paphs & Phrags with moss growing on the top of

the
mix. (they bloom!)
I tried this & my moss just turns an orangy brown, any ideas?
Thanks,
Cheers Wendy
"TQPL" wrote in message
...
Hi Peter,

Since you have been doing the experiments I reckon
_you_ have the one up on most people.
It is a subject I have a keen interest in too.

A number of years ago the RHS Orchid Review
published an article about South American studies
where it was found that epiphytic orchids are
constantly drenched with a dilute solution of
simple sugars from the leachate of other plants
especially the mosses, liverworts, and ferns
growing on the trees. The levels of sugars and
nutrients was considered significant as a
nutritional souce. It seems everytime there is a
rain shower these simple sugars are released
during the natural breakdown of cell wall and
decay of plants, they flow down the tree trunks
feeding the orchids with sugars. I can imagine
some bromeliads might be significant in South
America as the sugary flowers decay and go into
solution.

It is also well known that often protocorms are to
be found growing in this moss forest. Here they
have a ready sugar supply.

Interstingly it is mainly simple sugars such as
fructose.

Some people believe it might be a reason for the
jungle vigor of collected plants ..namely their
sugar diet amoung other factors.

I used to work with an orchid grower John Banks of
Zygopetalum John Banks fame who grew orchid
commercially all his life. He and a number of our
customers believe that a bit of moss or liverwort
did no harm and may indeed have been beneficial on
the top of the pot. Could this be a sugar source
or realease mechanism for other growth regulators?
I have observed how well sometimes pots of
rockwool grown orchids grow with a colony of moss
on the top...maybe similar mechanisms are at play?

My interest was trying to identify possible growth
regulators or dormancy breakers of seed naturally
found in the moss substrate colonised by
germinating seed, however the route to moss
leachate research in the field dried up when I
last tried a few years back.

Keep up the good work
Best regards
Alan L Winthrop.

www.tissuequickplantlabs.com




"Boystrup Pb, ann,..."
wrote in message
e...
Hi, here a newbie speaking
I don't agree with the rest of you. Peter









  #15   Report Post  
Old 21-07-2003, 06:12 PM
TQPL
 
Posts: n/a
Default Honey / Sugar fertilizer

Hi Wendy,

Yes tannins are in tea but also they are in most
barks too. Especially noticable in conifererous
barks such as Pine, Redwood etc as used for
potting orchids. They are all mixed in with
resins/terpentines etc to give that 'pine' smell.
Best regards
Alan
"
I shall have to research the "tannin" thing.

Isn't it in tea?
Cheers Wendy




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