Let me add that my goal was to improve upon ST, not duplicate it.
Looking at the literature, the synthetic rooting hormone in the formula is
by-far the most active, with the B-1 second, and I cannot speak for the
other "50" ingredients, as they are hidden from the public.
When I was doing my own thing, I used both IBA and NAA (ST only has one
hormone), not only B-1, but about 3 or 4 other vitamins that are known to be
beneficial to plants, humic acid, kelp extracts, and a variety of other
ingredients. Even with all of that purchased at retail, my
"Super-SuperThrive" cost 15% of the price of ST itself.
In case anyone doesn't know, the rooting hormones are "plant growth
regulators", and even though the EPA's own documents state it presents no
hazard to people or the environment, it is regulated by them under FIFRA,
and I'm not about to go to the hassle and immense expense to get EPA
registered and have the product registered, so I dropped it.
Kathy, I am as skeptical as you about such things. I cannot tell you how
often I had to convince new adopters of MSU fertilizer that the key to the
"magic" was the fact that they were now feeding regularly and adequately.
Back when I was doing the SST thing, I got flats of phal seedlings from a
local nursery, and compared about 50 plants each of fertilizer only, fert +
ST, fert + SST. There was no doubt that the seedlings getting additives did
better that those who did not, and non-plant growers independently supported
my observation that the SST group did better than the ST group, but the
difference was not as large.
As far as my current humic acid experiment goes, as unscientific as it is,
it LOOKS like it's having a positive effect, and while I cannot claim there
is a direct cause & effect relationship, I can guarantee that my watering
and feeding regimen hasn't changed, as that's automated. (I normally only
do that while on vacation, but having been in the surgery-a-month club there
for a while, I opted to let it go, which is not an issue in S/H.)
--
Ray Barkalow - First Rays Orchids -
www.firstrays.com
Plants, Supplies. Books, Artwork, and lots of Free Info!
"K Barrett" wrote in message
. ..
IIRC Superthrive is vitamin B-1 with some other plant hormone, but the
real ingredient is the B-1. So, just as B-1 softens transplanting shock
so Superthrive will help wiht repotting shock.
IIRC humic acid is the acid that makes tropical river water dark, its from
broken down plant material. Sure there's some plant hormones in there
too, but in general its acidity is what hold back or causes decline in
potted plants, the salts and acids build up in old potting soil - soil I
hastens to add!! I'm talking about house plants here, not orchids - and
the plant fails to thrive. You repot and voila, better blooms growths
etc. Less burning of those delicate root hairs.
Now what humic acid may or maynot provide to *orchids* is another horse
entirely, IMHO. There have been any number of peopel who like use of a
variety of natural fertilizers. Alan Koch liked using the algae additive
(of course I'm blanking on its name.... some sort of Icelandic algae, has
a variety of plant hormones which increases rooting, growth, etc.) I used
to use it and did see improvement. Of course, as Wellenstein says, you
never know whether the plants are responding to 1) repotting 2) better
watering because you are paying better attention 3) or the stuff you are
using.
So its a double edged sword. Ray, I think what you are seeing is just the
usual increased solubility of inorganic micronutrients that any
acidification/fertilizer would bring to solution. Marschner ( "Mineral
Nutrition of Higher Plants") doesn't have an index listing for Humic acid,
or even humus. There's nothing in the old AOS Bulletin under Humic Acid
and the only 2 possible articles are in regard to CAM.
Here's a link to humic acid and follow the link to Leibig:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Humic_acid
K Barrett.
"Diana Kulaga" wrote in message
. ..
Without going out to look at the SuperThrive bottle (lazy girl!), is
humic acid one of the ingredients in that product? I began using ST this
year, and I can't believe the results. They should hire me as a
spokesperson for the stuff. The pbulbs are far stronger and bigger, and
the flowers are more numerous and also larger.
Diana
"Ray B" wrote in message
...
Many moons ago, when I was experimenting with developing my own,
better-but-much-cheaper SuperThrive (abandoned, due to EPA regs), I
began using humic acid as an additive to the formulation.
I am quite certain of its benefit in soils, as it helps release
otherwise-sequestered nutrients, but I questioned its applicability to
orchid-growing.
I know this is quite unscientific, but about 4 months ago - just before
the time I had to start mostly "ignoring" my collection due to the
various surgeries I endured - I added a liquid humic acid concentrate to
my fertilizer feed tank, so have been feeding with it (it ends up being
about a teaspoon per gallon), and it "looks" like it may be a "plus"
after all, as I am seeing more growth and blooms than I had been (again
I'll state - it's quite an unscientific assessment).
Anyone else have any thoughts or experience?
--
Ray Barkalow - First Rays Orchids - www.firstrays.com
Plants, Supplies. Books, Artwork, and lots of Free Info!