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been doing some research on this and wanted to try this on some of my hoyas.My growing medium is growstones,bark and coconut husk.Not much microbes in this mix so i bought a few products to make a better environment for the roots to take up more nutrients,and make the fertlizer more available to the plant.http://www.plant-success.com/index.php/mycorrhizal-products/great-white-mycorrhizae.html .bought this to feed the mycorrhizae..http://www.plant-success.com/index.php/mycorrhizal-products/great-white-mycorrhizae.html here is an interesting read on mycorrhizae in Hawaiian epiphytes.http://scholarspace.manoa.hawaii.edu/bitstream/handle/10125/2441/v49n2-175-180.pdf?sequence=1
Name: Carol Noel Hawaii (near Hilo) It's all about choices.
Jimmy... I use EM1 (Effective Microorganisms) which I water in with molasses. I also spray with it as it adds beneficial bacteria to the plant environment...the leaves etc.... and I am really really happy with it!!! I also use it in my vegetable garden!
Nice!I should receive the Great white tomorrow and the molasses this week!I'm gonna try it on 3 plants I have extras of first to see if its OK for them.I'm also gonna mix the 2 initially,then just use the molasses with some week fertilizer, and re-apply the Great White every few months.My hope is that the mycorrhizae will colonize around the root system of the plant and help with the break down and uptake of nutrients to the plants,especially phosphorus.Studies suggests the fungus and the plants have a form of symbiosis with each other allowing the plants for prosper in areas with low amounts of nutrients..like rocks and trees...or in my case,grow stones and coconut husk!Another benefit if the fungus,is that some species keep the root ball healthy by warding off the bad kinds of fungus that are responsible for root rot.You can learn a lot from pot forums!
Name: Carol Noel Hawaii (near Hilo) It's all about choices.
As I have been using EM for about 3 years with only positive results I don't think you really need to 'test' it, Jimmy...go for it! One other thing you can do is to combine the solution with biochar (no, not charcoal) and mix it in with your media. The Biochar stores the beneficial bacterial and nutrients...slowly releasing them.
When I use my Charfish fertilizer (fishmeal, biochar, blue rock and potassium sulfate) I water it in with my EM and the odor is immediately 'killed'.....
I always go to the local hydroponic store for advice...the pot growers know how to grow!!!!
Thanks Carol!Bought a bag of it and will include this in the mix as well.For the hoyas already potted up,I'll just add some to the top and mix it in a bit.Should disperse after a few waterings being the water runs right through the mix I have now.Seems to make for a really good long term growing environment for all the microbes!Got one cubic ft for right under 40$ with free shipping of course!HaHa Here is the link for the brand I bought.I bought the bag with the added compost ,so its already to use..let me know what you think http://www.soilbiochar.com/store/buy-biochar.php#.UnacpVPJKy...
Name: Carol Noel Hawaii (near Hilo) It's all about choices.
Jimmy...that is super stuff. And you really only need about 10-15% of it to really do great wonders to your medium!!! And watering it in with Great White will be awesome! You won't have to fertilize as much...and when you do..I suggest you use aged chicken manure or Fish Fertilizer because you will be keeping the bacteria alive and healthy. GREAT find!!!!!
Thanks Carol...I hope to get the biochar by the end of the week.I really want to use the fish fertlizer,but i'm afraid to use it inside with my cat.She sometimes digs around the surface of plants ..just to get a piece if husk to play with,but not sure with the fish smell.I have the molasses to feed the mircobes....its 0-0-3,but i would like to use another organic product as well.The fish seaweed product would be just what I need to add..its 2-3-1.Maybe it wont smell as bad after mixed with water?I have dyno growas well ,but something organic would be better for the microbes long term.Check it out http://www.amazon.com/Neptunes-Harvest-FS118-Fertilizer-18-O...
Name: Carol Noel Hawaii (near Hilo) It's all about choices.
Use your microbes with your fert and the molasses....the microbes should eat the 'smell'. Try it first in a small jar overnight.... If I don't use it, my Labrador dog will destroy my greenhouse and all the pots are on the floor and she is sick as 'dog'....but the plant absolutely LOVE the stuff....
Thanks!Just got the biochar in today!Just ordered the fish fert.I waiting to see if this stuff will not just aid in perventing rot,but reversing it as well.I've put some great white mixed whth molasses on one of my hoyas that had root rot that never quite recovered from it.I have a buch of cuttings from it doing nicely(shooting star hoya).If anything extrodinary happens,,,I'll keep you posted,although I am noticing new growth on some of my hoyas after one treatment of the stuff and its only been 4 days!Its mostly thoese little green nubs between leaves that just sit there for weeks and months and dont do anything.This seeems to help!I took a pic of one a few days ago and will take another pic of the same growth spot and post pics.Great white and similar products will work with s.h. as well! interesting read!! http://urbangardenmagazine.com/2010/01/super-feeding-do-myco...
Hi Julie...I've used it a few times this winter and most of the hoyas really seen to like it!I had some winter growth on 20 or so hoyas.The big thing I like about it...it seems to keep root rot at bay.I sometimes over water in winter and killed a few hoyas due to the rot.Not so much with the extra microbes in the soil.A yellow leaf here and there,but thats about it!I always ues half the dose it says in the directions.I'll be doing it more often when i bring the hoyas outside for summer!I'll post a few pics if some of the new leaves pretty soon
Cool! Did you get the Great White or something else?I also ordered this stuff from Blue Mountain Organics called super plant tonic.It has just about the same stuff,but cheaper and in liquid form....buts its very potent!!It broke down the dead matter in the soil so quickly that a few of my hoyas go over fertlized even though there is no fertlizer in it!It could have spiked the nitrogen levels in the soil and lots of yellow leaves was the result....After a good flush and just water for a month...new growth is appearing again.Just be easy on the stuff so the hoyas can adjust too it.The hoyas that are a bit sensitive to too much of the product were serpens,polyneura,praetorri,darwinni.Most of the other ones did great over wintering in the house...much better this year then the year before,and this winter has been much colder...so much lower humidity.With serpens it could of been overwatering or the medium was too rich to begin with (too much biochar).and the roots burned from over fertilizatin...dont know.i did pick up 3 more serpens for back up! Just use very low doses and adjust to the plants reactions..a little goes a long way!
Sounds like you're having fun experimenting Jimmy!
As I'm in the UK, we have different products over here. I got the mycorr from TNC (the nutrient company). I got a water solvable form for semi hydro plants and another mix for soil based plants. Have done a wee bit of repotting...so only time will tell now.
Fingers crossed
great update thanks Jimmy, and great to hear your hoyas are coming thru the winter relatively unscathed!
Just use very low doses and adjust to the plants reactions..a little goes a long way!
