So rj, are you saying that the Volcanite that Emily found is the same as the Volcanic Sand produced by Green-Sand that you tried with your 4 inch pot?
But what you are saying is that you mix it in with your regular potting mix when you transplant, re-pot your brugs.
Jeanette
Monika's book regarding soil
Jeanette,
mmm....no it's not the same as Emilys site. This is plain Lava composite material with nothing else added. Matter of fact, I think they use the term sand for lack of a better word. The stuff is so dense that if you take a handful and squeeze it, it becomes clay like.
Your right, this is an additive for potting soil. I mix my own potting soil, so I've just added this component to the list. Usually when I'm mixing my potting soil, I have specific plants in mind and tailor the composition to the plants ie fertilzer, humus density etc.
I think I'm going to re-pot a brug tomorrow just for curiosity. I think my concern is figuring out the right amount to use, as I don't want the "wet feet" syndrome! I'm wathcing my papayas and plumerias closely, and so far no signs of stress from overwatering, and it's rained buckets everyday this week.
Rj
rj, I didn't mean the same site as Emily's. I meant the same product. So, where are you getting yours?
Why do you worry about overwatering? Don't you use Peroxide? I haven't had any problems with that since I started using it. I used to use the Oxygen Plus years ago. It was so expensive, and here all along, it was just Hyddrogen Peroxide. 96 cents a bottle.
Jeanette
Yes, sorry, I meant the same product, it doesn't look the same to me, but that's from reading the what was on the link I went to.
??? Do tell about peroxide? This is new to me!! What does this do?
When I'm growing things from seeds, and have re-potted them up to the next level, sometimes they get too much water when it rains alot, as they haven't grown into the new size pot. It's rained about 6 inches in 3 days here, the soil is very clay. My back yard is flooded right now. I'm tellin ya...not one drop of rain in june with a 20 day average of 99F, now...rain every single day in torrents. I bet we get hit with a hurricane this year!
I'm going to go look at that site again just to make sure.
Rj
I just went there, and actually it looks even closer to the Hawita than what I'm using. The Hawita has 3 kinds of volcanic clay, and the product pointed out by Emily has 5 kinds. I would give it whirl if I came accross some here.
Rj
Jeanette,
You would have no doubt if it were compressed, it is so compressed it is hard. When you open it it doesn't expand at all, you have to take a trowel or a small cultivator or something like that and chop out a chunk and either with you hands or the tool break it into pieces like you would a clod of soil.
Melissa
That sounds like volcanic clay to me!!! Rj
Yes, Melissa I know I would know if it were compressed and mine isn't.
I'm going to send you the information on the peroxide rj. Unless I can find the thread.
Seedpicker from Texas, are you on here? How do I find a thread on seed starting with Peroxide on March 26, 2004? Author was AKnapp. Maybe you know how to find it rj.
Let me know if you do. Jeanette
Jeanette, I think this is what you are looking for.
http://davesgarden.com/forums/t/423312/
Hey Kin, didn't know you were on here. Good to hear from you. Nope, not the right one. I sent a message on a different thread where I know Seedpicker resides and know it is late in Texas so probably will hear tomorrow.
It is really an interesting thread. Got me started using peroxide every time I water.
Jeanette
Here I am saying how lae it is in Texas and getting responses from rj who is in Houston. LOL
Jeanette
Me too, that's how we become better at the gardening! Rj
Oh, boy, I have questions. First is to Rj - are all your brugs in pots and, if so, is it a matter of space, and, or why don't you winter them in the ground, your zone 9a, I would think, would be perfect for wintering in the ground, since I winter mine in the ground in zone 8a and I've never lost one (cross your fingers, knock on wood!!). Have you wintered them in the ground and lost some??
Next, please tell me about the peroxide and watering plants. Are you speaking of H202 and, if so, do you water your plants in the ground with H202?? That's one thing the county extension told me NOT to do, that H202 would remove nutrients from the ground soil. But, I'm inclined to believe they might not be correct on this point and I'd love to know more. I do use and H202 soak on my bubbler cuttings before I pot them up, but I haven't used it in watering my plants.
This is a very good thread, Jeanette, et al. I love hearing about what all of you do and have tried in your gardens. I can honestly say I've learned more from my mistakes, which have been numerous, whew!
Hi Sherry,
Yes, I have some in the ground, I actually have a forest of them...unfortuneatly these were planted before I learned how to trim/sculpt them. Still learning from my Brugmansia book. So they're huge and sprawling. Wonder if I can still trim them to look better, as I planted all my seedlings from last year and they are getting tall, but haven't bloomed yet.
Here's a pic of the small one.
I'm curious about the peroxide too.
Your package is ready and will be mailed on my way to work today. Apparently I'm having problems with paypal, so I'll have to sort that out.
Rj
rj, don't count your Paypal out because of my problem. I will just go in and send you the money again. Jeanette
rj, don't count your Paypal out because of my problem. I will just go in and send you the money again.
Shirley, Kin, and rj, I cannot believe you guys aren't using the Peroxide. Where were you when all of this stuff was discussed? I will surely make sure you are aware of it when I get the info from Seedpicker.
Jeanette
Jeanette, is this the thread you were talking about peroxide that JLD_II, Jeff, started about bubblers?? I didn't have time to read through it, so I'm not sure if it's the one...
http://davesgarden.com/forums/t/487689/#new
No, Sherry, that is a good one but it isn't what I am looking for. Thanks, Jeanette
You know, I signed up here 2002...trying to find out about Brugmansia info...it was pretty much skeletal information at that time..I didn't visit again until last spring!.. what a difference. and at last 3 years later I found alot of the information on brugmansias I was looking for.
Hows that for an excuse! :)
Jeanette...your paypal popped into my account/email!
Rj
Hi rj, glad you got the money this time. I think what happened last time was that I got interrupted when I was sending it and sent it twice. So then I deleted one, and it deleted them both. Anyway, glad we got it straightened out.
I can just imagine the difference in the information in 3 years!!!
Jeanette
yes, I have learned more in 5 months than I ever would have scanning the internet for stuff. I'm a big fan.
Rj
I've only been a member here since September last year and I didn't even know what a brugmansia was until April. I have learned so much in this forum and many others.
Here are Aztec gold plumeria seedlings, my first experiment using Lava Sand. Can you tell which one has the Lava sand?
The one on the right. The interesting thing was, as water logged as these have been from the rain this month, they really are doing well I think.
My Island girl Brugmansias are big enough to re-pot now. This will be stage two of the lava sand experiment. I only have 2 Island Girls though, so they are both going to be potted with the sand mix, so there won't be the comparison like the Plumerias.
Rj
So rj, you got the lava sand from the Greensand people. There is a good difference, but you know what I noticed? The ones on the right don't have any "continued" new growth. Unless I am missing something. So, are you using something with it rj? Like fertilizer? How much lava sand did you mix? Like with potting mix.
Very interesting. Jeanette
Hi
You made me go look, but there is new growth coming out on the top. I used a handful of the sand to pot 7 pots of the plumeria and 8 pots of Papaya. The papay have really taken off. Never seen them grow this fast. Some are over a foot tall, and were about 5 inches when I planted them last month.
ON the Plumeria I am using the BR61, with a wee bit of nutristar Plumeria mix.
I will take pictures of the Island girl brugs when I first pot them, then in 1 month.
Rj
I guess I just couldn't see the new growth on the picture. That sure isn't much that you had to use for that many plants. What is the BR61? Yeah, I would like to see how the Island Girl does. Jeanette
The BR61 is a soluable fertilizer for plumerias. The jury is still out on that for the full grown. I like the nutri star. The papayas I planted with the mixed volcanic sand are amazing me, and perhaps this comparison will be more useful. I repotted these at the end of June, 3-6 inch heights. I mixed the volcanic sand, with mulch, potting soil and some whoopdie doo bag of alphalpha pellets infused with fish meal, cotton seed meal and molasses. It's called Earth essentials 5-1-3. I fertilze the papayas ever week with the HIbiscus fertilzer. Clearly the combination or some of the ingredients is working over time. The Papaya on the left is the combination, the ones on the right are regular soil, and in fact is about what my papayas last year looked like. The one on the left is 2.5 feet tall in 2 months, which is the height my last year papaya yearling came out of the green house this spring. Truly Papayas were frustrating for me as they did not tolerate alot of the fertilzers I experimented with. So, I'm quite happy that SOMETHING finally turned out good, or better than good. I clearly get what Monika is saying now.
Rj
P.S. - speaking of experimenting, I have been considering installing L.E.D. lighting in the garden, considering how often the spotlights seem to go out. My friend and I ventured through the garden with a hand led light that featured yellow,red,blue,green led lights. I posted some entertaining results at http://davesgarden.com/forums/t/533723/
Rj
rj, there really is a big difference between the 2. But, with all of the stuff you put in the one on the left, how do you know it was the volcanic sand that did it? Golly, if you fed me all of that stuff I'd get fat too. LOL
It would have been really interesting if you had used JUST the sand on one, the Earth Essentials on one and then the regular potting soil. Also the way you did on the left. So, that would be 4 plants. LOL, don't want much do I?
But, just think, with all of this research next year you will know what to do. Your light show was very entertaining. I like the plants the color mother nature makes them. :)
Jeanette
Yes Mother does know the best colors!
I know, I just can't be consistent! I'll go sprinkle some pellets on the other one! haha.
I have some mmmm stragler papayas growing in the yard I can experiment with. The jungle is becoming self perpetuating..
My Mom said it was getting toasty in Washington. I was scoffing at her 80 degree suffering...:)
rj, and Jeanette, I just cannot be consistent either and, with exception of Monika, I don't know anyone that is, or maybe I missed those posts. I truly admire Monika for not having her head turned by all the 'medicine men and snake oils', which I find almost impossible to resist. I was 'raised' on comic books and ads that said 'dog nearly itches to death' and 'grow world's largest tomatoes', but maybe you guys never read those...
I am a sucker too, Sherry. Tell me a good story and I will try it. LOL. I have looked online for Rj's miracle sand. LOL!! Even the Earth essentials 5-1-3 last night. I think I must move to Texas!!
I am going to try to be better at fertilizing. I am lucky though just to get them all watered.
haaaaaaaa...that is priceless. This is why it's exciting when your finally assemble the right ingredients for the right plant!. Like Jeanette said, there are alot of variables, but clearly nutrients are being absorbed by the plants, and that's my goal. It's important because it is so hot here I am watering 2 times a day which washes good stuff out. I have come to the conclusion that I will be terminating most of my potted brugmansias, and concentrate on 1 or 2 with the volcanic sand and proper trimming and muclching. I was so charmed by the brugmansias I completely was off my rocker growing them from seed, and now I have an unmanageable trumpet forest in pots and the ground. Such as it is with the growth of the garden and the gardener! My Angel trumpet and thornapple book is snug next to my bed with my theories and notes scrawled in it. Oh yes, I will get there!
Rj
rj, I think you and I need to go into the business of growing them from seed. I just love that. I guess I need to get a few duds under my belt to get that out of my system because I have not had a seedling bloom yet.
OR, better yet, we need to hybridize (read that engineer) brugs that are perennials in my zone 5. If all of my plants were in the ground I think I could water them. Maybe I should take that back. I don't know if there is enough water in my well to do that on a consistant basis.
Kell, I think we decided that Emily's Volcanite was close to the same as rj's Volcanic sand. Whoops, there goes Sherry !!! LOL I wondered why you hadn't gotten some of that Sherry.
I wonder where that Kin is. He jumps in when you don't even know he is there. LOL
Jeanette
There ya go, good plan. My brugs from seed last year, at last have a bud or two. I've been scuttled a couple of times on B. Sanguia, as I kept close track, and clearly marked on my seeds.. And the one I had been using thornapple book practices on came out NOT a B. Sanguia or however you spell it. My 1.5 years of anticipation was disturbed! So, number two has a bud on it I'm watching carefully. The hybridize idea is becoming more appealing!
Sherry, finally my package companion that's been keeping me company in my car for 2 weeks has been posted!
Rj
Thanks, Rj, you are a sweetie!!!
It would be so cool for you to be able to get your sang seedling to bloom in Texas! Everyone is so ahead of me with their seedling progress. I have had just 1 Y!
So Jeannette, have you gotten this volcanic sand yet?
No Kell, I haven't gotten any. I am still working on Cal-mag. Then I have the Space City fertilizer rj got me. When you use these things you have to give them a certain amount of time to see if they are going to work. By the time I go through what I have the summer is going to be gone. OR, I could do like rj and put them all on at once!!!! I like that idea. I still have the alfalfa pellets that I got when Ma Vie convinced me to. If my season were only longer - - - - - But seriously, I think I am going to take the pellets and broadcast them on my flower beds and water them in. Do any of you know what, if anything, would be wrong with that?
My Sang is about 4 feet high and still not Y'd. I think I will take a razor blade out there and slit the top down about 4 inches. LOL Wouldnt work??? rj if you get your Sang to bloom in Texas you should get a blue ribbon. I had to find a spot where it is in constant shade.
Gotta go water. We went out and picked wild Huckleberries this morning.
Jeanette
mmmm ..I miss huckleberries!
I do think we are suppose to put them all in at once. Since volcanic sand is a facilitator, not a fertilizer.. It helps facilitate a greater rate of nutrient absorbtion. That is what your seeing in my photos. They all have the same ingredients as far as fertilzer goes, the only difference is added sand. I should have been more specific when I said regular soil. Regular soil for me is - potting mix, plus chosen nutrients (fertilzers etc) and mulch. I always tailor make my potting mix to the needs of whatever I'm potting. I can tell you I have added the earth essential pellets to my regime. So, the pellets, plus the regular use of hibiscus fertilzer, plus the volcanic sand pretty much equals tripple the growth that I previously experienced because of what I've learned in these discusions. I composted my largest in ground Brugmansia last night with the pellets and tons of mulch. Now if I can keep my dog from digging around in it, as he seems to love it as much as the plants! So much learning. I can tell you my plants are going...Thanks Daves Garden and friends.!
Rj