Messenger....Before ane After

Molly you have d-mail. Thanks for reminding me of these other reasons to use Harpin.
Sidney

Wow Molly, I can see that you will soon have a forest. And I agree....I wish my variegated would grow as well. Any hints?

Brinda, I did spray the Variegated A. Mac with the Messenger. They also are sending out pups, just not as quickly as the solid one.

Someone once told me "fish poo" for the ee's. So if I can't remember to mix a batch of fish emulsion, then I just dip some buckets of water out of the pond bottom and feed the ee's that way. They sure don't complain.

Molly
:^))))

Vigoro Tomato fertilizer -

I am in a forum about tomato growing and fertilizers and I thought it might be good to add this here. I was at my neighbor's garden and her tomato plants stopped me in my tracks. Her cherry tomato is up over 7 feet tall and loaded with tomatoes and flowers and the big toms are huge - sprawling all over. She is tying them up on rebar and stakes and they are just taking over. I HAD to ask what she was using and she gave me some - Vigoro Tomato Fertilizer. I put up a page for show and tell:
http://home.comcast.net/~sterhill/tomato/tomato.html

Mine showed real recognizable growth within 3 days...

Omigosh - I need to run to the garden center RIGHT NOW and get some! As usual, mine are just surviving - look healthy enough, but only blooms right now and not a lot of them. The PNW is one of the worst places for growing tomatoes so we need all the help we can get!!!

Well I thought mine were doing pretty well until I saw hers and now that I've added the Vigoro, mine are getting bigger, thicker stems and many more flowers - in just about a week. I was amazed. I mean Vigoro? Cheap, easy to find, nothing exotic about it! I would never have bought it without seeing a first hand look at these plants. I am going to get some that they make for flowers and see if that makes a difference to some flowering plants.

sterhill-- interesting about the tomato plants.

And what about your geranium experiment? Were you able to follow up on those? I am wondering how the Miracle grow compared to the Messenger, etc. Any news?

I think you need both. I know mine seem happier with some food to help that protien boost.
;)

All the geraniums look about the same between the spay-n-grow and the messenger - the miracle grow is just a tad behind. Not much, but a noticable little bit.

I am not seeing any big difference in these three products - so I have not posted new pictures. But I'll tell you this: I am going to get some Vigoro for flowers and try that!!!!!

I did not do a trial with the lilies this year but the SNG definitely produced bigger flowers and thicker, stronger stems than the messenger/mighty plant did this year. I give the lilies to my friends each year and a master gardener friend even commented that they were smaller this year...

I am really impressed by how fast the tomato plants grew with the vigoro... I watch my plants and am very familiar with their growth habits and this was impressive. It would be great to find a cheap, easy to find, works wonderfully product. I'll let you know if it works.

And to make this even more complex: perhaps different products work better on different plants. Perhaps the M/MP works wonderfully on deann's petunias but not on my lilies or geraniums...

I had great results with Petunias the first year I used it. Constant 50 blooms on over a dozen plants. This year nada.
Sidney

Hi All,
OK just want to make sure I understand what to try...are we supposed to try "Vigoro for Tomatoes" on flowers? Have never used Vigoro before...Do they also have a product for flowering plants/general garden use ?Thanks....Kathy

Vigoro makes a lot of different fertilizers - check their web site at http://www.vigoro.com/ and look at the product guide.

I tried the Vigoro for tomatoes (as described above) and it was so impressive, I am going to try their product called "Bloom Builder" for flowers. It is a 10-52-10 and I am questioning the 52 (!!!) but I am going to try it anyway.

I have seen Vigoro for years on the shelves at the hardware store and Home Depot but I just never tried it. Don't know why not. But after my neighbor gave me some for the tomatoes, well, now I have to try their fertilizer for flowers.

Let us know if you decide to try it and I will keep ya'll posted on my success or lack of...

I still haven't made it to the Ace Garden Center for the Vigoro, but will for sure tomorrow. Hmmmmmmmmm - 52????? Yes, please do keep us posted!!

Bumping this thread back up

This Datura Wrightii has had two applications of Messenger since May 15th. It may be difficult to see, but the right side of the backyard slopes down, therefore the right side of my Datura was much smaller than the rest. So I decided to do a little test and only spray Messenger on the right side of the Datura. You can see what happened.

now be a good mommy and spray the left side, lol

I tried the Vigoro Bloom Builder and have to say I am impressed. The geraniums have quite alot more blooms, the lyre plant is covered in buds, my Stalked Bulbine is budding all over, toad lilies doing very well with a lot of bud stalks - oddly enough my Meyers Lemon put out a great deal of new growth but no flowers...? All my flowering plants have responded well and quickly except my Coreopsis auriculata - bloomed in the spring and refuses to bloom again. I did try messenger on it too but no joy. The brugmansia is finally putting out buds. The pink Justica was magnificent - I just trimmed it back today.

All in all, I am very pleased. I am seeing results in about a week to 10 days, this stuff is cheap and easy to find so I think it is a good deal. I am due to put some more on tomorrow and I'll post some pix in about another week.

My 2 cents,
Sterling

What kind of a product is Vigoro? Is is a foliar spray?

Brinda,

Nice results! All those flowers,,,they're great. Now, like vossner said,,,be a good mommy and spray the other half,,,LOL

Vigoro is a very old fertilizer company. Home Depot carries it and I think some hardware stores do. I had never tried it until I saw my neighbor's tomatoes and was just stunned by the size of her plants and how many fruits they had... check out http://home.comcast.net/~sterhill/tomato/tomato.html She uses their Tomato and Veg fertilizer.

So I decided I'd try their fertilizer for flowering plants. Couldn't hurt... and I am really impressed. They make a lot of other kinds of fertilizers, so I cannot speak for any other than the Tomato fertilizer and now I am using their Bloom Builder. It is a 10-52-10 which I am still wondering about, but it is working well. And it is cheap. (I like cheap!)

I did mix it up and use it in a sprayer but you are supposed to use it in a hose end sprayer or in a watering can to the roots. I thought I'd email them today and ask if the mix (1 tablespoon per galleon in a sprayer) is the same as for using it in a watering can. I'm not sure about that.

I will use some more today and post pix next week...

I thought this was a Messenger....Before and After thread?

Me too!!

Yeah - the general thread here is Messenger. I bought a lot of Messenger in the early spring co-op and have just not been as impressed with it as some people. Then I mentioned that the Vigoro was doing a better job and several people asked about that.

I have the feeling that Messenger/Mighty Plant does really well on some plants and not so well on others. I still have a bunch of it left and I am still running experiments - mainly on five geraniums - between Messenger and Spray-N-Grow and Miracle Grow. But I am really liking this Bloom Builder...

Sorry if you think this is off topic.

I see now it's not really off topic. I haven't decided yet whether I am impressed. I guess comparing it to other things would be good.

I think you should start your own thread..!!I've tried the Vigoro and never got your results..with Messenger and MP everythings thriving..!!

This might be an example of, "Beauty is in the eye of the beholder", or something like that.

I always find it interesting in here when we discuss products, because for some they work well, and others they don't. It's just a dichotomy.

I'm interested in all results, and curious about how and where the products are being used - both in the garden and in a larger geographical area. Does one product work markedly better in hot humid climates, while another does better in hot/dry, cool/dry, etc? I've been holding off trying my Messenger for the first time because we're in a burn-it-to-a-crisp phase of summer here, made worse by the fog not coming in in any dependable way (SF Bay Area weather - pretty unique!), and I couldn't bear to see fresh new growth fried. Of course, I'm probably being overly cautious and should be out there spraying up a storm . . . so, keep those results and comparisons coming! But if you do decide to start a separate thread, post the link here, please ;-)

Chris - THGA

Nery & Kelly (wooohoooo, that rhymes....LOL) I don't think I can be a good mommy til this heat wave ends! LOL I wanted to spray again with Messenger since I'm past my 3 weeks....but I'm not taking any chances with the heat the way it is. I thought I'd get up and spray around 6am....but our temps have been extremely high by 8am. I'll wait a week or so, as the temps are supposed to be much cooler next week. (Like 95*)

I'm due for my next Messanger spraying (4th one so far this year) but not until the heat drops, just keeping everything watered right now is the biggest concern.

I've sprayed my Messenger in the heat; Are we not supposed to?

Hi Arlene, I really don't know or remember. I'm thinking the instructions were early morning or late evening. But I have so many plants right now that the leaves are burning just from water splashes that I didn't want to take a chance. Our temp yesterday got up to 106* and it's the same way today. Talk about swealtering.

First, I spray at sundown so the plant has a whole night to absorb it before the sun hits. I put such a light spray/mist on that I don't worry about the plants being wet overnight and the dew gives them a rinse in the morning.
I also think with all the responses that the Harpin Protein triggers that the plants need extra nutrition too, NOT one or the other.
I also think that each different company has trace minerals, etc from different sources and that plants will respond to those when they have been deprived.
I have found the best idy is to mix-it-up so to speak. I often buy a box full of half used garden products at estate sales for $1. Sometimes they are pricey products for pennies. Then I use a little of this and a little of that. I love how my garden looks. I use a Harpin product every 3 weeks regardless.
Sidney

This message was edited Jul 18, 2006 3:21 PM

I usually do my watering, fertilizing, Messenger in the early morning. Every time I water there is always dilute fertilizer and I switch off on different types. Messenger is always every three weeks. The Messenger doesn't seem to "stick" very well; kinda rolls off. I haven't made a concerted effort to spray the undersides of the leaves. There are just too many plants.

About 7 of my tomatoes here at the house as Wall O Water thingys around them and I have left them on. We are in a drought and it has been 90's and very humid; at night it gets down to 70. Have not watered those tomato plants for 6 weeks and no fertilizer. except for foliar. However, last night was 55 and it was a little drier and not so humid. But it is going right back up for the next week. I have used fish emulsion, seaweed, Mighty Plant, and Bloom Buster (high middle number). Didn't really want high Nitrogen as I do not want 15 foot tomato plants. As it is they are very big.

All my plants are doing better than last year but I don't know if it is because I am faithfully watering them and fertilizing that I didn't do last year or because of the Messenger. I won't give up on it as I feel weather conditions can cause such variables. I need to try it for a couple of years before I can make up my mind.

Isn't it a challenge?!

From the first hand instruction I got, no need to spray the undersides and no need to drench. Just a fine mist is all that is needed. 1 gallon covers my entire garden.
Mine never has run off.
Sidney

That's all I do, a fine mist, you just waste it if you spray so much it runs off.

Twin, I think it is fine to spray Messenger like you do, but my experience is that if I apply in the heat of day I tend to get some leaf burn. Early am or early pm would be fine. I am also due for spray #4.

I've done one spray of Messenger and I've not seen any miracles. I took before pictures and today (time for the second spray), I took a series of after pictures. For the most part, I have no idea if Messenger has made a difference or if everything I'm seeing is normal growth.

However, I have two miniatures roses (red cascade) that I bought at the same time -- they're potted in identical pots, with identical soil mix, get identical sun, and get all the same watering/fertilizing. The only difference is one got Messenger three weeks ago and one did not.

If I didn't know, I wouldn't be able to tell you which plant got the Messenger -- they're growth and bloom rate is nearly identical.

That said, I'm going to continue applications throughout the summer (except for that one rose) and keep photos to gauge changes. So for me, the jury is still out.

I'm coming up on my 4th application. With all this dryness we have, I didn't expect my plants to actually be growing. I've been watering, but we all know city water just keeps them alive. Well, they are definitely growing. No doubt about that. I'm Very surprised. Now, if we would get some rain, I think I would see a more noticeable difference.

Kelly

I have some variegated dogwoods on the east side of my house. I started spraying them with messenger mid-May. Usually by mid June they have anthracnose so bad that I want to rip them out. Well, here we are into mid-July and they are still looking nice and pristine. I didn't spray them with any fungicide (tho I would have if I had known with what I was dealing with), just the messenger. I'm sold on it.

Diann

I'm with Garden Geek, I too think Messenger has kept my plants alive. We have been having a terrible drought and it is hard to find an opitmum time, when the plants aren't stressed, to spray but I heve persevered and kept to the 3 week schedule and everything is doing well for our conditions. I have not seen the tremendous flowering that some observe but without rain I think that is normal. What hapoens when the weather improves will be the true test for me.

I've noticed a difference in some plants and not much in others.
But mostly I'm very impressed with this product!
Here are some examples of what did respond...
My Jackmanii Clematis that I've had for more than 10 years is still going strong with more blooms then ever for this time of year. Usually it's pretty much done blooming by now then it will put on a lesser show later in the summer.
I've grown tomato plants in large barrels for years and this year they are doing better than ever. They have thicker stalks and more flowers and tomato's than I remember ever seeing in past years and all of this is at an earlier date.
I grow a lot of perennials in containers where they don't always reach their potential but still do reasonably well. This year I discovered one of my dahlia's that is growing in a container is a dinner plate variety. The flower is huge after Messenger. I've had this dahlia for 5 years or better and never seen such large flowers on it.
I could go on. But I think I'll tell about more in another post.

Joy

This message was edited Jul 19, 2006 9:06 AM