Sara, you make a good point!! It's just basically creating your own fertilizer, rather than relying on the chemical-laden ones (with all the stabilizers and preservatives) that the giant corporations sell. Hmmmmm...I'm thinking I might need to give it a try when the ferts I have run out. Thanks for clarifying those benefits!!
Ann
Fertilizer?
Sure Ann,
I was pretty excited about it when I read the recipe, because I try really hard to avoid chemicals and many processed foods for myself and my family. The more research I do on chemicals, dyes and preservatives, the more convinced I am that a natural approach to food is the way to go. I try to eat meat that hasn't been treated with hormones, as well as milk that hasn't had the growth hormone added.
That is why I don't add the bloom burster to my recipe. I only use the basic recipe, add the molasses and a couple of vit. B tablets. I thought it made sense, but really it is hard to break away from routines, when you know that they already work.
Sara
Is the ammonia the 'flavored' kind or.....? I always use the Lemon Scented stuff. I am going to run this recipe by my Chemical Engineer/Skeptic/Mad Planter of Palms/Husband and see what he says. I was so burned by Messenger I am terrified to use it on my hoyas...but I might give the odd H. carnosa a hit and watch what it does....heh heh heh.... LOL
Carol, it is the PLAIN household amonia.......$0.49 at walmart. Nothing added but the amonia. Please let us know what your husband thinks.
Sara
fyi
epsom salts are magnesium chloride
no sodium
My DH like to had a fit last night when I took Yeungling (sp) beer to make this fertilzer. I had to splain that it must say lager on the bottle! I thought I had everything but the amonia so made a trip to WM just to get it. Get home and I have no molasses. I still put the 1st 4 ingrediants together. Looks terrible. Is the molasses a key ingrediant? I will stop on the way home and get some. Also, does Epsom salt go bad? I pulled mine out and noticed the bag was open.
Thanks, Dawn
LOL Dawn, I hear you. Mine was pretty appaled that I was opening a bottle of his beer for plants too. To make it worse, a good friend of ours from Germany was over, and beer is a staple for him.......He had never heard of such nonsense. I don't think molasses is a key, it is something that Becky added on her own, as a modification of sorts, after using the original recipe for a while. I really wouldn't think that epsom salts go bad, but who can tell.
I really am the wrong person to ask about experation dates, as I discovered my vitamins were about 2 years past when I noticed that I was getting queasy everytime I took them!! HA! Now, I am wondering if they were bad, or if it is just psychosymatic. Of course the new, fresh vitamins I bought don't make me sick.....I just hate to throw anything away, and figure it must be ok. My kids actually check the expir. on milk, because I have been known to go waaaaaay past what is good!
Sara
Dawn and anyone else interested in the beer formula........................
I highly recommend using the molasses and I go to the health food store and buy black strap molasses. Please to go to epiforums.com and read the 'Becky's formula' (she doesn't like it to be called that but that's the easiest way to find it). READ the entire 7 pages! there are pros and cons. YES I am using this beer formula and LOVE it, but I am no expert and don't want anyone to jump on the band waggon then be mad because it was a bad move. I am thrilled with the results so far, but read the thread before you try! THanks for listening to my rant....
God bless, -joanne
Will do so now Joanne - Thanks
Dawn
Someone on another forum has weighed in on the subject of this thread - what kinds of fertilizer to use, and during what time of year to use them in.
From what I can tell this person suggests that using growth promoters during winter months can cause problems because the tender growth can be damaged by colder temperatures. Thus, from what I can tell by the advice given (if I am able to understand the explanation correctly) we should use bloom-stimulating formula's in the winter months and the growth-stimulating formula's in the summer months. If anyone wants to read the actual text of the discussion, click on this link: http://groups.msn.com/HoyasRUs/general.msnw?action=get_message&mview=0&ID_Message=2960&LastModified=4675596302375623470
However, my understanding has always been the reverse - that you don't encourage blooms during seasons when the plant should be growing because that too can be detrimental to the plant. So, I am confused.
Could someone clarify this for me?
Ann
I just used it on a lot of my indoor plants. All but the Christmas Cactus are all green plants so we will see. Since it is time for my CC to bloom anyway, I would think it would be really good for them.
Dawn
Dale, a good friend of our delightful forum member Annie W. has provided me with an answer. He says: "in the fall let up on nitrogen fertilizers, Sulfate of ammonia 21% N. and use phosphate to increase and strengthen the root system. Usually super phosphate. Even with temps at 68 and above it is more a function of quality and quantity of light and not necessarily temp. Lower angle of the sun and shorter day lengths are what will effect the chlorophyll functioning the most. In the spring as day length increases and sun is higher more REMs the plant will use more nitrogen (usually the decomposition of potting material and the water will supply most of the other nutrients). For immediate effect use Calcium Ammonium Nitrate (which does not have to be converted but is immediately available. If more patient any balanced fertilizer is fine like 16-16-16 etc."
I am sorry that our member Wanda felt the need to represent this thread/discussion about fertilizing on another forum as "stupid." Perhaps in the future our forum members should present their disagreements with the "stupid advice" given here on this forum rather than make those of us who wish to participate feel really badly about ourselves. Wanda, in the future, if you have a disagreement with what myself or any other member has to say about hoya culture, please feel free to speak out about it on the appropriate discussion threads - that's ostensibly why you're a member, right? Honestly, what other reason would someone have to join a forum if they did not want to use that space as a place to discuss issues of interest?
Ann
Well, I don't know if what I did was stupid or not. I am going to try it as other people have done and had good success. I did not put it on all my plants but some. I now you water less in the winter but don't you want to keep your green plants (palms, ferns, philos...) healthy too. (Giving them a good fertilzer whne you do water or at least every other time?) That is why I am using it for anyway. I don't know, I'm no expert!
Dawn
epsom salts do not go bad. if the bag was open, it may have absorbed some moisture that will not affect it in any way.
the b vitamins past date are probably fine. when anything goes past the expiration date, you just lose potency. if there was a chance that the ingredients degrade into something toxic...it wouldn't be released for consumption and would have warnings written all over it.
I have this fertilizer formula in one of my garden books except mine calls for seaweed exteact instead of molasses. I have not used it but my daughter likes it on her out door plants. I may try it in the spring on my hoyas. good growing to every one out there thats mixing. vicki
Vicki, I would hesitate to use seaweed extract on indoor plants because seaweed is very high in sodium and you might find yourself having problems caused by sodium build-up in the future.
Wanda, however might have a different perspective on this. Wanda???
Ann
Little ol' me is just going to sit back and listen to you all report on this curiously sounding fertilizer. I ran it past Bob who is a Chemical Engineer and he says it is simply different forms of whatever is in a good fertilizer....and when there are so many choices of what the commercial fertilizers contain, I like that choice. How would you change the home brew for less of any of the NPK or the micro/macros. I also believe that micronutrients are important...I have seen signs of stress when not used. Please keep the comments coming....I am interested...really interested.
Carol
Thank you Ms kitty you are so right, I have used the same stuff for years and dont see any change for me. but it is intresting all this kind of stuff out there. Some of the best things we have working for us today was mixed over a sink with some one eles laughing at them.Happy growing.
Carol - I am following this with the same interest - I know ammonia & liquid dish soap is used to "green up" lawns from a buddy if mine in the landscaping business - all of the ingredients in this "brew" all makes sense, so why not! Reading this just reminded me to fertilize next time I water, I got "hooked' on the Dyna "stuff" and all my plants seem to be doing just fine on it - I agree that everything that is commercially available today is something that was mixed over the kitchen sink at sometime - I know my mother or my aunt did not have a fraction of the stuff available then as we have today - and my aunt had the most incredible house plants - she just watered and gave them plenty of light! Mom used old coffee grounds, water from the steamed veggies, crushed eggshells etc etc.
It's like someone told me when I asked about watering for the different types of hoyas - it all depends on each individuals growing conditions - we all have our different "tricks" and ways of doing stuff - some that others find "stupid" on other forums and gleefully bring to light - some that are good, some that are bad - what works for me does not work for you! Plants do not come with instruction manuals - sadly - otherwise I would have lots more alive than I do today! :)
Good luck on the "brew" & very Happy Growing!
For those of you who have email to ask if I am the "Wanda" Chris is referring to in her post on the MSN forum, the answer is NO, it's not me:-).
Blessings,
Awanda
Oh, good grief, Awanda. You are way too cool for any of us to even think such a thing!!! It's just a bad apple who has nothing of quality to contribute.
Smile,
Ann
I just realized I was a complete bone-head when I said epsom salts were magnesium cloride. there isn't chlorine. it's magnesium sulphate
OK I got all the stuff for this wonderstuff..............I will start a few out on it that have always been kinda sickly !!! The test is on...
Awanda , The ones who know you , know better then to think it was you.....When I read the post you never even came to mind......
Sandy
Hi Everybody,
Sounds like some interesting stuff has been going on while we were gone. We had a funeral in Morton, Ms for my DH's cousin Thursday and ended up in Vicksburg for the weekend.
IMHO I think plants that are grown inside are aclimated differently from plants grown outside. Outside, I agree not to fertilize this time of year but the plants that are inside don't really know the difference between the seasons do they?
Jeri
Well, if you grow them under gro lightes...and keep the lighting constant year round...no, they won't know the difference. But plants are extremely 'tied into' the daylight...length of the daylight and intensity and they know. They also are affected by heating systems, cooler drafts etc. They don't 'know' it is winter...but they will grow differently.
whoa!
I just mixed this stuff up and watered the first two plants. I think I should maybe use a beer with a lower alcohol volume....my DS-70 just burped and smacked the lacunosa on the rump!
LOL
gaiadisciple hehe you cracked me up on that one:) I am still giggling.
Bea
That was funny gaiadisciple!! Nicd to start my Monday with a chuckle! :)
Dawn
I'll be here all week!
try the veal and don't forget to tip your waitresses!!
I mixed up my first batch of the "beer recipe" last week. Watered ALL my plants with it. Was a little nervous the first night when hubby said "what are you going to do if they all die, you should have only started with one". Needless to say, didn't sleep much that night. Dreadful thoughts of dead plants kept running through my head and I kept thinking...what if he was right? I knew if I woke up and all my plants were dead that I would need to be put away somewhere *lol*
Well, so far they are all still alive and doing quite well. I mist them daily with the beer recipe now and actually do see a difference in many of the leaves but quite honestly I want to wait a month or so before posting any real results just to see.
I do have to say, I have a butterfly plant (see post in houseplant forum) that has been declining daily since it arrived. I know it's going to die but I'm trying everything I can to help it survive. I watered it with the beer formula and have been misting it daily with the same and since using this fertilizer on this plant it hasn't lost 1 leaf. I notice what looks like possible new leaves so if this plant bounces back it will truly be because of this fertilizer as I tried everything and woke to fallen leaves every morning. Keeping fingers crossed.
Kim
Thanks for the update Kim. My DH told me the same thing. I was scared to look at mine the next morning. They are all still living. It has only been a few days on mine I would like to mist mine with this stuff but afraid it would mess my carpet up since these plants are in the house. I have a few that are taller than me so would require a lot of misting which I know some would end up on the floor.
pdoyle: I take my plants to the sink or shower to mist them because I don't want water all over the place
I do that with some but the ones that are taller than me would be leeetle hard. :)
edited to correct stupid typing errors
This message was edited Nov 6, 2006 11:13 AM
OK....I have (finally) decided to try this on a few too. Wrong time of year but what the hay... I have some growing under lights, I will try it on those.
I actually read all about this stuff a year ago on the Epi forum too, and have talked to Becky several times, but had yet to mix this forumula up. I even went out last summer & got all the ingredients, but decided to wait until I was done fooling around with all the other fertillizers and messenger I was using at the time. Plus I had just given everything the Bayer T&S drench so didn't want to keep adding more stuff. I had printed out the recipe & everything for when I was ready to try it, so it was just a matter of waiting until I ran out of all the open bottles of Shultz, Peters, etc that are my usual ones. Ha.
However....after reading this thread, I got the bag out with all the stuff I had bought last year (Epson Salts, Amonia, and one lonely bottle of dark beer. Ha) Mixed it all up & added some Grandmas mollases (I don't have any B vits & don't think I should give it some "Centrum Silver"...so I skipped that part). I also decided not to add any bloom booster things as this is totally the wrong time of year to push for blooms I think.
I mixed the concoction all up in a 2 qt juice container and labeled it well. It took on the color of the mollasses so it looks more like cola than cider now. I'm storing it high on the shelf above the washer with all my other plant things so it will be safe from any little hands. The cap holds just exactly the amount called for to mix into the gallon jug of water I use to water so that works out great. Now to experiment a bit with some of the rest of you. This should be interesting reporting (especially since any new and vigorous growth will not be because of it being "just spring and lots of new growth expected anyway".
Marcy
I can't wait to hear about all this!! I am probably going to end up like Marcy. I'll go buy the stuff and let it sit for a while...
Ann
LOL Marcy, Centrum Silver !!! I think I am going to sit back and watch as well. But I do know when I go for my B12 shots it feels like I could put on some new growth... :)
B12 shots are illegal in the state of Oregon - apparently big pharma decided that B-12 was eating into its profit margins. Hmmmm...how far of a drive is it to Arizona.
Come on down girl, I can fix ya up. I go in every two weeks for one B12 and a B6 kicker. Plus I dissolve 2 B12 tablets under my tounge every morning. What a difference a B makes !!
Under the tongue dissolver's? What brand & where can I get it?
Ann