Hi guys, I am making the fertilizer tonight and found what I have in my arsenal is Master Nursery Bud & Blossom 15-30-15...does that work? Thank you....Deb
Fertilizer?
That is a "bloom booster" fertilizer. I wouldn't use that this time of year. Fine for spring or summer. Actually, I didn't add ANY extra fertilizer to my mix. I just used the beer, ammonia, Epsom Salts, water, and some molasses.
I am down to about a quarter of the bottle left and everything is growing and green. Works great. When this bottle is gone though, I am going to lay off of everything but plain water for the rest of the winter to give them all a rest. Then I will definately be starting with this stuff again in the spring.
Marcy
Marcy, thank you & Happy Thanksgiving....I watered with the stuff without any addditional fertilizer this morning & I will follow your lead as to holding off until Spring. I am anxious to see what this does for my existing guys right now...when I watered one of my hoyas (don't know the names of any but my carnosa & tri colored carnosa) I saw it had put out a bloom limb. I guess I better learn all the names for these parts of the hoya's, just never retained them in my head....Thanks again and happy Hoya'ing.....Deb
Well, I have been using and loving this beer fertilizer since May, but today, while watering, I noticed 6 new growth points on my Hoya caudata. I have to say, this just sealed the deal for me. I have had this hoya for 4 years, and while it didn't die, it hasn't done ANYTHING. Nothing, nada, zilch!!!! I would have to say it has been my least favorite hoya just because of that fact. I am thrilled!! I have had tons of growth on everything else, but I have just been waiting for this one to either give up and die, or thrill me, and I must say, I am on my way to thrilled.
Just a note, it is 20 degrees BELOW zero, with a wind chill of -60!!! There is a nice layer of ice on the inside of my front door, and 14 inches of snow..........definately not new growth weather, but the house is a comfortable 70!!
May have to sell the hoyas to pay the heating bill. HA!
Sara
LOL@Sara!
Jeri- did you use the bloom booster in your recipe? I have some stubborn CC that I would like to try this concoction on.
GH
I used the Dyna-Gro liquid bloom. I wish I hadn't or I'd use it on some plants I have that don't bloom. Next batch I'm gonna leave the liquid bloom out and water everything.
Seems like I read early on in this thread that you should use a bloom booster this time of year as opposed to a growth enhancer. I used dyna gro bloom in mine and I have noticed that a few of my hoyas have made new peduncles but the amount of new growth that i've gotten even using a bloom booster is amazing.
Sara, i've killed 2 caudata plants already. I just received my third one on tuesday of last week. It came from Witts nursery and was a very nice full 6" basket for which I paid $14. I dont know what Witts actually charges if you buy directly from them.
A local nursery in my area deals with Witts and I had them to order me a few hoyas like I need some more!!!
It was a bit on the wet side so when it dries out some i'm gonna sart boozing it up with this beer fertilizer and see what happens!!
If a bloom booster added to this mix promotes as much growth as what i've seen already on my hoyas,I can only imagine what an actual growth stimulant added to it wil do!
dmichael
I have been reading about this stuff (beer fert) as instructed by a few friends in the group. I'm thinking about trying it. I just wanted to say that I was in the Hoysrus forum earlier this year and I left because of all the negativity. It's almost like just because some one has been growing hoya's all their life (and they are crotchety old) that they know everything and they can be hateful to all who are expected to be bowing at their feet. I clicked on the link and I ended up reading Wanda's post and Chris's post after. I was shocked and after figuring out what was going on I closed the thread and didn't read anymore. This group is very positive. I have been encouraged by loving comments made by others to someone just posting a question. Moods are contagious and I'm just glad that you all are of the positive nature. Thank you all for my being able to read and enjoy your comrodery(sp) and sharing.
Tami(thinking of trying the concoction)
Hi Tami,
I'm new to DG, as of August anyway. I'm sorry you had such a bad experience. Everyone I've met on all the forums have been so nice and very helpful and generous to a fault. Finding DG has been like extending my family by 1000's. I'm glad you gave the forum another look.
I've mixed the fertilizer and used it for about a month and everything greened up nicely. I stopped until the weather gets warmer to give the plants a rest. Oh, I didn't put the molassas or B-12 b/c I didn't have any. (I'm also afraid of ants. We are being overrun with ants here in La. since the hurricane. They all left NO and came to BR I think.)
Gotta go for now. Jim has a Dr. appt at 8:30am on the other side of BR and then we leave town for a week but will be back next week. Hope to talk to you again soon.
Jeri
I mixed up a batch yesterday (of the revised formula http://davesgarden.com/forums/t/675651/ ) and am trying it out on some 'test plants'...hoyas that seem to have a calcium problem. I also did a trial on some brugmansias I had just cut back: gave one the new formula and the other Miracle Grow. Let's see who wins?
According to my chemist friend, the Molassas is really one of the critical ingredients and a great addition for any plant. I would be careful adding it full strength during the 'dormant' period if your hoyas are not usually growing this time of year. Mine do grow all year, slower this time of year, so I feel OK using it. Since the new formula has no beer, I call it the Molassas formula!!!
Carol
Carol I am really anxious to hear about your results.Keep us posted! : )
Nancy
Jerri,
Nothing negative from this group. I'm sorry if you misunderstood what I posted. Dave's has been great. Everyboddy is very friendly and helpful. Anyone can ask a question and get a good answer no matter how odd the question is to some. I know there's alot of knowledge here and I'm glad I have this group to help me learn about these plants.
Tami
Me too!! DG is better than a Christmas present. I've never had so many knowledgeable people to talk plants to. My local friends aren't interested in plants and most think I'm crazy for my interest. They just shake their heads when I get all excited over a new plant much less a new leaf.
Yes Carol let us know how it is working, I am still sitting on the fence with using the formula. Everybody seems to be having great or some kind of result.
So far, so good. The brug I watered with the formula is outpacing the other one...but that is really not a good indication. The hoya is to soon to tell...I have a tray of them and am watching with an eagle eye. Edited to say that I am using the 'other' formula that does not have the beer...for the reasons stated in my post.
This message was edited Dec 15, 2006 12:40 PM
Hi there,
I spoke with Becky and she told me it is B1 not B12.
Joanne (the other one)
my aspargus ferns are still green and healthly looking. Usually this time of year they are very scraggly looking and turning yellow. Most of everything is greener than usual for this time of year. All of these plants are in a minimum heated green house. My H. DS 70 keeps putting out peduncles - not profusely (sp) but one after another and so is my h. lucanosa. They are in the house. Nothing is suffering from "the stuff" anyway.
Dawn
BUMP
Sorry...life got in the way of my 'controlled studies'...and I like the MSU fert too much to go back. But I think I will try an experiment with some seedlings and see what happens.
Carol
bump!
Ok. I've read this entire thread and have questions:
Is Becky's Formula only for INDOOR plants or can it be used in the garden?
It's officially Springtime here in Houston (and everywhere else, I suppose), and the garden is about to start blooming. Can ya'll tell where I'm heading? If I can safely use this formula on the garden plants, should I go ahead and add the BloomBooster too?
Here's a list of the plants in the garden I would be spraying (in a two gallon sprayer): Several types of Ferns (asparagus, autumn, Japanese, macho, Australian tree fern), Cannas & Easter lilies, Sago Palms, marigolds, Hostas, Sage plant (makes little purple buds, not the herbal, eating kind), three Ficus trees (that are practically down to branches), Variegated ginger, Crown of thorns, kolanche, Tropical and Dinnerplate HIBISCUS, gardenias and a camelia bush.
From the ingredients list, I'm not feeling like the formula would necessarily hurt or kill anything. But, I did read that the Hibiscus aren't particularly fond of Phosphorous. So, please advise on spraying the Hibiscus with this or pleas recommend other formula for the Hibiscus.
Final question: Can this be sprayed on any veggies I'm growing outside? Particularly, tomatoes in Earthboxes. I have Messenger and was about to spray it on the veggies. But, don't wanna go mixing apples and oranges (pun intended). If I can use one recipe on everything, it would be much simpler (KISS -- keep it simple, sweetie...edited for a kinder, gentler endearment...).
Thanks for keeping this alive!
Linda
I've used the molasses formula all last season, inside & outside....I think it is great & will be using it this year again...I definitely see a big difference in my house plants.....the veggies weren't giants but did very nicely & I knew what I was putting in the ground was organic.....I watered it in but this season have started spraying my hoya's & my rhipsalis with it daily...very diluted mixture, tho, for the spray, full strength for watering in....I also use SuperThrive on everything.....Deb
"very diluted mixture, tho, for the spray, full strength for watering in"
******************************
Depsi!
Thanks for posting. So you use it outside and on your veggies as well? Great news!
Please explain the line above, as I'm a little confused. Full strength for watering in the veggies? When do you use a very diluted mixture, and for which use?
Thanks.
Linda
P.S. I'm gonna go get my ingredients and start today...
the diluted is what I spray daily on my inside plants....I water with the "one tablespoon to a gallon of water" directly into the soil both inside & outside.....I also use Super Thrive to spray......I bought Messenger this year off the co-op so will be experimenting with that, too.....Deb
Linda - Messenger is NOT a fertilizer - it is a Harpin Protein designed to encourage the plant it is sprayed on to take more of the fertilizer IN.
As for your other questions....not a clue. Plants are plants. There is nothing in the beer/molassas formula that could hurt anything...it is a fertilizer. If you spray the rest of your plants with a fertilizer, you can use that formula...I would think. i have used it on Coffee Trees, hoyas and the odd banana...but I don't use it as I find it is limited and just a bit too 'trendy'. i see lots of growth on plants but not many flowers....and not great root systems.
Fertilizers are scientifically designed for specific purposes and uses. One size to fit all is questionable.
Carol
Oops, I posted to the wrong thread. totally blonde of me, I thought that I had clicked on the March blooms....carry on. Heee!
S
This message was edited Mar 29, 2008 12:34 PM