Culture of Gesneraids

Nature sure is amazing and it's got all the answers.

my best friend bought fish emulsion by the bucket for her veggie garden--until the bears came and dumped it out. this year she tried feather meal-- they actually came into the house and got that while whe was at work--makes you sorta want to rethink "organic" ^_^

For sure!!

I can't remember where I ordered this organic feed. It is called Seaweed Extract.....Liquified Organic Kelp. If I foliar feed, the leaves turn darker overnight especially on babies of streps. (I am thinking maybe violetshowcase)

It has absolutely no odor to it.............

I enjoyed the rainforest article--thank you ^_^

I do believe seaweed extract/liquid seaweed is a growth stimulator. Have you ever seen how fast kelp can grow in a single day? Sometimes many feet depending on the type.

Goldleaf! You know 100 times more than I do about growing. I have been using it as a foliar feed (LOL)

Oh......well.............it makes the plants look better...............

Well, Gail, it does say foliar feed on the bottle.

Yes, it is a foliar treatment....what you have, Gail. Some people add a little kelp meal to their soil mix.

thats really god to know,will have to try it.
bonnie

Kelp meal is a new term for me. Will have to look it up...............I am loving this thread and learning so much!

Kelp is a great growth enhancer. I even add it to the holes when planting my Daylilies. Kelp and Alfalfa meal.
Roxanne

I've used fish emulsion for a million years, but not kelp...WHO KNEW?!!! Thanks Gold leaf and everyone! It is on my shopping list.^_^
(FYI: Fish emulsion and kelp both come in pellet form, which is reputed to have less odor)

I just got back from HD. They had a bag of canadian spagham peat, but it had miracle-gro added, so I didn't get it. I will call another local nursery . . . maybe if they have what I need, I can stop on the way to the AV meeting tonite.

I am having trouble myself finding Peat Moss............going to Lowe's tomorrow as they keep a good gardening center even though Christmas is coming up. I don't like the block kind (have that in my storage unit and don't like using it in the house). I want the light fluffy kind...........will find it...............

When I grew roses in pots I always used alfalfa pellets, fish emulsion, epsom salts for magnesium as it gets tied up in the soil and I can't remember the rest. But I am not going to get into all that in the house under gro lights. I am tempted though to maybe try some STEM........the trace elements I mix with water for my outside plants.

Has anyone ever added the trace elements to your streps??????????

goldleaf,what's your thoughts on Mycorrhizal Fungi ? I can't find the pro mix anywhere around my area but was thinking of getting a small bag of the MF to add to my soil.I was reading a AV magazine and there was something in the article,this woman added it to her soil and her streps did very well with it.

I think it's a good addition, Jan. In simple terms, it is supposed to help the plant absorb nutrients by colonizing the roots so is beneficial. This is a technical article explaining -

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mycorrhiza

I have also used Espoma Plant-tone 5-3-3 with all trace elements in my mix for green plants (non-variegated). It is organic and includes all the good stuff in one product: Dehydrated Manure, Feather Meal, Crab Meal, Cocoa Meal, Bone Meal, Dried Blood, Sunflower Meal, Kelp Meal, Alfalfa Meal, Greensand, Rock Phosphate, Sulfate of Potash, Magnesium, and Humates.

I add one or two Tablespoons to my mix contained in a dishpan and incorporate thoroughly. In other words...mix well. I still fertilize other than this but this provides a natural steady as she goes approach and encourages beneficial soil microbes.

Espoma has been in business since 1929.

http://www.espoma.com/content.aspx?type=p&id=24&intCategoryID=4

Oh, I am having a good time................gotta have this one for sure!!! Will use the STEM for outside.........................plants

I used to add some dried manure, blood meal, bone meal, kelp, etc all separate but this has it all in one. My little dogs are very attracted to the bag. Got to keep it away from them.

The closest dealer to me is in San Antonio..........at Callaway's Nursery...........are you listening and watching Nichole?? there are 3 locations in SA.......check them out please, Nichole...........

Calloway's has left San Antonio. The location on Pat Booker Rd. is still unoccupied. The location on Broadway was taken over by Schultz (I think) nursery out of Marion. The third location was taken over by some other place . . . I dmailed a newspaper article to Admin many months ago, so that they could update Go Gardening . . .

The one on Broadway is just outside of downtown, so I could leave for work a few minutes early, and stop by and take a look.

There is no dealer near me either, one in Rogers (60 mi) and one in Little Rock (100 mi) :(

Epsoma has a new product called Bio-Tone. It has everything that Plant-Tone has plus the Mycorrhizea beneficial bacteria, 15 different species of it! I've been using it in everything outside, but haven't tried it in my soiless mix yet.

Goldleaf I mix my soil with manure, bone meal, kelp meal, alfalfa meal, etc. Never thought of just adding Plant-Tone. Duh!!!

av_ocd-girl...Like I said, I used to do the same thing with all those bags of this and that and then then light bulb went off one day and my pocketbook was glad about it too when I realized the Plant-tone had it all in one. I'll have to look for the Bio-Tone and check it out. Cool!

Syrumani, if Schutlz out of Marion has taken over the nursery, it would be a nice place to go. I have always loved that nursery in Marion and try to get there when I am in New Braunfels.

Given the option, though, of going to Marion or the one on Broadway, I'll take the one in Marion. But, it is a new location, so it will have growing pains. I think a bad move on their part was keeping all the old people . . . the attitude of the staff hasn't changed a bit - not terribly friendly.

I'm leaving right now to stop and take a look for the plant-tone. I'll see if they have the bio-tone, too.

I never thought the staff was anything but friendly in Marion..............oh.........you meant they kept the staff of Calloway's.......got it!

Yes. The Marion staff are great! Friendliest people you could meet. I guess that helps in a small community like that.

I stopped by the Broadway location (staff just chatted with each other - no offer of assistance, by the way!) this morning. They had rose-tone, tomato-tone, garden-tone . . . almost every 'tone' except for plant & bio. The 5lb bags were going for $6.95 - 7.95. Since they do have supplies from Espoma, they should be able to get a 5lb bag for you, if we call in a request.

You are so sweet...........I will call them and see what the deal is and thank you so much for going by. I truly appreciate that.

Espoma Flower-tone (3-5-7) is good too.

http://www.espoma.com/content.aspx?type=p&intCategoryID=4&id=21

Why don't they have more dealers????????? There are none around me and Nichole said the nursery in San Antonio would have to order any of these products?

So...........if I want these, I need to call San Antonio nursery so do I want all of these products? Help me.........with what to order, Goldleaf.................please.........and thank you (lol)

Hi Gail,I picked up a bag of Bio-Tone at Lowe's today.I can send you half the bag.

Jan..........don't. .........I will go over to Lowe's myself next week. Thanks for telling me. You are a jewel....................did you ever find perlite?????????????

Hi Gail,All set with perlite .Thanks. Tish sent me home with some and Heidi was sweet to send me some and vermiculite too! I'm good to go for the winter.That stuff is hard to find here. I had to go to the city today to the doctors and stoped at Lowes and found the Bio-Tone.I also stopped at a nursery and they carried it to but was 3.00 more than Lowes.If you can't find it let me know.

Thanks, Jan. I can't get to Lowe's until next week but it will be fun to go over there.
That was super nice of Goldleaf to send you some perlite and vermiculite........very nice indeed!

Ok Jan! I went to Lowe's here and they didn't have any of the Espoma products at all.........Don't send me half of the box. Just send me enough to get started until I can order some, please.

By the way, your boxes didn't go out until Wednesday.........so look Saturday for them........hope they are alive as I packed them on MOnday not knowing that Tuesday was a holiday................

Hi Gail,I got your Bio-tone packed up and I'm mailing it tomorrow morning.I have to go back to the doctors next month.I can pick you up a bag if you want. Your boxes came today! I'm in sinningia heaven.^_^ Not even a broken leaf.Thanks so much.

They aren't dead? I packed them on MOnday (lol)...........I would love it if you pick me up a bag of it...........love you and I will pay yu for sure!!!

Now, if you get a bloom before me let us know! They really like the brightest light you can give them.....you might even have a good window for them.........as natural light is so much better. I just have to deal with artificial light.