Epson salts and high light plants

[rbarata]

Now that the sun is getting higher, do you think using Epson salts helps high light plants to cope with it?

I'm thinking specifically about a Laelia milleri which I'vee been putting under the sun. It is now with light green leaves already and we are still in February.

I thought about increasing magnesium to its regimen to help in chlorophyll production.

Some photos of the plant:

[DirtyCoconuts]

is there are reason you opt for this direction over providing shade? i don't know your growing conditions so i don't know if that is a stupid question but my first thought is shade cloth

[rbarata]

Milleri needs full sun to bloom, especially in winter.

[WaterWitchin]

rbarata, how long have you had it outside? Is it possible you're just not conditioning it to full sun too rapidly?

Can't answer the epsom salts or magnesium questions, but interested in hearing others' answers.

[Ray]

I don't really see how Epsom Salts will "protect" plants from sun.

Plants' use of chlorophyll isn't a defense mechanism. A particular plant need "so much" fuel generation. If the light levels are low, it traps more Mg in the chlorophyll to compensate for the lower energy flux, and if the light is brighter, less, as it doesn't need as much.

[rbarata]

rbarata, how long have you had it outside? Is it possible you're just not conditioning it to full sun too rapidly?

I don't think so...it has been in and out, depending on the temps. The major sunburn you see is an old one, not recent.

Plants' use of chlorophyll isn't a defense mechanism. A particular plant need "so much" fuel generation. If the light levels are low, it traps more Mg in the chlorophyll to compensate for the lower energy flux, and if the light is brighter, less, as it doesn't need as much.

Couldn't find a more accurate explanation for it but in my interpretation Mg was to be used by plants to create chlorophyll and to increase its prodution to compensate for its loss due to high light levels.
Do you point me to a good text about it?

[thefish1337]

If you give a plant more light, it will need more of most nutrients to take advantage of the increased light. additionally, at specific light levels the rate limiting fuel for photosynthesis may be carbon dioxide (easy to provide in closed environments impossible if growing outside). I would just give the plant a bit more fertilizer.

there is some compounds that have been shown to benifet photosynthesis: Triacontanol (TRIAA) can increase quantum yeild, Silicon has been reported to increase chlorophyll content in some plants, and a product with an unnamed compound by the company Optic Foliar called WATTS. I have not experimented with any of these in regards to helping plants utilize higher light levels FYI, this is just from research.

[WaterWitchin]

Gotcha. The sunburn spot was my concern. Rest of it looks fine to me, so I don’t understand the concern. And forgot to mention... how fun to have that particular species! I’m officially jealous.

[rbarata]

...so I don’t understand the concern.

From april onwards sun here, together with high temps, is a killer. Its leaves are already with a really light green tone and we are still in february.

[WaterWitchin]

So put a little bit of shade on it and call it good?