Looking for kelp/seaweed powder

[orchidsamore]

Seaweed has been a great source of micro-nutrients and gibberellic acid which is the active ingredient that is a root stimulant.

I use Growth products brand of seaweed extracts which are grown and concentrated in much higher concentrations and with removal all the items that can make overdosing a problem.

I do not like products that say they work and never tell you exactly what is in them

Essentials brand of root hormone is a 200 to one concentrate that is inexpensive to use. The company lists every one of the 30 or so ingredients and their exact concentrations. The gibberellic acid is at a 10,000 ratio while KLH and Superthrive use IBA acid at 1,000,000 to one.

I have accidental used it undiluted without damage to the plants.

They are liquids but I have never seen a mold problem and I buy in very large quantities. I have a deal with the manufacturer to re-package in small quantities for hobbyist as the products are only sold to commercial nurseries in large quantities. The liquid concentrates have a 2 year shelf life.

Check out the Tutorials on my web site with photos of the results I have gotten.
Test results of Essentials growth hormones on orchids

Vermi-liquid (worm tea) instructions its benefits and how to use it

I use it mixed with Companion Brand of Bracillus bacteria, a natural anti-fungal innoculent, extracted from the seaweed also made by Growth Products and OurVitalEarth brand of Vermi-liquid (Worm tea).

[Izzie]

Orchidsamore, do you know how that product compares to the powder at Biconet?

[orchidsamore]

The problem I see with pure seaweed or the powder is that you have no way of knowing how much of the beneficial items are in the product.

You can dry and powder seaweed but the content will vary on the location from which it was collected.

Seaweed is excellent in micro-nutrients but it can only absorb the nutrients that were in the water where they grew. They do not create the nutrients.

Still all seaweed will be beneficial just some will be better than others.

The two products I use are grown until the microbes reach the required amounts for their guaranteed analysis. If they are from an area deficient in something the items can be supplemented by seaweed from another area.

Companion has a minimum of 5.5 x 10 to the 10 CFU per gallon. That's 55 billion per gallon.

Essentials is a guaranteed 0.001 gibberellic acid whereas KLH and Superthrive are .0000001 dilution of IAB.

I have no Idea how pure seaweed will analyze. The products are heated and feed in a vat until they grow to the proper amounts.


For the full analysis of Essential is at
http://www.growthproducts.com/pdfs/T...ntial_Plus.pdf

http://www.growthproducts.com/pdfs_L...l_brochure.pdf

Companion is an anti fungal inoculate that over the course of a years use greatly strengthened my plants to resist fungal infections. My lost due to fungus has dropped 95%.
http://www.growthproducts.com/pdfs/T..._Fungicide.pdf

http://www.growthproducts.com/pdfs_L...te_Release.pdf

[peeweelovesbooks]

Jerry,

For purposes of full disclosure, I purchased these products you mention but had to throw them away before I could finish using them due to the incredibly strong smell.

They may be beneficial, but I just couldn't stomach it.

FTR, I have no monetary interest in Maxicrop or any of the products that I've recommneded.

[Izzie]

Something to think about, thanks Maria!

[DrOrchid]

I'm obviously a late-comer to this thread. Last summer I took over care of an elderly gentleman's collection in his old glasshouse when I moved into a rental cottage on the property. The day I moved in, July 1st, the fans weren't blowing and it was well over 100 (115?). The exhaust fan breaker was failing... it was replaced but turns out something with the fan wiring was off and it failed again early this summer (that correction and replacement of the ancient thermostats has helped a lot - including I get shocked less with no exposed wiring!!).

So, lots of both our plants (I started a business with both our plants - he had a similar local business for about 30 yrs) were stressed. Add in a spider mite invasion and it's been "interesting". Anyway, the plants were treated with a "cocktail" of acephate and imidicloprid and are coming out of the insect damage nicely.

Now, I'm trying to give the whole collection but, in particular, the most stressed plants a boost. I looked into getting the Maxiprep Soluble extract powder but decided to try a smaller container of Techniflora extract powder from our local hydroponics shop. The powder goes a long way and will be cheaper to ship then liquid when/if I go for a larger container. Following the directions, I only use 2 tbsp/50 gal of fertilizer. I mixed this with 100ppm MSU fertilizer as well. Has anyone else used the Techniflora product and what long term effects have you observed?

Thanks in advance!

[Ray]

All natural products will display some variability. Drying them does absolutely nothing to change that, and in fact, actually degrades the quality of the active hormones.

Gibberellins are particularly suceptible to degradation, and while the analaysis may show their presence when tested, for all practical purposes, they have almost nothing to contribute once packaged, distributed, stored and retailed.

I suspect that if a company marketing a product isn't publishing the ingredients or analysis, they are likely doing so for a regulatory reason.

For example, one of the best "natural" products out there is sold as a "kelp extract growth stimulant", which renders it a "plant amendment" that is regulated at the state level. If the specific analysis is listed on the label, showing the hormones, it then becomes a "plant growth regulator" which falls under the auspices of FIFRA and the EPA - much costlier and difficult to deal with, driving up the costs to produce and sell it.