What exactly is superthrive?

[Undergrounder]

It stimulates root growth in particular. I think the main ingredient are NAA, a hormone for stimulating root growth, vitamin B1 which is practically useless and a bunch of vitamine/minerals which may/may not do anything.

I've never done a control group study but i think if you search these forums and others you will find someone who has. Overwhelming consensus is that it does lead to markedly improved growth.

While stimulating root growth, it may also hold back growth of the main shoot. I have been using it for about a year now and noticed markedly better root growth and generally good leaf growth on my Phalaenopsis orchids. But to be honest, the leaves do seem to be a little small compared to the root systems. Interestingly, when i transfer my orchids to sphagnum (where they don't get any superthrive), they almost instantly start to chuck up a few big leaves.

As a result i'm considering only using it for deflasked plants, repotted plants and any other time i want to get something established.

[Ferrick]

Superthrive is like a prenatalvitamin for plants. It prevents shock when transplanting most plants. Not a fertilizer.

Not sure what it does for orchids, but I've used it on potted herbs and every other plant that I've grown.

You can use it in tandem with other fertilizers because it functions as a vitamin supplement.

[Ray]

In addition to the NAA and vitamin B1 - both root growth stimulants - there are a wide variety of other organic and inorganic "goodies" in it, such as humates and kelp extracts. Personally, I think the rooting chems are the most significant part.

Many years ago, seeing the price of the stuff, I decided to make my own version. I did a bunch of research on the effects of various vitamins and chemicals on plant growth, then mixed up my own concoction from retail ingredients. Even at that, mine cost less than 15% of the cost of ST,

I DID run a more-or-less controlled comparison using 50 seedlings each of Phalaenopsis Lemforde Novelty and Oncidium Sharry Baby for each section - all were fertilized, but one group got nothing else, one got 2 drops per gallon ST, the third group got my stuff added at the same rate - a total of 300 plants.

There is no doubt that after 3 months the plants receiving the supplements grew faster than those that did not, and it appeared that my stuff actually was better than ST, but it was probably not a statistically significant difference. I probably should have continued the experiment longer to confirm or deny that.

Instead, I embarked on trying to see the extent of treatment, so I took the two additives, and increased the dosing to a teaspoon per gallon on some of the phals - I sold the rest and the oncids to regain bench space. The plants continued to grow well, but when they bloomed, all of the phal flowers were crippled. The oncids were still to small to bloom, and after stopping the overdosing, the phals resumed blooming normally next season.

I have continued to play with SuperThrive and K-L-N (NAA, IBA, and B1) over the years, and have concluded that if there is something "iffy" about your culture, they can help, but if you're doing a pretty good job with your plants in the first place, they add little, if anything. I only use them as a soak for transplants - sort of a "kick start" to help them get reestablished.

[greenpassion]

I have used Super Thrive added to my water along with fertilizer, but I'm wondering, has anyone ever misted the leaves with it? Is it benificial to do that? I know of a product called Messenger, that I spray on the foliage of my big tropicals on my deck, and I just thought of doing something like that for my orchids. As I write this I also want to ask about using Messenger on Orchids. Messenger works really well by the way. I notice a nice deep green to my elephant ears and bananas.

[marydaniellesantos]

Originally Posted by Angurek

Is it a rooting hormone, or is it a fertilizer? I keep hearing miraculous and exaggerated stories about how it brings back plants that were on heaven's door.

I don't belive the hype, but if it is a good fertilizer, I don't see why I can't try it on my plants. Anyone know what vendors sell it?

It's not a fertilizer, but it is miraculous! That's for sure. You can it to your fertilizing regime. I use it as a treat for my chids, and they are extremely happy and healthy.

[greenpassion]

Thank you for setting me straight on not misting my orchids with ST. Has anyone used Messenger before? I've used it on my tropicals out on my deck, (spraying the foliage) and they love it, but I don't want to use it on my orchids without some previous advice from someone who knows what they're doing!!

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[Wrebbitrocks]

it has hormones in it and it comes in a dark bottle as light and high temps degrade it. i would also buy a big bottle but found that after a while it was no longer efficient as i could not use it fast enough to prevent crusting over. now i only buy small bottles at a time and they stay in the fridge. some people also say that it can cause mutations. i think the benefits outweigh the cons. as long as i avoid the leaves and pay close attention to the bloom season

[Orchidreamer]

I've been using it on my orchids for the past year, and I guess I can see some improvement. Nothing dramatic though. I used to water my healthy plants with it, until one of the plants bloomed with the strangest flowers ever. I don't know if ST was directly the cause, but either way, I stopped using it for healthy plants and now I reserve it for repotted, rootless, and bareroot plants.

I wonder, for how long is a bottle of ST viable after it is opened? I kept mine in a dark closet, and I know I should've kept it in the fridge.

[rwj5279955]

Messenger works by simluating stress on plant tissue. Think of it like antibiotics for plants. Only you apply this stuff before anything bad happens, to build resistance to stress from pest attack and disease.

Personally, I don't like my food pumped up with hormones, and I surely don't like my plants "juiced" up on anything crazy. A balanced diet and a vigilant eye are worth their weight in gold. Has anyone ever went fishing for native trout? They are much smaller than their farm raised kin, but are much prettier and taste sweeter.
My point is, I guess supplements have their place, but why trade natural, colorful, sometimes sweet smelling flowers for unnaturaly large, washed out, and just not normal flowers? Traits only experienced breeders should have control over= bigger brighter flowers, on vigorous plants through selection.