Can you say "Roots"? - Orchid Board

james mickelso · #1 05-26-2014, 08:14 PM

Hats off to Ray and his magic root stuff. (No I'm not on the payroll!!!). Just a shout-out to one of our own. Stuff works good. Got a poorly performing orchid in need of roots? Well?!! Well?!! Do I have to draw ya a picture???!!!

ajeatoo · #2 05-26-2014, 08:15 PM

Where do I get it and what's it called?? Lol

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james mickelso · #3 05-26-2014, 08:18 PM

Oh. That part's a secret and ya have to pay me!!!

Nah!!! Just kidding.

Ray Barkalow. First Rays. He's a regular here. Firstrays.com. Email him and he'll talk yer ear off.

ajeatoo · #4 05-26-2014, 09:25 PM

I have a phal that had terrible root rot but it was so pretty I rescued it. I've repotted it but the roots were even worse off than I expected. Will see how it does, not allot of roots left.

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james mickelso · #5 05-26-2014, 10:20 PM

I have been known to take an orchid out of it's cozy potting media and tie a string to it. Then I dunk the whole thing in water/fertilizer/rooting supplement and hang it in the GH. Works pretty well as long as there is ample energy in the older pbulbs. The water and stuff is absorbed by the leaves and other tissue of the plant. There are cells on the bottom of the pbulb that make roots and it doesn't matter where the chemical/hormone comes from. Be it leaves or pbulb tissue the chemical finds it's way to where it is needed and voila'....roots. But it is painfully slow. Not for the impatient among us.

Dante1709 · #6 05-27-2014, 06:58 AM

At first, I kind of took the title seriously! I've heard people on YouTube pronounce it like "rutts" instead of "roots"

Ray · #7 05-27-2014, 07:20 AM

Actually, the process is totally natural. As the shoot apical meristem grows (the upper part of the plant), it naturally emits auxins that circulate throughout the plant. Those auxins stimulate the root apical meristmatic tissue to grow. As the root meristematic tissue grows, it releases cytokinins that stimulate the shoot tissues to grow.

By "injecting" the auxins from KelpMax into that process, we boost it to a much higher activity level. After a couple of weeks, it subsides back to normal.

Another thing several users are noticing is the increase in number of new leads.

I don't grow a lot of catts, but I see a marked increase in new fans in paphs 3 or 4 when I'm used to 1 or 2.

Optimist · #8 05-27-2014, 09:01 AM

Don't all kelp fertilizers have auxins and cytokinens etc in them?

RosieC · #9 05-27-2014, 09:44 AM

Others do, but as I understand it some have been processed in such a way that the auxins have been destroyed. I also think some seaweeds contain less than others.

Kelpmax is one that has been found to give great results for rooting. In the UK I use Shropshire Seaweed with great results as well.

Optimist · #10 05-27-2014, 09:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RosieC

Others do, but as I understand it some have been processed in such a way that the auxins have been destroyed. I also think some seaweeds contain less than others.

Kelpmax is one that has been found to give great results for rooting. In the UK I use Shropshire Seaweed with great results as well.

Thanks for the info!