Increasing Leads

[tucker85]

Seaweed products contain naturally occurring plant growth hormones. The most noticeable effect of those hormones is increased root production. But it's possible that the use of seaweed extract could increase the possibility of producing multiple leads. Your best bet for producing multiple leads is probably just good culture.

[naoki]

Originally Posted by cbuchman

In my limited experience, KLN, seaweed and similar fertilizers can promote multiple leads. They do so by encouraging good root growth. So in the end it all comes down to the amount of growth the plant can sustain. Healthier plant = more growth

Carrie, different hormones have different effects. Auxins (KLN, kelp) have the opposing effects of cytokinins (Keiki paste). I'm not criticizing or anything, I just thought that some people may be interested in the background info.

What people are talking in this thread is called apical dominance. The leading growth is suppressing the development of side shoot by secreting auxins. When the leading growth is a couple PB away, the suppressing effect of auxin become weaker (diluted), and the branching can occur. Cytokinins (keiki paste) can counteract the auxin, and it can release the suppression. I wasn't sure how this basic plant biology works for sympodial plants, but some people reporting that keiki paste works for Cattleya suggest that the basic mechanism is still working here.

Now, I understand that you are saying that auxins can help plants grow well, and this will indirectly cause the branching. But the direct effect of auxins are opposing the branching of shoot. The reason why people may not see this suppression effect of kelp products may be that the auxins break down quickly under light (above ground), so it might not influence the lateral buds (which makes new pseudobulbs, not flower "buds") of the shoot system (or it doesn't stay in contact with the buds long enough).