Should I try KLN instead of Superthrive?
 

I just spilled my bottle of barely-used Superthrive (and, my closet stinks now :roll: ), and I'm wondering if I should switch to Dyna-Gro KLN.

I'm mostly hoping to see some root action on my recently acquired plants, such as catt divisions with just a few roots, rootless catt backbulb divisions, phals with only a few roots, etc.

What do you think?

Not that I've had a bad experience with Superthrive. I think it helped my recently repotted plants (however, with more roots than the ones I'm working with right now) adapt and get established. Just curious about KLN.

Also, does anyone know how many drops of KLN should I add per gallon? If I buy it, I'm wondering what size bottle I should get. I don't want to run out, nor do I want to have a bottle sit there for years and become "stale."

Yeah, it sounds like you want more of a rooting hormone. I've never used KLN but lots of people here do. I use essentials and it seems to work really well. You only need to use rooting hormone so often, I use essentials every 14 or so days, and you only need a little bit in a gallon of water.

If I want to stimulate primarily roots, I use KLN.
I have had good experience with this.

I also use Superthrive but after the plant is a bit more established.

I have no science behind my practices tho :rofl:

For some reason I use Superthrive too even though there is no research saying that it actually works! I think it gives me a sense of security that I'm doing everything I can for my plants. I still stick with my seaweed too and there's roots EVERYWHERE! lol

:agree: about the KLN although I hardly ever use ST these days as had a phal flower spike once bloom peloric after I used it...????
I probably 'mixed' a higher concentration than needed..?? "How much? is 'a drop' exactly ????? (is it an 'eye dropper 'drop ? a Big drop or a small one?
If any one can answer this I'd be very happy as it is years that I ponder on this question concerning ST.
thanks in advance & thanks Zootrophion for bringing this up!

I use a syringe. So, any average drop will be fine lol. I doubt it was the ST that made your phal flower peloric tho'. ;)

Thanks! do you think that it was probably due to too much of a mix of 'stuff'? (fert,kln,st..) I remember I thought that at the time..anyway has not happened to me since as I haven't done any more "mixes". :)

Actually, I do remember reading several times on OB in the past that either using too much Superthrive or using it when the plant is spiking can cause mutations in the blooms. So the blooms can appear deformed, and it wouldn't be surprising if some mutations also led to peloria.

K-L-N has about double the amount of root stimulant SuperThrive does, but I'd still recommend using it at the same 1-2 drops per gallon rate.

Adding more does not increase the effectiveness of either. Exposing a plant to the hormones is like flipping a light switch up to turn on the light. Pressing harder on the switch does not make the light brighter.

To add to what Ray has said, KLN has two different rooting hormones (1-Napthaleneacetic Acid~NAA and 3-Indolebutyric Acid ~IBA) while SuperThrive only has one of these. Without the bottle in front of me, I can't recall which one ST has. There are two other options: Hormex (NAA~.24%, IBA~.013%) which is very similar to KLN but with more hormone and another product called Essential Plus Natural Plant & Rooting Stimulant which is not like any of the others in its composition. I believe Ray sells both but I'll leave that up to him. I also have a small quantity in 32oz containers of both that I would be willing to sell.

Disclaimer: Not advertizing and don't want to offend anyone....:biggrin: