Amazing New Fertilizer

[Ray]

Originally Posted by DavidCampen

That seems to be a disingenous comment inasmuch as I am not aware of anyone posting in the K-Lite threads, here or at ST, who has "automatically disregard(ed) something (K-Lite) just because it does not fit a particular paradigm."

It was an innocent and factual comment, David. There are ALWAYS folks with that stance, whether they express it or not.

The fact that it struck a nerve with you makes me wonder if it has some applicability...

By the way, I really like your Carl Sagan quote - apparently we are, to some degree, kindred spirits!

[ronaldhanko]

It has been a couple more months, now, and I thought I'd add an update. I never thought the original post would garner this much debate, but I've enjoyed the debate, wondered about the "science" of it all, have read the articles suggested, and would even hope for some more studies in the whole area of fertilizers and their components, but for me the proof is in the pudding. Since two months ago when I posted this thread the results of using K-lite have far exceeded my expectations and continue to do so. It may be, as Ray suggested when I first wrote him, that the additional calcium and magnesium are the main reasons for what I am seeing, but what I'm seeing is amazing. My Masdevallias have completely recovered from the leaf-yellow and leaf-drop from which they were suffering and though the season is mainly over are continuing to produce some flowers. One Masdevallia especially, M. datura, which had not flowered for three years, is once again in flower with more flowers than it ever had, and several which were languishing are growing vigorously again. The most striking change has been with my New Guinea Dendrobiums, however, and especially with Dendrobium cuthbersonii. I've almost always grown this species well, but I have never seen so many buds and flowers as I am now getting. One plant, in a 1 inch pot, which had only been holding its own and producing an occasional flower is now bursting with flowers and buds - I believe it has eight flowers and buds on a very small plant. My few Paphs are also doing much better with more vigorous growth, better leaf color, and root growth. So, thanks once again, Ray.

One caveat: these results are under my growing conditions and are no guarantee that under different conditions the fertilizer would produce the same results.

[WhiteRabbit]

Originally Posted by ronaldhanko

It has been a couple more months, now, and I thought I'd add an update. I never thought the original post would garner this much debate, but I've enjoyed the debate, wondered about the "science" of it all, have read the articles suggested, and would even hope for some more studies in the whole area of fertilizers and their components, but for me the proof is in the pudding. Since two months ago when I posted this thread the results of using K-lite have far exceeded my expectations and continue to do so. It may be, as Ray suggested when I first wrote him, that the additional calcium and magnesium are the main reasons for what I am seeing, but what I'm seeing is amazing. My Masdevallias have completely recovered from the leaf-yellow and leaf-drop from which they were suffering and though the season is mainly over are continuing to produce some flowers. One Masdevallia especially, M. datura, which had not flowered for three years, is once again in flower with more flowers than it ever had, and several which were languishing are growing vigorously again. The most striking change has been with my New Guinea Dendrobiums, however, and especially with Dendrobium cuthbersonii. I've almost always grown this species well, but I have never seen so many buds and flowers as I am now getting. One plant, in a 1 inch pot, which had only been holding its own and producing an occasional flower is now bursting with flowers and buds - I believe it has eight flowers and buds on a very small plant. My few Paphs are also doing much better with more vigorous growth, better leaf color, and root growth. So, thanks once again, Ray.

One caveat: these results are under my growing conditions and are no guarantee that under different conditions the fertilizer would produce the same results.

That's great!

[ronaldhanko]

Thanks, Sonya. Haven't been around much lately. Too much hiking and switching photos from Flickr and the mess there.

[Ray]

Don't thank me. Rick Lockwood did the work. I just had it made.


Ray Barkalow (via Tapatalk)

[ronaldhanko]

Yes, but passing my thanks to h please.

[Bud]

So far so good....in a couple of months ever since I got from the mail Ray's 'K-Lite' fertilizer, I have seen improvements on the roots and leaves of most of my orchids; especially my Vandas....Algoflash is out of the scene.... I still use alternately with 'K-Lite' seaweed mix and worm tea mix. (weekly weakly)

[SJF]

Originally Posted by Bud

So far so good....in a couple of months ever since I got from the mail Ray's 'K-Lite' fertilizer, I have seen improvements on the roots and leaves of most of my orchids; especially my Vandas....Algoflash is out of the scene.... I still use alternately with 'K-Lite' seaweed mix and worm tea mix. (weekly weakly)

Hi Bud,
Do you mix the worm tea with the K-lite and seaweed?

Do you see a drop in insects with worm tea?
~Sjf

[S&K Maley]

While re-reading an article intitled'Giving your plants a check up'[maximun yield, jan.-feb. 2013, available online] by Dr. J Benton Jones Jr. a Prof. Emeritus at the U. of Georgia, Athens[qualifies as a Scientist to me!]& who has 50 years experience growing hydroponically discusses nutrient element insufficiencies through leaf analysis.
Although the article is referring to growing tomatos it seems related to this thread.
He says'when trouble shooting plant deficiencies what is occurring in the rooting medium may influence the element status of the plant.'
Further,'the rooting medium is what requires monitoring & the nutrient solution formulation & use parameters need to be adjusted to avoid element accumulation & an increasing imbalance among the major cations. The elements of primary interest in this scenario are magnseium & its deficiency or imbalance with potassium & calcium as well as the accumulation of phosphorus.'
Seems as though Ray & Rick Lockwood et al are on to something with the K Lite that others also have hinted at.
While Rick in his article'What orchids eat' does state the deficiency problems he observed don't seem to occur when'growers utilize surface or tap water to mix up their fertilizers' I think the antgonistic interaction of the major cations, monovalent vs divalent when using pure water & MSU for pure water on the common organic orchid potting media[the root zone Dr. Jones refers to, also may indicate inorganic media may be superior] is an important factor but his article does seem to support the use of something like K Lite. Would be interested to hear what Ray feels on this.
We stopped using pure water to mix fertilizer[dyna grow] a while ago & instead use our Lake Superior tap water PH 6.4 7 only use pure water for flushing as the mixture of MSU for pure water and R/O water resulted in such an acidic mix that we felt any advantage the R/O water gave us was lost when we had to adjust the PH up to a usable range.
On a monthly basis, along with giving epsom[1 tsp/gal] we mix dolomitic lime [1 tsp/gal] to offset any acidification the pure water flushing causes and find our plants have a PH of 6.5[,phals and some cats are potted in Orchiata and lava rock, the others are now in S/H using locally available hydrocorn.]as well the lime provides an additional source of cal/mag.

[Hedge]

I have just read the entire thread after a long absence from this board. Fascinating stuff, and I really have nothing of value to add, except that my husband is on a low sodium diet because of his blood pressure, so send all your surplus potassium this way!