Can this stuff somehow be used for orchids?

[cb977]

I went to the hydroponics store yesterday for Hydroton and the lady there gave me a 1 lb pack of Pyrosol Soluble Clay.

I'm assuming this is used in regular hydroponic growing and don't think I have any use for it...any ideas?

Pyrosol - $0.00 : Hydroponic Liquidators, Your one stop hydroponics site!

Can it be used as an additive to any of my "regular" plants? Shrubs?

[littlefrog]

Looks like it is supposed to provide silica to your plants. I don't think it can hurt.

I haven't heard much lately, but everybody and their cousin was using dynagro's 'ProTekt' for a while, maybe 10 years ago? My memory of dates is only slightly better than my memory of quantum physics... It was supposed to do the same thing. Extra silica claimed to strengthen your plants and make them more resistant to disease or something. I used it too, largely because I had a bottle and it was an excellent base - kept my fertilizer water from being too acidic. Other than that, I really didn't see much benefit, but I didn't actually do a serious study of it.

[cb977]

Originally Posted by littlefrog

Looks like it is supposed to provide silica to your plants. I don't think it can hurt.

I haven't heard much lately, but everybody and their cousin was using dynagro's 'ProTekt' for a while, maybe 10 years ago? My memory of dates is only slightly better than my memory of quantum physics... It was supposed to do the same thing. Extra silica claimed to strengthen your plants and make them more resistant to disease or something. I used it too, largely because I had a bottle and it was an excellent base - kept my fertilizer water from being too acidic. Other than that, I really didn't see much benefit, but I didn't actually do a serious study of it.

Thanks for your input, Rob

I have Pro-Tekt here, it seems to help in the extremely hot days of summer here. Things just seem a little perkier when I use it.

[camille1585]

I would thing that adding this to the water of orchids would be good for them. From what I remember of my plant physiology class, scientists have been disagreeing for the last 150 years if it's really important to plants or not, but it would seem that silica is quite important in plants. Silica is said to help activate natural defenses in the case of a pathogen attack, and reduces the effects of abiotic stress on the plant (like drought)

[cb977]

Maybe I'll choose a few chids to experiment on

[Ross]

Sue, I wouldn't mess with it, if it were me. I doubt there is enough benefit to warrant the cost (unless cost isn't an issue ). I also occasionally use ProTekt for the same reasons (resistance to warm temps for cool-growers.) When I tell folks I grow all my salad makings in my basement under lights, they assume hydroponics. That (hydoponics) is unnecessarily expensive. I think we orchid growers have it "dialed in" so-to-speak and use a mix or medium that suits our conditions. We also don't choose to mess with constant chemical tests and monitoring. And we have (in most cases) seen the benefit with nice blossoms, or (in my case ) nice product.

I sometimes am amazed at the desire of many orchid growers on the board to experiment with or "wander from" pretty much tested growing regimens. I can understand the deeply ingrained desire to invent the next magic that will get orchids to bloom year around or to produce the next super bloom. But plant science defeats us every time. They either do or do not!

As for your "new" stuff, and knowing what I do about soils in your area, I would say that is pretty much a wasted investment - sorry. And be glad you are not into hydroponics. That practice is best left for those who cannot imagine eating anything that was grown in dirt! You'd be better served studying the makeup of your soils and what they actually need (if anything.) The local County Ag Agent may know? Not all do. My Dad never had great luck in St Pete. But you know (or should by now) a few things: your soil is coral-sand derived. It is fine, tends to be pretty sterile, yet alkaline in nature. Any telth (fertility and structure) comes from the things you mix into the soil, or nutrients that were already there. Mixing a fine-grained clay structure into an already fine-grained, but coral-based structure, won't help (just my opinion). Mixing organics into your local soils will help for maybe a few months at best because the heat of the soil breaks them down too fast.

If your original question was related to what you can do to improve your local gardening/soil conditions, then I would suggest dump this stuff. Clay-based materials primarily are of value to hold moisture. Nothing more. My Dad always said, the more compost you can get into the local soils (yours included) the better. Granted, they seem to "burn out" quickly, but you must have tons of kitchen scrap to contribute? A compost heap does more than this "soil" will, to improve your garden. Just my opinion, of course

[cb977]

Ross, thanks for your input...I appreciate your taking the time to write all that!

A few points I must make though:

I sometimes am amazed at the desire of many orchid growers on the board to experiment with or "wander from" pretty much tested growing regimens.

I believe in experimenting. When I do, it's not me trying to reinvent the wheel or trying to

invent the next magic that will get orchids to bloom year around or to produce the next super bloom.

It's me taking a plant (because as much as I love these chids...they are, in actuality, just plants ) and trying something new. If it works... If it doesn't, no biggie-wow...it's just a plant

I would say that is pretty much a wasted investment - sorry.

Nope...didn't buy it, the lady put it in my bag at checkout as a freebie

Finally, if this stuff is meant to hold moisture, then I think it would be a good additive to my outdoor plants and shrubs...dig on my property and it is sand...plain and simple sand We have to add soil to the hole anytime John plants something new out there that isn't :drought-resistant"

Oh yeah, one more thing...I have no intentions of composting

[Ross]

Originally Posted by cb977

We have to add soil to the hole anytime John plants something new out there that isn't :drought-resistant"

Oh yeah, one more thing...I have no intentions of composting

Yeah, Dad did that all the time also! I understand the "sand" description (It isn't "sand", it's coral 'sand') and not acidic, it's very basic. Adding 'soil' down in your country amounts to adding organics, 'cause those are depleted. Dad ran a compost pile with all the kitchen scaps Mom generated from the garden. They seemed to decompose in, like, days! None of this helped. My original point (I think - I lost track here ) was that the additive you mentioned, would not help much (in my opinion.) I hope you understand, I am not a Floridian, just an offspring from a translocated Floridian )

[cb977]

I'm just trying to figure out if there's anywhere I can put this stuff to some use

We'll see

[camille1585]

I would do a test with some orchids to see what happens. If you have two of some orchids, you can grow one of each the normal way and another with the added stuff. After 6 months or so you may or may not see effects.
I love experimenting like that. Right now I'm doing an experiment with a minicatt I have divided. Since orchids seem to like the tannic acid in red wine corks, I'm doing a test by adding a bit of red wine to the water of one of them.... Drunk orchids, lol