# KelpMax



## PamO (Sep 2, 2021)

Hello: I was reading about KelPMax as a supplement. Can anyone let me know if they recommend it. What have you experienced with your plants and what type of plants you used it on. I have phals., paphs, oncidium.


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## Ray (Sep 3, 2021)

Pam,

I am the seller of KelpMax, but don’t assume I’m just hawking it. You can read more at my website, but here’s a short summary:

After years of using synthetic hormone products, I started researching natural stimulants and came across the manufacturer of KelpMax, who gave me the name of their US wholesale distributor. He sent me a sample. (The product has been used for decades on food crops, fruits, nuts, flower, grain, shrubs and turf, and is backed by tons of university and field-generated data). I contacted the manufacturer to ask about its use on orchids. They had no idea, but recommended a trial regimen.

Then I got concerned about trying it on my precious orchids, so decided to use my tropical houseplants as “guinea pigs”. I watered them twice with a 1 tablespoon/gallon solution. A few weeks later, the dracaenas started new growths from the base, and started branching. The aglaonemas as (Chinese evergreens) bloomed, as did a spathyphyllum that had not done so in 15 years. Hmmmm….let’s try it on the orchids.

Back then, I grew a lot of vandas in my greenhouse. When the weather warmed up in the late spring, they “woke up” and started new growth, including the emergence of (typically) about a half-dozen new roots. After two consecutive waterings with KelpMax at that same concentration, the average that year was 40.

In addition to root-growth stimulation, KelpMax stimulates overall growth and seems to accelerate the branching of sympodial plants and activates dormant meristematic tissues.

I use it on all of my orchids, by bedding plants, houseplants, herbs, vegetables and my sole fig tree. I sell a lot to folks laying sod and planting shrubs, as it gets them established much more quickly. Here are some impatiens plants my wife planted this spring and what they looked like 8 weeks later. KelpMax was applied at planting and again 2 weeks and 6 weeks later.


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## terryros (Sep 3, 2021)

Ray, when I first became a user years ago I focused on the auxin content as a rooting stimulator as you showed with the Vandas. I tended to use KelpMax during the time of year when I thought rooting would occur (mostly spring and summer) and backed off in autumn and winter. However, I think the complexity of KelpMax and what you are describing supports it as a support for more aspects of growth than just rooting so I am using it more months than I used to. I know that excessive KelpMax may produce some flower abnormalities but what does your experience tell you about KelpMax and inflorescence induction? Do you and other experienced users apply KelpMax once a month throughout the whole year, including the cool period when growth is slowed?


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## Ray (Sep 3, 2021)

Terry, My initial readings on the product suggested that the auxins were the primary stimulant, but later studies have indicated that the degree of growth stimulation is far beyond what that level of auxins would be expected to do. Later research suggests that all of the various proteins, polysaccharides, amino acids, vitamins and other plant growth regulators act as what I refer to as a “short-cut” stimulant. That is, KelpMax provides the plant with many of the same chemicals that it would produce for itself, thereby “short-cutting” the need for the plant to expend its own resources to produce them for itself. That leaves the plant with excess resources it can dedicate to faster growth, more and bigger flowers, etc.

I have seen a direct relationship between its application and root growth , plant growth, and vegetative branching, but I have not seen a similar correlation with flowering. Unless there is an environmental trigger to be considered, I think flowering is a matter of “when it’s ready”, i.e., when it has built up enough reserves to be able to afford to expend them on reproduction.

I typically recommend using it at one tablespoon per gallon, monthly, but have done double the frequency and double the dosage if I really want to “kick start” growth. The manufacturer’s technical director is an orchid grower, and he and several in his orchid society have experimented with a 1:100 dosage (as opposed to my 1:250), and have been very pleased with the result.

There have been no reports of flower deformation with overdosing KelpMax, unlike synthetic auxins.


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## terryros (Sep 3, 2021)

OK - I think no months off this next cycle.


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## richgarrison (Sep 4, 2021)

throwing in my habits and experience....

i use it on Phrag seedlings year round at double strength and double frequency... (of course i miss a few doses... but that's just age setting in) i have great growth and rooting experience...

on the rest of my collection (vandas, mounted phals, aerangis, cat alliance, tol, coel, Ddc) i use it at Ray's recommended dosage and frequency... just part of my natural routine.


i will say that anecdotally this past season, i may have forgotten where i was in that sequence, and thinking that some multifloral paph seedlings (NDS) were not going to flower this year... hit them in the every other week sequence a few times... 
and darned if a few didn't just flower after all... 

and yes the first few flowers on the inflorescence were malformed ... but the final flower(s) were perfect...

i call that anecdotal because the malformation may have had nothing to do with the kelpmax overload... but i found it an interesting coincidence


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## spes1959 (Dec 31, 2021)

As you can see in my profile picture I have used Kelpmax for my orchids and perhaps I’ll use it for growing my bitten nails


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## Ray (Jan 1, 2022)

For folks who want to experiment, the Kelpak technical director (an orchid grower) suggested playing with spraying flower buds directly…


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## southernbelle (Jan 1, 2022)

PamO said:


> Hello: I was reading about KelPMax as a supplement. Can anyone let me know if they recommend it. What have you experienced with your plants and what type of plants you used it on. I have phals., paphs, oncidium.


I use it on everything (paphs, phrags, phals and catts) once a month and soak everything for 30 minutes in it before I repot. Highly recommend.


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## southernbelle (Jan 1, 2022)

terryros said:


> Ray, when I first became a user years ago I focused on the auxin content as a rooting stimulator as you showed with the Vandas. I tended to use KelpMax during the time of year when I thought rooting would occur (mostly spring and summer) and backed off in autumn and winter. However, I think the complexity of KelpMax and what you are describing supports it as a support for more aspects of growth than just rooting so I am using it more months than I used to. I know that excessive KelpMax may produce some flower abnormalities but what does your experience tell you about KelpMax and inflorescence induction? Do you and other experienced users apply KelpMax once a month throughout the whole year, including the cool period when growth is slowed?


I use it at one Tbls/gal monthly year round. Some plants get a double dose sometimes, if I’m not keeping track well of what’s gotten it. No flower deformity noted.


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## Silverwhisp (Jan 1, 2022)

Two questions, Ray.

Do you recommend a particular pH of the water used for preparing the Kelpak solution? 
Does the water’s overall TDS matter before mixing with Kelpak?


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## southernbelle (Jan 1, 2022)

Ray


Ray said:


> For folks who want to experiment, the Kelpak technical director (an orchid grower) suggested playing with spraying flower buds directly…


Ray, what is the reasoning behind using up a mixture with Kelpmax within 24 hours? Usually that’s not a problem, but on occasion, I don’t go through it all or add a few gallons to already existing mixture. I use R/O water.


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## Ray (Jan 2, 2022)

Silverwhisp said:


> Two questions, Ray.
> 
> Do you recommend a particular pH of the water used for preparing the Kelpak solution?
> Does the water’s overall TDS matter before mixing with Kelpak?


The manufacturer states that the solution must be neutral to acidic. Higher pH degrades it, apparently.

There is no connection to TDS. But I will address that in another thread.


southernbelle said:


> Ray
> 
> Ray, what is the reasoning behind using up a mixture with Kelpmax within 24 hours? Usually that’s not a problem, but on occasion, I don’t go through it all or add a few gallons to already existing mixture. I use R/O water.


It is a natural, organic material, subject to bacterial degradation. Storage of the diluted material is not “bad”, but it does lose its potency over time. (I do not know the rate at which that happens.,)


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## Silverwhisp (Jan 2, 2022)

Thanks for the above info, Ray. I’ve been mixing RO and tap water in the solution, so will now keep a close eye on the overall pH.


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## TropiCool (Jan 2, 2022)

TBH, I can't imagine growing plants of any kind without using a liquid seaweed amendment.I think I first used it around 1975, because the 2 young guys producing it in a small lab talked me into trying it. I had 15k orchids in a 30' x 50' commercial glasshouse. After a couple of months using it I never looked back. In fact in all these years of growing, I still consider using liquid seaweed one of the most useful things I've learned.

Rather than doubling up on the proportions, I opted to cut them by half, and mix that in to every watering, including, or perhaps especially, the fogging. I saw all the changes others here have noted, plus hardening of leaves and increases in shininess. I imagine that made it less tempting to chew holes in them, but I haven't actually interviewed any bugs to hear their explanations. The net result was far fewer bugs on the plants.


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## Ray (Jan 2, 2022)

Silverwhisp said:


> Thanks for the above info, Ray. I’ve been mixing RO and tap water in the solution, so will now keep a close eye on the overall pH.


Don't get too hung up on pH. The pH of the applied solution has very little impact on the pH in the pot, and that's what's important.


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## merc (Jan 6, 2022)

i just recently took the plunge after posting a no. of threads on "what am i doing wrong here?" and "how can i fix it?". in my research and from thread post replies i was finding so many people suggested the use of kelpmax and k-lite. so far so good! too early to tell but i had a question about mixing the two products in the 1 gallon of water or is that a no-no? should i be preparing separately?


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## Ozpaph (Jan 7, 2022)

i mix kelp and K-Lite sometimes - probably ok. Lets see what Ray says.


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## spes1959 (Jan 7, 2022)

When I use kelp, I mix it with rain mix (in Italy K-Lite doesn’t exist)


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## southernbelle (Jan 7, 2022)

I always mix it with MSU fertilizer in R/O water. Ray has even mentioned that ppm of the water does not affect it if. However, pH can. See above in this thread.


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## Ray (Jan 7, 2022)

Yes, the manufacturer states that solutions must be at a pH of 7 or lower.

KelpMax/Kelpak (after 11 years, it’s hard to remember to change the name) can be mixed with fertilizer and/or probiotics, or all three.

The only potential negative comes if you don’t use the mixed solution right away, as in a few days, the organic molecules in the diluted KelpMax will start to degrade.


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## NYEric (Jan 10, 2022)

and, keep it cool.


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## masaccio (Jan 15, 2022)

I'm so glad to get this little elbow in the ribs on KelpMax. I'm a lazy grower so I bought it but never developed the habit of using it. Now, I have a small, pouting Phal. schilleriana. I've had it for 20+ years now. This is the third or fourth keiki I've started and it's been through a lot. It feels great to have something like KelpMax to start it on before the growing season. Hoping it will decide that "life is better." 
Also, I have my few little tigrinum seedlings that are doing well, but I'm also starting these on KelpMax. That can only be a good thing for them. 
I'm glad I read about the diluted solution not being at its best after a few days. I don't see an expiration on the bottle. It's been a couple of years, I think, since I bought that.


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## Ray (Jan 16, 2022)

masaccio said:


> I don't see an expiration on the bottle. It's been a couple of years, I think, since I bought that.


Kelpak, undiluted, has a shelf life of at least two years, according to the producer. If you refrigerate it, it can last much longer, and a university did an analysis of some that had been on a shelf for 4 years, and found that it was still viable.

The kelp juice is diluted a bit and stabilized with tiny amounts of hydrogen peroxide and acetic acid. Once diluted, the stabilizers are too dilute to do the job. However, it’s not like the stuff flips a switch and goes bad; the degradation is slow. One of the concerns is more about application issues than anything. In the process of handling, pouring, and mixing, it is very easy to introduce bacteria into the tank (don’t forget that all of the producer’s Davis based upon farm use), and once that happens, if allowed to stand, the bacterial colony can grow, forming a white, scummy layer on the top. The concern is blockage of spray nozzles more than actual degradation of the product.

Besides, it’s simply smart practice to mix up only what you can use with any organic product.


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## masaccio (Jan 16, 2022)

Thanks, Ray.


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