# Free Sample Offer



## Ray (Nov 22, 2014)

I have gathered that there are a fair number of folks in this forum that purchase flasks of plants, so I want to post this offer. First some background:

First Rays is about to become the sole US retail outlet for an OMRI-listed biological solution that acts as a "plant probiotic". (I actually have stock, but we're in the middle of finalizing the agreement with the Canadian manufacturer.) It's called Garden Solution, made by Inocucor in Canada. 

Most of the work with it (McGill & Clemson Universities, hydroponic food operations in Ontario, and some farms in SC) have been done on food crops, where it has shown to increase seed germination rates and increase yields in stuff like rice, leafy greens, strawberries, broccoli, corn, etc.

As far as orchids are concerned, when applied to ex-flask seedlings, it has shown a marked improvement in survival and growth rate, essentially eliminating any damping-off. Holger Pernar has used the stuff to greatly enhance the survival of Paph. tigrinum, which is basically extinct in China, and known to be particularly hard to culture. Another of my customers said he has had very high survival rates on Paph leucochilum seedlings, and when he opened a newer flask of them, but ran out of the sample I had sent, said the losses were pretty high. I have used it on phal flasks, and have only lost one plant out of about 100 or so.

When applied to more mature plants, it enhances their innate resistance to pathogens, and does stimulate both root- and plant growth. It's not as obvious an effect as the rot prevention in tender seedlings, but it's still noticeable in the long run. Pot growers have commented that they see reduced internode spacing, so get stockier, bushier plants.

So, if you are deflasking plants pretty routinely, or are currently fighting a fungal issue, and would like to try the material, please send me an email ([email protected]) with full name and address, and I will send you a 500 ml bottle (typical usage is 1:100; can be used at 1:50) at no charge. All I ask is that you use it fairly soon and let me know how it goes. US only. I cannot even ship into Canada, where it is produced!


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## ALToronto (Nov 22, 2014)

Ray, would you still use seaweed extract, or does Garden Solution replace it?

I'm not asking for a sample because I already got mine directly from Inocucor


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## NYEric (Nov 22, 2014)

I'm game. Thanks for the offer.


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## Ray (Nov 23, 2014)

ALToronto said:


> Ray, would you still use seaweed extract, or does Garden Solution replace it?
> 
> I'm not asking for a sample because I already got mine directly from Inocucor



Yes, I'm aware of that Alla - you got the "water treatment" that is registered in Ontarion and Quebec. Same stuff, different registration status.

Yes, I still apply KelpMax, as does their VP of sales, a paph species enthusiast.


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## cnycharles (Nov 23, 2014)

I'd like to try some, but moving this week so will get you new address


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## SlipperFan (Nov 23, 2014)

Count me in.


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## eteson (Nov 24, 2014)

I would test it in Phragmipedium.... even in the flasking stage


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## Chicago Chad (Nov 24, 2014)

Thanks Ray. 

He already sent me tracking by the way. So get on it.oke:


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## naoki (Nov 24, 2014)

Pretty cool, Ray. I started to try a similar product just for fun after Gary (Trithor) mentioned about it in worm tea thread. So it will be interesting to see how well this works in different growth condition.

I wonder if you can "brew" Innocutor like EM-1 with Molasses. I don't know why they use anaerobic condition.


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## eaborne (Nov 24, 2014)

Ray, I will be getting many more of my crosses back very soon so I'll try it as well.


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## AdamD (Nov 25, 2014)

Thanks Ray! I've pinpointed the aroma. You know when you've been out drinking all night and you've puked absolutely everything you have to give and you're down to puking bile? Just like that. 

Anyone else have a take on it? Maybe a non-alcoholic?


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## AdamD (Nov 25, 2014)

Uh, is it strange to say I've noticed a difference in 12 hours? Maybe it is just placebo effect, but the plants I treated today look like they have perked up, greened up, and put on noticeable leaf growth. I'll take pics tomorrow to compare


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## ALToronto (Nov 25, 2014)

It smells like brewer's yeast that's a little past its best before date. I don't think it's that bad a smell - but then I also use a fish fertilizer that smells like a fish market that has failed its health inspection, on a hot summer day.

I think 12 hours is a little too soon to notice a difference. My plants perk up every time I water them, whatever I use.


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## limuhead (Nov 27, 2014)

Got mine, I think that testing it on my paph and phrag seedlings on Thanksgiving will make them very thankful. Thanks to Ray, I will let you know...
Mahalo and Aloha, Fred


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## troy (Nov 27, 2014)

You use this stuff with fertilizer? Or just ph neutral water?


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## Ray (Nov 28, 2014)

The label says to mix it with water (preferably non chlorinated - chlorine will kill the bugs) @ 1:100 and apply throughout the growing season to foliage and soil whenever applying fertilizer, or every 30 days, whichever is more frequent.

For plants showing stress (I'll add - and really tough to grow seedlings), double the concentration and treat weekly.


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## troy (Nov 28, 2014)

You don't mix it with fertilizer? I use R.O. water, if it throws the ph one way or the other bcusr R.O. water is unstable, can I balance it with ph up ot down?


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## ALToronto (Nov 28, 2014)

So for those of us who fertilize with every watering, what dilution do we use and how often?


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## Ray (Nov 28, 2014)

Troy - Certainly it can be mixed with fertilizer.

Alla - I use 1:100 about every 2-3 weeks in the greenhouse.


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## troy (Nov 28, 2014)

Thank you


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## Cheyenne (Nov 29, 2014)

Ray, I would like to try a sample. I will place a order for other things today. Hopefully you can just include it in there.


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## PaphMadMan (Nov 29, 2014)

I had a large batch of small Phalaenopsis seedlings from a very crowded amateur flask. They weren't doing well - visible patches of white mold, some seedlings just turned translucent and collapsed. They weren't crowded so it wasn't spreading much, just isolated seedlings collapsing. I had decided it was time to do something when Ray made his free sample offer.

2.5 days after treating with Inocucor at 1:50 rate the white mold appears dead, and there haven't been any additional seedlings collapsing. Really too soon to evaluate effectiveness, but I couldn't have expected more from any product at this point. I'll report again in a couple weeks.


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## SlipperFan (Nov 29, 2014)

Ray said:


> The label says to mix it with water (preferably non chlorinated - chlorine will kill the bugs) @ 1:100 and apply throughout the growing season to foliage and soil whenever applying fertilizer, or every 30 days, whichever is more frequent.
> 
> For plants showing stress (I'll add - and really tough to grow seedlings), double the concentration and treat weekly.



My bottle says 3T for each gallon, or set the dial on a siphon to 1:100. 

Now I'm confused...

I use a siphon, but it has no dial. I'd sure like to use it at 1:100 instead of 3T per gallon. Sure will go a lot further...


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## Ray (Nov 29, 2014)

Actually, Dot 3 tablespoons is 1.5 oz, or roughly 85:1, so not THAT much different.

1:100 would be 1.28 ounces per gallon, or about 2 tablespoons and a teaspoon.


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## Ray (Nov 29, 2014)

PaphMadMan said:


> 2.5 days after treating with Inocucor at 1:50 rate the white mold appears dead, and there haven't been any additional seedlings collapsing. Really too soon to evaluate effectiveness, but I couldn't have expected more from any product at this point. I'll report again in a couple weeks.


One of the things that sold me on the product was the experience of a SC strawberry grower. His crop was being devoured by erwinia (I think that was it), so the entire crop was sprayed with 1:50 stuff. Within a few days, there was no further sign of rot and the field actually had its best yield ever.


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## troy (Nov 29, 2014)

THANK YOU RAY!!! I just ferilized today mixed with yur inoculator, anxious to notice improvement


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## SlipperFan (Nov 30, 2014)

Ray said:


> Actually, Dot 3 tablespoons is 1.5 oz, or roughly 85:1, so not THAT much different.
> 
> 1:100 would be 1.28 ounces per gallon, or about 2 tablespoons and a teaspoon.



Thanks Ray. You can see my weakness in math!


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## Ray (Dec 1, 2014)

Sorry folks, but I'm going to have to cut off the free sample offer to orchid growers. I have a limited supply of samples, and need to "spread the wealth" around to organic gardeners, cannabis growers, etc.


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## Chicago Chad (Dec 1, 2014)

Well I have to say, after the first application the plants *are* stinky. Nothing has flopped over or grown through the top of the tanks so we'll wait and see.

The timing could not have been better Ray. After rotting out a gigantifolium I noticed that my armeniacum fma. album had some rot. This is uncommon for me so I hope it will curtail any further occurrences.

How do you feel about any applications to Oxyglossum type Dendrobiums and PNG Bulbophyllums? Those can be problematic with rot and traditional methods can be more damaging.

Thanks again.


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## NYEric (Dec 1, 2014)

Ray said:


> Sorry folks, but I'm going to have to cut off the free sample offer to orchid growers. I have a limited supply of samples, and need to "spread the wealth" around to organic gardeners, cannabis growers, etc.


Hope I got some. Is growing cannabis legal?


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## Chicago Chad (Dec 1, 2014)

> Is growing cannabis legal?


depends on your voting initiative oke:


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## PaphMadMan (Dec 1, 2014)

NYEric said:


> Hope I got some. Is growing cannabis legal?



Legal or not.... Horticultural supplies off all kinds, even those not used by cannabis growers, would be more expensive and less available if a huge manufacturing and retail distribution system didn't exist to support it. We all benefit from cannabis growers' buying power.


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## SlipperFan (Dec 1, 2014)

PaphMadMan said:


> Legal or not.... Horticultural supplies off all kinds, even those not used by cannabis growers, would be more expensive and less available if a huge manufacturing and retail distribution system didn't exist to support it. We all benefit from cannabis growers' buying power.



Yup. I get quite a lot of my orchid supplies from a "hydroponics" store.


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## Ray (Dec 2, 2014)

PaphMadMan said:


> Legal or not.... Horticultural supplies off all kinds, even those not used by cannabis growers, would be more expensive and less available if a huge manufacturing and retail distribution system didn't exist to support it. We all benefit from cannabis growers' buying power.


I'll agree with the "thanks to cannabis growers", but those folks are absolutely _insane_ when it comes to magical additives to make their plants grow better. They're even worse than orchid growers! Apparently, the more expensive, the better it is.

For example, this very same product has been sold by one individual into the cannabis world for about a year. It's not called that, as the person buys a 55-gallon drum at a time, and bottles it off, reselling it under his own "brand name" (which I don't know). The price: $250/gallon.


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## troy (Dec 2, 2014)

Lol.. the thing is with weed they pay that kind of money bcuse every 90 days they make their money back, orchids from flask for 2 - 5 years is blooming size


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## troy (Dec 2, 2014)

I was gonna elaborate on the subject but ray reminded me a while back not to hijack threads ca, colorado its legal


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## NYEric (Dec 2, 2014)

Is growing legal in Colorado? I can't see that.


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## ALToronto (Dec 2, 2014)

What is the price going to be for the labelled Inocucor product?


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## Linus_Cello (Dec 2, 2014)

NYEric said:


> Is growing legal in Colorado? I can't see that.



Or do you mean you can't see Colorado (with all the purple haze...)?


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## troy (Dec 2, 2014)

Lol.. purple haze, growing pot is legal in colorado, ca. And also montana maybe idaho too, thats where harrison ford lives thats all he does, he's deserved it lol..


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## NYEric (Dec 2, 2014)

So, if I live in Colorado I can just pot MJ in the front yard and let it grow for anyone to pick and smoke? I don't see this ending well at all.


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## troy (Dec 2, 2014)

Lol.. it's not jamaica!!! If the cops roll you and you have some joints or like such small amount they may take them or not and let you go or if you have a plant or two IN THE BACKYARD they may take them or not depending on the circumstance why they would be looking at yur backyard plants and let you go


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## Ray (Dec 2, 2014)

ALToronto said:


> What is the price going to be for the labelled Inocucor product?




40% of that.


Ray Barkalow
firstrays.com


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## troy (Dec 2, 2014)

40 °/. ?


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## likespaphs (Dec 2, 2014)

NYEric said:


> So, if I live in Colorado I can just pot MJ in the front yard and let it grow for anyone to pick and smoke? I don't see this ending well at all.



no, but i think folks are allowed to grow a set number of plants
there are still the age requirements (like alcohol)


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## troy (Dec 2, 2014)

True, how much is ray selling the small bottle of inocucor for?


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## Clark (Dec 2, 2014)

Lol.


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## Ruth (Dec 2, 2014)

> maybe idaho


Not Idaho!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


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## Ray (Dec 2, 2014)

troy said:


> True, how much is ray selling the small bottle of inocucor for?



I'm beginning to think that YOU must have already partaken in the herb superb...

The store URL is in my signature, Troy. Surely you can look it up yourself.


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## silence882 (Dec 3, 2014)

Just used some of my sample on my orchids... in my kitchen. I am gonna conduct the will-the-wife-notice-the-smell-when-she-gets-back-from-work test and see what happens. I'm guessing not, as the smell is fading fast as the water on the foliage dries out.

--Stephen


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## silence882 (Dec 5, 2014)

Test failed - the wife noticed the smell. Luckily it was completely gone by the morning so I'm gonna keep using the product.

Ray - can the Inocucor be diluted, mixed with fertilizer, and stored for a while? I've only got a few pots that would need weekly treatment and it would be much easier to just mix up a gallon at a time and store it for several weeks.

--Stephen


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## NYEric (Dec 6, 2014)

OK, I got a sample and will be doing a photo comparison, of flasklets and other plants with and without problems. I normally use 8 gallons per watering; do I need to mix 8 gallons of the stuff or can I dilute further?


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## bigleaf (Dec 6, 2014)

I'm doing foliar spray on seedlings recently deflasked. How long does the mixed solution keep?


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## NYEric (Dec 6, 2014)

OK, I used it on seedlings and problem plants.


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## Ray (Dec 6, 2014)

silence882 said:


> Test failed - the wife noticed the smell. Luckily it was completely gone by the morning so I'm gonna keep using the product.
> 
> Ray - can the Inocucor be diluted, mixed with fertilizer, and stored for a while? I've only got a few pots that would need weekly treatment and it would be much easier to just mix up a gallon at a time and store it for several weeks.
> 
> --Stephen



It can be mixed with fertilizer and applied, but I would not store it once diluted.

I think that for a biological or hormone treatments, a fresh batch for each application is the best approach, however, for seedlings in my basement nursery, I do keep a quart spray bottle of "bug solution" handy to mist them daily, but that usually gets refilled a couple of time a week.


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## ALToronto (Dec 6, 2014)

How would I use it in conjunction with KelpMax? I usually apply KM every 2 weeks, at 1:200 dilution. Should I go to KM once a month, and Inocucor in between, so the plants are getting a supplement every two weeks? Or just throw everything together, every two weeks?


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## Ray (Dec 6, 2014)

Your dose is OK - maybe a bit wasteful (I do 1:256), but I recommend never using KelpMax more often than every 3 or 4 weeks - I use it monthly (if I remember), and also apply the IGS monthly, two weeks later.


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## troy (Dec 7, 2014)

Thanks ray and just so you know I do not ingest any drugs!! In any way!!! I just know some info, a guy I used to work with was the propostion 215 campaign manager, does ph up or down affect this wonderfull product?


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## Ray (Dec 7, 2014)

The VP of sales for Inocucor, who is an avid paph species grower, advises it be kept on the slightly acidic side of neutral, but unless your water quality is way out of kilter, I think mixing and then immediate application will do little, if anything to the bugs.


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## PaphMadMan (Dec 7, 2014)

I assume the "bugs" in this product must be in spore form or it would not have long term shelf life. Until the spores start to grow they are almost indestructible compared to almost any other living thing. Anything you are preparing to apply to your plants is probably not going to affect them unless stored for days. Even then, if stored refrigerated they are probably stable for a week or more. At least, that is how I am approaching use of this product based on my understanding of endospore forming bacteria.


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## troy (Dec 7, 2014)

Thank you


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## limuhead (Jan 10, 2015)

*better than average results*

OK, after 3 applications roughly 10 days apart I can say that I see a noticeable improvement in my problem plants where fungal/bacterial problems are concerned. Spotting on leaves on my seedling Paphs and Phrags is almost completely gone and I am not sure if it is my imagination but it seems like that my entire collection looks to be 'healthier'. For those who are curious about my growing conditions during the last 3 weeks of testing they were as follows; Humidity from 51% up to 98%, Temps were from 51 degrees up to 80 degrees, Sun was intermittent, mostly or partly cloudy for the duration, and rained at least daily, or every night. Good news, I believe this is the ticket for me, doesn't hurt my dog or chickens, plants look good, and from additional info I saw on the web it actually aids in the uptake of nutrients. Bad news, I am out of the sample. Thanks Ray, I appreciate the sample and if I can afford the shipping I will be getting more...
Mahalo and Aloha, Fred


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