# Superthrive and Slippers



## Gideon (Jun 17, 2006)

Well I finally managed to get some Superthrive...mainly for my Clivias and something SteveT once said about Bletilla and Miltonia propagation without a lab...

But I want to try it for Paphs and Phrags too...anyone use it, or have suggestions/directions?


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## Jon in SW Ohio (Jun 17, 2006)

I used to use it a couple years ago at a drop or two per gallon. Never noticed any pros or cons and when the bottle ran out I never bothered to buy another.

Jon
________
River Rouge Complex


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## Jmoney (Jun 17, 2006)

I use it occasionally as a 1-3 drops per gallon--never noticed much effect either way. if you use too much, though, your plants may throw horribly crippled blooms (accidentally used 1-2 teaspoon per gallon a long time ago for a number of consecutive waterings)


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## Heather (Jun 17, 2006)

Same here, I used to use a drop or two. Still have it but tend to use KLN now and prefer it. I do have good root growth now that I think of it. Especially the Phrags.


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## Marco (Jun 17, 2006)

Jmoney said:


> I use it occasionally as a 1-3 drops per gallon--never noticed much effect either way. if you use too much, though, your plants may throw horribly crippled blooms (accidentally used 1-2 teaspoon per gallon a long time ago for a number of consecutive waterings)



Jason - Did the plants ever recover and bloom normally or were they permanently crippled?


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## phrag guy (Jun 17, 2006)

I use to use it on all my sedlings. Can't say if it worked or not. I would imagine that it would give them some nutrients


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## couscous74 (Jun 17, 2006)

I have Superthrive and KLN Root Grow and tend to use the KLN more. I throw in a drop of Superthrive once in awhile. Not sure it really does anything though...


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## Ray (Jun 17, 2006)

Indole butyric acid (IBA) and naphthalene acetic acid (NAA) both initiate the growth of roots and stimulate the growth of existing roots, but to varying degrees. K-L-N has both, while SuperThrive contains only the synthetic hormone that is primarily initator. Both also contain vitamin B1, which is also a root-growth stimulant. SuperThrive has other vitamins and minerals as well.

I find the greatest use of either (K-L-N is cheaper to use and has more hormones) is as a meida presoak or as an additive (one teaspoon per gallon) to soaking solutions for just-received, desiccated plants.

Continued, heavy applications will cause deformed flowers (I've personally only seen it in phals), but it will go away if you resume sane chemistry in your nutrient solution.

I stopped using it continuously at a drop per gallon when I graduated to metering pumps. The hormones are very unstable, and break down rapidly upon exposure to heat and light. Putting them in my fertilizer concentrate tank probably only let them be effective if i watered immediately. later waterings were probably ineffective.


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## Rick (Jun 17, 2006)

I use ST at the rate of 1/4tsp per gallon. Since I have used it in conjunction with everthing else for some time I couldn't tell you if its doing anything or not. At 1 drop per gallon (the rate I used 3 years ago) it probably doesn't do much. I had some very stuborn Bulbos that started blooming after increasing the rate, and newer bulbos will bloom on younger /fewer growthed plants than in the past, but I can't vouch for anything specific for the slippers.

I should caution at the rate I use it in RO water that it will have a very low pH, and the pH will need to be adjusted up. I use Protekt (potash) for that. That may be the cause of some of the reported distorted flowers, but I have experienced very low rates of deformity, and they seem to be more related to plant age (young first time bloomers) rather than the ST.


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## Ray (Jun 17, 2006)

The hormones are VERY powerful checmicals, so if they are fresh and intact, they are quite effective at very low concentrations.

I also have to "go professorial" for a moment - ProTekt is NOT potash. Potash is basically a series of minerals that contain potassium carbonate. ProTekt is a solution of potassium silicate. (All those years of chemistry and engineering background just kick in sometimes...)


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## Jmoney (Jun 17, 2006)

Marco said:


> Jason - Did the plants ever recover and bloom normally or were they permanently crippled?



I noticed a horrible twisted Delrosi and a delenatii. this was a long time ago, when my slipper growing skills were even worse than they are now, and both plants since died (later on). I recall that the growth at the time of blooming was "good".


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