Check this out!

[NYEric]

True that!

 

[Happypaphy7]

Well, a picture paints a thousands words.

They are really loving that tree! haha

 

[gonewild]

Lance Lance Lance....Is it ever possible!?

It's your thread and since you want to argue, I have a few minutes. It's only possible if you can learn how to disagree without being so insulting. (so no never possible)

Look, I've been in the nursery industry for over 30 years.

Hmm so when you got started I already had been commercially growing orchids for 20 years. oke:

I use osmocote for trees, shrubs, ferns, clivias etc. I use 9 month osmocote for just about everything.

OH Mike you have already written and spouted off about all the different nitrates and diffrent fertilizers you use on a regular basis so don't try to make it look like Osmocote is all you use.

I use 1 heaped teaspoon per six inch pot per year for everything.

So know you upgrade your amount to one heaped teaspoon from one teaspoon, that just about doubles the amount. You are to inconsistent with what you say.

That is enough to get very good healthy growth during the growing period mainly spring summer and a bit of autumn.

You sound like an advertisement for Osmocote.

That is for fast growing plants.

Now you are being silly.

For slow growing cacti which get maybe 1/4 of the water the others do, I use 1 level teaspoon per 6 inch pot per year.

And that is almost nothing compared to what you actually feed your other plants when you consider the liquid feed you also use.

1 (heaped) teaspoon per 6 inch pot is not nothing.Nothing is nothing.

Well what I started out saying was "almost nothing" not "nothing". Now you have evolved what I said to a different amount.

You can call that nothing if you wish but I can confirm that it is enough for healthy growth. Conversely, If I was to use nothing (your word) I would have stalled growth. If you use more, you are just washing most of it down the drain.

You have now made it clear that your plants grow great on only Osmocote. So what does that say about all the bull **** you have been pushing about your liquid fertilizer formulas and the different forms of nitrogen you use. Not long ago you were trying to make your own ammonium nitrate. Why do that if Osmocote is all you use and is perfect for the plant? The things you say just don't add up.

The mix I use for ''normal plants'' already has plant available N and other nutrients in it.

So now you reveal that you have a hidden supply of nutrients to help the Osmocote. So your plants are not growing with just one teaspoon of Osmocote. :rollhappy:

Enough for about 3 months. If I were to start with a mix which did not, I would probably use 1 1/2 to 2 teaspoons per pot.

Heaping or level? You should try applying 1 tsp 3 or 4 times per year so the plants have a constant sufficient nutrient supply.

The cacti mix which I make up myself contains soil (which contains substantial minerals). 1 level teaspoon is sufficient - but essential!

So now you are adding additional nutrients to your supply that help the Osmocote even more.

I couldn't care less how many ppm N is released or where the plant in the tree is getting it's nutrients from. That's not the my point. If you want to call it nothing, knock yourself out.

I said almost nothing and you are the one that has a problem with what I said. And what I said (in few words) was that cacti need almost no nutrients to grow compared to other plant types.

My initial point was - and still is - that that (TERRESRTIAL) cactus growing on the bark of the tree is finding at least as much nutrient as is found in a pot containing soil and 1 level teaspoon of 9 month osmocote, (I can see that just by looking at it's condition)....

Amazing! I have been saying for years that plants in Nature get most of their nutrients from the living organisms that they associate with. Look at all those nutrient producing lichens! You have always argued that I was wrong and all the nutrients come from rain and decaying leaves. Do you really think rain and the small amount of decaying organic matter in the root zone of that cacti provide the same nutrients as a tsp of Osmocote?

and importantly, more than that in a pot which was not fertilized or - as you like to put it - getting next to nothing.

:rollhappy: I never said that, that plant was getting next to nothing. I said a plant like that needs next to nothing to grow like that.

Maybe instead of talking crap about ''nothing'' or ''next to nothing'', try looking a bit deeper into the wonders of nature!

You are the one that inflamed my simple little comment on a question Ray asked. You obviously wanted to argue. You disagree with everything I write and have said I only write crap so people will argue about it. The fact is you are talking about your own motive of you comments to me.
Now you are telling me to look a bit deeper into the wonders of nature!????
That's what I have been saying for years and you argue about what I share that I see in nature. Man I live in the heart of nature, nothing around me except the wonders of Nature, The wonders of Nature has been my whole life and I speak Natures language. The "crap" I write is what I see while personally digging deep into Nature not from google it like you do.
You are a funny man.

We can learn quite a bit from this picture with regard to orchid culture if we care to.

Can you please share the link to where you found these pictures? I sure we would all like to know more about them.

Mainly, that life in a tree is NOT nutrient poor when compared to the ground it's growing in.

Nice to know that you finally agree with what I have been saying for years! There is a lot of nutrients available to plants growing in trees that can't be measured in the form of dissolved salts. Look at all those lichens. :wink:

 

[Happypaphy7]

So....what do they use to grow on trees like this? That's the question!

I'm still amazed how that second cactus stays attached on the tree like that.
Last time I saw, cactus roots were quite fine.
I guess power in numbers??

The first cactus was sitting upright comfortably on the tree, so I don't think that would be difficult to stay put. lol

 

[Rick]

Them's fight'n words!

You would need (say for a 6 inch pot) a teaspoon of osmocote per year or full strength liquid feed every 2 weeks during summer to get good growth.
AND.. a repot every three years or you get stagnation of growth.

Almost nothing.....in the ground..

I don't know.

One of my sons gave my wife a cactus for a mothers day present about 8 years ago. It's in a pot with basic cheap Home Depot "cactus" potting mix that's never been changed. Over the last 5 yeas of it sitting in the corner of my GH it's filled up the hole pot with pups and looks as happy as ever. Every now and then I throw some of my 4ppm N fertigation water on it, but it hasn't received any major feeding in about 5 years.


Your epiphytic cactus does look nice and happy Mike.

 

[gonewild]

It's kind of funny but I was talking with my GF and told her I have never touched a cow, she was shocked. Just an aside.

You really should take time to touch a cow before it's too late.

 

[Stone]

:rollhappy: And you say I like to argue! :rollhappy:

It's your thread and since you want to argue, I have a few minutes. It's only possible if you can learn how to disagree without being so insulting. (so no never possible)

Oh don't be so thin skinned. If it makes you feel better, you can go ahead and insult me all you want.

Hmm so when you got started I already had been commercially growing orchids for 20 years. oke:

Ok, To the matter at hand...

So you've been growing orchids for 50 years then. So why then do you say such crazy stuff? Show us some of your orchids. You must have some pretty magnificent things.

OH Mike you have already written and spouted off about all the different nitrates and diffrent fertilizers you use on a regular basis so don't try to make it look like Osmocote is all you use.

For the other plants I mentioned, osmocote is all I use. If it was not, I wouldn't say so.
My special bonsai get a kelp and Calnitrate boost now and then. Everything else gets nothing but osmocote.

So know you upgrade your amount to one heaped teaspoon from one teaspoon, that just about doubles the amount. You are to inconsistent with what you say.

Jezzus! I sick a spoon into the bag and pull some up. I call it a teaspoon. Forgive me!

Well what I started out saying was "almost nothing" not "nothing". Now you have evolved what I said to a different amount.

Call it what you like. It's still bullshit.

You have now made it clear that your plants grow great on only Osmocote. So what does that say about all the bull **** you have been pushing about your liquid fertilizer formulas and the different forms of nitrogen you use. Not long ago you were trying to make your own ammonium nitrate. Why do that if Osmocote is all you use and is perfect for the plant? The things you say just don't add up.

Focus Lance. All the **** I say about messing around with different fertilizer combinations etc etc on this forum refers to orchids. I no longer use osmocote on most of them. However I have found a new formulation which I intend to try on a few.

So now you reveal that you have a hidden supply of nutrients to help the Osmocote. So your plants are not growing with just one teaspoon of Osmocote. :rollhappy:

The ''hidden supply'' you refer to is what is already in the mix I use to comply with the AU standard. It is enough for about 3 months. It is necessary to supply the freshly potted plant with enough N (mainly) to get them by until additions are made.
This in fact further supports my claim that you need more than ''next to nothing'' to get satisfactory growth.

Heaping or level? You should try applying 1 tsp 3 or 4 times per year so the plants have a constant sufficient nutrient supply.

Why would I do that when I use an 8/9 month formulation?

I said almost nothing and you are the one that has a problem with what I said. And what I said (in few words) was that cacti need almost no nutrients to grow compared to other plant types

.

This shows your ignorance Lance. Cacti, coming from such low rainfall areas very often grow in a more nutrient rich substrate than do plants from high rainfall areas.
Yes I have a problem with bullshit.

Look at all those nutrient producing lichens!

Besides N and perhaps S from the air, what nutrients do the lichens ''produce'' that does not come from somewhere else? You need to specify before we can discuss this.

You have always argued that I was wrong and all the nutrients come from rain and decaying leaves.

And from leachate from living trees/plants. In fact most K comes that way.
Also from N- fixing microbes.

Do you really think rain and the small amount of decaying organic matter in the root zone of that cacti provide the same nutrients as a tsp of Osmocote?

Together with the above other sources, yes.

:rollhappy: I never said that, that plant was getting next to nothing. I said a plant like that needs next to nothing to grow like that.

Yes. This then would be the crap part.

You are the one that inflamed my simple little comment on a question Ray asked.

Ray asked how much the cactus needs, You said ''next to nothing'' I say bullshit. Simple

You obviously wanted to argue

Wrong. I wanted to disscuss.

You disagree with everything I write

Wrong. I have often agreed with what you say.

and have said I only write crap so people will argue about it

Well it's true you write a lot of crap. But not all crap.

The fact is you are talking about your own motive of you comments to me.

Now I have a motive?

Now you are telling me to look a bit deeper into the wonders of nature!????
That's what I have been saying for years and you argue about what I share that I see in nature. Man I live in the heart of nature, nothing around me except the wonders of Nature, The wonders of Nature has been my whole life and I speak Natures language. The "crap" I write is what I see while personally digging deep into Nature not from google it like you do.
You are a funny man.

The problem is Lance, that you observe the nature yes, but sometimes you come up with wacky theories and suppositions to try to explain your observations. The ''next to nothing'' quote is one of them. You obviously do not understand just how much nutrient (or root run) a cactus needs to develop healthy growth.

Can you please share the link to where you found these pictures? I sure we would all like to know more about them.

Google.
There's nothing to know. It's just a terrestrial cactus growing well in a tree.

Nice to know that you finally agree with what I have been saying for years! There is a lot of nutrients available to plants growing in trees that can't be measured in the form of dissolved salts. Look at all those lichens.

If you want to call other bio stimulants such as hormones, vitamins, sugars or whatever, nutrients, Then yes they cannot be measured in the form of salts because they are not. Those things are available to all plants, not just in those in trees.
And your point is?

 

[gonewild]

Heaping or level? You should try applying 1 tsp 3 or 4 times per year so the plants have a constant sufficient nutrient supply.

Why would I do that when I use an 8/9 month formulation?

Because of the nutrient release pattern over time from the Osmocote. Even though the Osmocote may release nutrients for 8/9 months after 4 months most of the nutrients have probably already been released. Also the N is released faster than the other nutrients so the ratios that the plants get are not what the label leads you to believe. So to maintain a more consistent and constant supply of nutrients applying more often will correct the supply shortage.
The release time is extremely dependent on temperature and unless your ambient temperature stays pretty cool the nutrients will release much faster than the label states. I assume your day temperatures probably far exceed the 70F temperature the release time is calculated at.
I can tell you from personal experience (bad) that at high temperatures and high humidity 100% release time can be as short as one month.

Osmocote is an excellent fertilizer but you can improve the results by not following the directions on the label and adjusting application to your own environment.

Here I looked up some research on the subject:

Variation in Nutrient Release of Polymer-Coated Fertilizers

Influence of Temperature and Time on Nutrient Release Patterns of Osmocote

 

[phraggy]

Wow!!!! --and they say women create arguments.!!!!
Come on lads ---- it's a short life we have.

Ed

 

[gonewild]

Wow!!!! --and they say women create arguments.!!!!
Come on lads ---- it's a short life we have.

Ed

Yeah, that's why we argue about stuff that does not really matter, gotta squeeze in as much as possible.

 

[NYEric]

We will find a cow this weekend.

 

[gonewild]

We will find a cow this weekend.

Pictures please of you touching a cow so we don't have to worry about you.

 

[cnycharles]

We will find a cow this weekend.

Lol my former employer in Hunterdon county has some longhorn beef cattle that are pretty calm


Elmer Nj

 

[NYEric]

My GF says no beef cattle; only dairy and petting zoo!

 

[cnycharles]

There's an old steer named 'lucky' at the Woodstown, nj cowtown' rodeo that I'm sure would love to meet you for about 1.3 seconds (you might be in the air longer than in the saddle) :rollhappy:

 

[Cheyenne]

Don't do it Eric! You will get mad cow disease and destroy your orchids.

 

[PaphMadMan]

We will find a cow this weekend.

Skip the cow. Have a cheeseburger while relaxing on a leather sofa. All the best a cow has to offer without having to watch where you step. There's plenty of that in here already.

 

[NYEric]

I'm totally enthused now.

 

[cnycharles]

Ah; I was going to suggest having a milkshake while on your leather sofa, but if I remember right you're lactose intolerant?