K-Lite Trial Observations

[Ray]

Just sent this to Marni, so thought I'd share it here too.


I'm about a month in now, and am not seeing any negatives, but am hesitant to claim benefits - although it DOES look like there may be some growth spurts where there was none previously.

One thing I have noted - I have had two Cymbidium Nut plants - both supposed to be 'H&R' - one has always bloomed a nice red, the other more of an olive green with red undertones. Both have just opened their first blossoms this winter, and the red one is stronger red, and the other one is red with olive undertones.

I've been keeping track of temperatures, and the greenhouse has been consistently 62°-63° at night, climbing in the sunshine, so I cannot claim they developed cooler, which would be my first thought. Who knows? Maybe we're onto something.

 

[gonewild]

I'm about a month in now, and am not seeing any negatives, but am hesitant to claim benefits - although it DOES look like there may be some growth spurts where there was none previously.

OK you are seeing some new growths spurts where there were none previously.
As an observation do these new growths surprise you for some reason? Are they something that you would not have expected before when using different fertilizer?

 

[Ray]

They are plants that have been more-or-less dormant since late fall. It may be totally unrelated.

Incidentally, if anyone is interested in trying it out, I only have four, 2 lb jars left, and won't be reordering it for a while. Bill Argo was nice enough to have two, small-volume lots produced for me, but I'm sure that's a hassle, so I will be waiting until I see more interest before I reorder in larger volumes.

 

[Rick]

OK you are seeing some new growths spurts where there were none previously.
As an observation do these new growths surprise you for some reason? Are they something that you would not have expected before when using different fertilizer?

Given some of the apprehesion concerning deficiencies, imbalances, and starvation, I don't think it would hurt to observe normal growth either (as early as it is in the trial for some people).

 

[gonewild]

Given some of the apprehesion concerning deficiencies, imbalances, and starvation, I don't think it would hurt to observe normal growth either (as early as it is in the trial for some people).

Yeah, That is what I was getting at. Is what Ray saw normal in his opinion or more than expected. Like maybe those plants have been slow to put on growth and now he sees more? Or in "in his opinion" is the new growth something that he probably would have seen with his old formula.

 

[Rick]

Yeah, That is what I was getting at. Is what Ray saw normal in his opinion or more than expected. Like maybe those plants have been slow to put on growth and now he sees more? Or in "in his opinion" is the new growth something that he probably would have seen with his old formula.

I understand. How things are stated can make a big difference.

For instance if the plants was considered "stalled" or "stunted" then new growth of any kind seems like an improvement. If it's the normal time for seeing new growth starts we're just at "status-quot".

At status-quot we are seeing lack of negative effects. With unexpected new growth we are seeing a positive effect.

 

[gonewild]

I understand. How things are stated can make a big difference.

For instance if the plants was considered "stalled" or "stunted" then new growth of any kind seems like an improvement. If it's the normal time for seeing new growth starts we're just at "status-quot".

At status-quot we are seeing lack of negative effects. With unexpected new growth we are seeing a positive effect.

Yes that is what I meant. :clap:

 

[Ray]

Let me add this then: All of my plants have been getting the MSU RO formula at 125 ppm N for years. About 6 months ago I dropped it to about 75 ppm N, and everything seemed to carry on fine, even getting some new exposed roots on some vandaceous plants that had formerly not been growing them for a while.

The plants then went about 6 weeks with plain water only, due to a dosing pump failure.

Nothing "stalled" in that time period, but a few plants that had not been growing previously - a Phal. gigantea hybrid, B. nodosa, and a propetalum all started to grow within 2 weeks of me starting the K-Lite application. Additionally - I shared this with Rick, but forgot - a Max variabilis that formerly was very shy with its flowering, has more than twice the number of blossoms than it has ever had, and it was diminished in size by division last year.

Are any of these as a result of K-Lite? I don't know for sure. I think it's likely we'll be working in the "nothing negative to report" mode for a while, and will only see improvements in the long term, if at all.

 

[NYEric]

Incidentally, if anyone is interested in trying it out, I only have four, 2 lb jars left,

2 Pounds? I have to look at my other containers to compare because that might be a bit much for my use, thanks.

 

[gonewild]

Let me add this then: All of my plants have been getting the MSU RO formula at 125 ppm N for years. About 6 months ago I dropped it to about 75 ppm N, and everything seemed to carry on fine, even getting some new exposed roots on some vandaceous plants that had formerly not been growing them for a while.

The plants then went about 6 weeks with plain water only, due to a dosing pump failure.

Nothing "stalled" in that time period, but a few plants that had not been growing previously - a Phal. gigantea hybrid, B. nodosa, and a propetalum all started to grow within 2 weeks of me starting the K-Lite application. Additionally - I shared this with Rick, but forgot - a Max variabilis that formerly was very shy with its flowering, has more than twice the number of blossoms than it has ever had, and it was diminished in size by division last year.

Are any of these as a result of K-Lite? I don't know for sure. I think it's likely we'll be working in the "nothing negative to report" mode for a while, and will only see improvements in the long term, if at all.

When you add Ricks previous observations (claims ) to yours it definately leans towards positive results. It is not always necessary to wait a long time to make decisions about plant growth. Plants respond very quickly to favorable conditions. And after all we are all impatient and want immediate gratification. :drool:

 

[terryros]

I am one of the last few to purchase the two pounds. I may be a little unique in the trial in that I grow exclusively indoors, under LED lights, and using all sphagnum moss. I have always been an Orchids Limited Green Jungle fertilizer user at 100 ppm N in RO water. I also fairly carefully monitor the effluent of random pots after watering for EC and pH. I have a hard time saying no to an experiment so I am going to try and divide my collection between the K - lyte product and Green Jungle, at equivalent ppm N and compare the groups. My collection is not large at about 120 plants divided between Catts, Phrags, Paphs, and Phals (and soon a couple of Neofinetias) so I won't have the strength of numbers behind my results but I think I might be able to detect something.

 

[Stone]

When you add Ricks previous observations (claims ) to yours it definately leans towards positive results. It is not always necessary to wait a long time to make decisions about plant growth. Plants respond very quickly to favorable conditions. And after all we are all impatient and want immediate gratification. :drool:

Are you still feeding in winter Lance. Or is it always warm there?

 

[Rick]

I was playing with my data logger, and my average temp (average of day highs and night lows) for January was only about 64F (not getting below 58, but rarely over 70). Compared to summer when the monthly average hovers around 80 F. Day length is short and peak light levels also less than 1/2 of summer highs.

With all the lack of heat and light, the majority of my stuff is showing some type of growth. Some things are very busy. The Bulbos are very active right now. So I'm feeding every weekend that I'm home and its sunny (albeit at only 38-40 ppm N).

 

[gonewild]

Are you still feeding in winter Lance. Or is it always warm there?

I feed year round. We don't really have a "winter" here on the coast. It's pretty easy to maintain growing conditions year round. Unless your plants are forced into a state of dormancy by low temperature or light there is no reason to withhold nutrients.

But actually I am down to only a few plants now getting ready to go back to Peru for an extended time. So my growing conditions and comments are "virtual" at the moment. But it was almost like summer today and nature is all in growth now here.

 

[keithrs]

I also feed year round but I cut back alot... about 1/2. I grow outside, So my plants tend to grow slower in the winter. Also the arc of the sun tends to shade my growing area @ about 11 am in the winter.

 

[Ray]

This time of year, I typically run a nighttime minimum of around 62-64° in the greenhouse, with not much increase on gray days, but up to the mid-to-upper 70's on sunny days, although 1/18 had a spike to 87°.

I keep feeding year round at the same level, but the schedule is based primarily upon the sky clarity (i.e., more sun), unless it's been gray for too long to wait.

 

[gonewild]

I would say a good rule of thumb is when you have a 10 degree increase in daytime temperature over nighttime you should consider the plants to be in a growth situation. When the temperatures are lower it is a good idea to lower the nitrogen availability. Lowering the nitrogen discourages the plant from pushing fast growth during a short period of warm temperatures. You don't want tender growth to get started and then fail when the temperature drops down again. But lowering the nitrogen availability does not mean eliminating it completely.

 

[Rick]

This time of year, I typically run a nighttime minimum of around 62-64° in the greenhouse, with not much increase on gray days, but up to the mid-to-upper 70's on sunny days, although 1/18 had a spike to 87°.

I keep feeding year round at the same level, but the schedule is based primarily upon the sky clarity (i.e., more sun), unless it's been gray for too long to wait.

I run just a tadd cooler for the nightime min (58-60), but otherwise see the same winter conditions and feeding strategy.

 

[SlipperKing]

I typically don't change my feeding either but in the winter there is less application. I'm not sure that has any effect on the available nutrients seeing how the plants are wet with the same concentration of fertilzer as when watering. Here again, winter is pretty much over and by mid-March people are hitting the beach!
I do try to let the GH get down to the low 50's when there is a winter but this last season we got skipped. Another interesting note, my plants never seem to stop growing.

 

[Stone]

I think your water temps are very important if your feeding in winter too.