After learning that Rick is using a seaweed supplement, I socked away my concerns about the "snake oil" potential and started to look around. There are lots of "tidbits" of info in various threads here, but no "centralized resource" thread, so if nobody objects, i'd like to start one.
The general agreement is cold processing is preferred, to avoid breaking down the naturally-occurring auxins and cytokinins.
Interestingly enough, kelps harvested from the northern hemisphere seem to yield more cytokinins than auxins, while the reverse it true from some southern hemisphere genera. That raises the question "which do we want?".
I think the answer truly is "both", as - if I am to believe a Wikipedia post (iffy) - plant cells exposed to auxins or auxins and cytokinins combined displayed growth effects, but those exposed to cytokinins only did not. I read elsewhere that the cytokinins tend to be active primarily in the "body" of the plant, where they have a significant effect on the apical meristem, whereas auxins work throughout the structure, including roots, which would explain why the "rooting hormone" products on the market primarily contain auxins.
Based on those factors, I would tend to favor a seaweed product heavy in auxins, since they stimulate root growth and roots generate their own cytokinins as they do.
Thoughts?
The general agreement is cold processing is preferred, to avoid breaking down the naturally-occurring auxins and cytokinins.
Interestingly enough, kelps harvested from the northern hemisphere seem to yield more cytokinins than auxins, while the reverse it true from some southern hemisphere genera. That raises the question "which do we want?".
I think the answer truly is "both", as - if I am to believe a Wikipedia post (iffy) - plant cells exposed to auxins or auxins and cytokinins combined displayed growth effects, but those exposed to cytokinins only did not. I read elsewhere that the cytokinins tend to be active primarily in the "body" of the plant, where they have a significant effect on the apical meristem, whereas auxins work throughout the structure, including roots, which would explain why the "rooting hormone" products on the market primarily contain auxins.
Based on those factors, I would tend to favor a seaweed product heavy in auxins, since they stimulate root growth and roots generate their own cytokinins as they do.
Thoughts?