myxodex
Well-Known Member
I sometimes use a non-ionic wetting agent/detergent with my feed (Growth Tech). I add just enough to give a "short lived" foam to the final mix when I shake it up. I've noticed that with some pots the watering runs through the medium leaving areas unwet even if I flood the top with enough to wet the whole pot. Years ago I used a powdered feed that had some wetting agent incorporated that produced quite a persistant head of foam when shook up; this mix was less prone to leaving dry spots.
I'm reticent to increase the concentration of detergent in my mix even though I'm using quite a bit less than the recommended amount, perhaps I'm being over cautious ?
There isn't a huge amount published about the effect of wetting agents on plant growth, but the little there is shows that detergents can be detrimental above an upper limit, but beneficial when below this limit, and of course some plants are more sensitive than others. As none of the above was done with orchids, I'm wondering whether any of you have any experiences or thoughts on this.
One thing that does stick in my mind on this issue. Many years ago as an undergraduate in a plant pathology course we had to deliberately infect plants with fungal or bacterial pathogens. We always added some Tween-20 detergent to the inoculum as it significantly increases infection rates. Tween 20 (aka polysorbate 20) is one of the less toxic detergents, it is biodegradeable and inexpensive. I suspect that the wetting agent that I'm using from (Growth Tech) might actually be Tween 20 although I cannot be sure.
I'm reticent to increase the concentration of detergent in my mix even though I'm using quite a bit less than the recommended amount, perhaps I'm being over cautious ?
There isn't a huge amount published about the effect of wetting agents on plant growth, but the little there is shows that detergents can be detrimental above an upper limit, but beneficial when below this limit, and of course some plants are more sensitive than others. As none of the above was done with orchids, I'm wondering whether any of you have any experiences or thoughts on this.
One thing that does stick in my mind on this issue. Many years ago as an undergraduate in a plant pathology course we had to deliberately infect plants with fungal or bacterial pathogens. We always added some Tween-20 detergent to the inoculum as it significantly increases infection rates. Tween 20 (aka polysorbate 20) is one of the less toxic detergents, it is biodegradeable and inexpensive. I suspect that the wetting agent that I'm using from (Growth Tech) might actually be Tween 20 although I cannot be sure.