Introduction and superthrive
Eric Kamakea (ekamakea@haywire.csuhayward.edu)
Wed, 8 May 1996 18:16:36 -0700 (PDT)
Time for me jump in.
I've been monitoring the news group a couple weeks also. My name is Eric
and thanks to my older brother started growing plants last year as a way
get to know him better. (he grows plants also) Anyway I initially
entered in half hearted but have since gone semi-ballistic but loving
every minute.
I enjoy the recent letters on Superthrive and thought I'd share some
of my experiences with it. Back in my wild days in Hawaii, certain marijuana
growers (no inferences whatsoever) utilized Superthrive for their
crops. That was my introduction to it.
Around a week ago somebody was talking about Superthrive on Sarracenia
Flava I think. I got excited because I had just decided to try a 10%
strength solution of Superthrive on some of my CP a couple weeks earlier. I got
mixed results.
The larger plants seemed to do well. My leucophylla in
particular, whose flower buds were growing about half an inch a day
responded best. Coloration went from green to a translucent red in both
the flower stalks and that pod type area from which all the growth
sprouted from. If Darlingtonia had any improvements I'm too much of a
novice to be able to tell. Baby Dionea originally turned this same
attractive translucent type of pink in their petioles and on the outer
edges of some leaves. These same areas later appeared to burn up which
suprised me since Superthrive is not supposed to be a "fertilizer." I
later lost those same leaves but not the Dionea plants. I experimented with
some other plants but they were in transition so I won't include them.
The leucophylla has since reverted back to its more greenish
markings while I plan another dilluted application at the one month
interval. I will not attempt anything with the smaller plants.
Another letter mentioned some algae type growth in various pots.
While observing a CP display made up of specimens from various veteran
CP growers I noticed this one SArracenia in particular with the most gorgeous
billowing clump of moss erupting from around its base. Further
inspection verified that it was obviously not the type of coarse thick
Sphagnum most growers have come to know and love. Rather it was more
fine, with a deep green velvety type of texture. If the Sarracenia was
bothered by the moss it didn't show it. Does anyone know of another
species of Sphagnum or some other compatible moss that could be
identified? I'm hoping that the small amount of green on the surface of my
pots will someday develop into this.
Good growing to all
Eric Kamakea