Date: Fri, 28 Mar 1997 11:53:38 -0500 From: BREWER__CHARLES@ecomail.damneck.navy.mil To: cp@opus.hpl.hp.com Message-Id: <aabcdefg1171$foo@default> Subject: Re: helpful hints
Jay,
I have only used the vinegar and water method for 3 months with great
results. As you know, "we folks" on the East Coast have a lot of
difficulty with "slim algae" and every spring, summer, we are always
fighting this monster.
As for the ground up pine straw/needles. I feel this is a faster
method. You just sprinkle the pine straw power on the affected area
until you can't see anymore of the algae then forget about it. Sounds
kind of goofey doesn't it, but for some reason, it works. Sometimes
you may need to apply a second application of power pine straw for
really heavily affected areas, but it will eventually do the job and
the plants seen to enjoy the extra mulch as well. I have used this
method for three years now and swear by it. As far as the white
vinegar treatment goes, this treatment seems to take a little longer
with the same results. I really was looking for another solution that
just about everyone could use no matter where you were living. The
vinegar treatment usually takes a couple of weeks to work, but it does
the job just as well. The vinegar treatment also turns any living
sphagnum moss white, so be careful if you are using some nice "short
crop" sphagnum moss that you want to keep. I have not tried this
method on every plant I have. I would be careful and only use plants
that you can afford to lose. So far, I have not killed one of my
plants, but some sundews may be more sensitive to this treatment then
others
While as I have your attention, I have tip I would like to share with
the group. I start a lot of CPs from seeds(sarr's). I seem to over
seed my pots and I end up at the end of the year with a clump of brown
looking pitchers. I would carefully go in clip and remove every little
dead pitcher with the utmost care. Boy, was this hard on the old eyes
and time consuming also. I got tired of picking off these little traps
and now I take a long "fire place propane lighter" and torch the
seedlings. With in a couple of seconds, the job is finished. As I burn
the old pitchers, I rotate the pot keeping the plastic side from
getting to hot. Once finished, I spray the whole pot down with a
little water just to ensure that everything is out. I did this with
about 12 pots of seedlings and so far, all seedlings are growing like
a weed this year. As far as the other plants that were sprayed with
vinegar water, most of them are also growing like a weed and some are
even sending up flower spikes, now if only I could fine out where I
put them there orange condoms.
Hope this answers some of your questions. Always glad to help.
Charles Brewer
Virginia Beach, Va.
______________________________ Reply Separator _________________________________
Author: L235@aol.com at smtp
Ok, now we've moved from extra small condoms to CP douching
(equal gender offender) :).
But seriously, Charles, how effective is the vinegar and water
on slime algae compared with your previously discussed method
of chopping up pine needles? Still can't convince my wife to
lemme use her spice grinder (though I tell her it would taste
just like Rosemary) and I can't justify (yet) spending $20 on
a Braun pinestraw mincer.
If the vinegar solution is as or more effective, I'm gonna try that
this season, to keep the slime from gobbling up my low-growing
U.S. Droseras (brevifolia, capillaris).
Jay Lechtman (L235@aol.com)
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