Date: Thu, 16 Oct 97 19:48 EDT From: dave evans <T442119@RUTADMIN.RUTGERS.EDU> To: cp@opus.hpl.hp.com Message-Id: <aabcdefg4012$foo@default> Subject: Re: Re: Easy, sure fire way to get Napenthes to pitcher!
> From: ccp108@JUNO.COM
>
> One tablespoon of Baking Soda, one tablespoon of corn, cooking
> oil in one gallon of water, to be sprayed on plant and put on roots, in
> moderate amounts.
Hi Randy,
I think we covered this one before... While the oil doesn't seem to
have any positive effect, the baking soda causes the peat in the soil to
decompose thus releasing nutrients. Now, what's different about this
than using fertilizer? As least if you're careful with the fertilizer
and mostly get it on the plants instead of the soil, you won't cause the
soil to rot. Your mix of baking soda and oil will. Randy, have you
ever tried this stuff on seedlings? If so, what species, please.
I've been thinking about Randy's mix and I guess it just speeds up
the peat's decay (It's rotting, just at a slow pace.) and the Na+ is in
too small an amount to damage the plants. I don't know about the oil.
However, this stikes me as poor soil management. Does it cause the soil
to become stale faster or would conditioning the soil with peat-tea be
the better option? Randy and Matt might say, "Just do it!" But I'm
more interested with conserving my soil and getting it to last for a
long time, especially for the Nepenthes.
On that note, can anyone recommend a Nepenthes soil that doesn't
have organic (peat) componets? I can't seem to think of such a mix
that would still hold enough water for the plants.
Dave Evans
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