Re: Ping in the fairy

From: Carl Strohmenger (HSC) (cstrohme@com1.med.usf.edu)
Date: Wed Dec 10 1997 - 03:43:21 PST


Date: Wed, 10 Dec 1997 06:43:21 -0500 (EST)
From: "Carl Strohmenger (HSC)" <cstrohme@com1.med.usf.edu>
To: cp@opus.hpl.hp.com
Message-Id: <aabcdefg4682$foo@default>
Subject: Re: Ping in the fairy

On Wed, 10 Dec 1997 Leigh.Perkins@sset.com wrote:

> Carl
>
> I checked out and yes, fairy does contain amounts of phosphorus, what
> will be the long term effects of this dose - will it just eventually
> dissipate and return the growing pattern to normal?

There should be no significant long term effects. Phosphorus is metabolized
by the plant and when all the phosphorus has been used up, I would expect
the growth pattern to return to normal. However, in the interim, since
phosphorus is a major plant nutrient and is important in flowering among
other processes, you may see some more unusual things happen to your plant.
Perhaps multiple flowering out-of-season, spontaneous division of the
plant, root formation where the leaves touch the soil, etc.

>
> Is the dunking of pings in the washing up a practise that I should
> continue, or will it be detremental long term to the health of the
> plant??

It will be detrimental to the long term health of the plant. If Mother
Nature wanted pings to have a high phosphorus diet, She would have arranged
for pings to grow in a different environment. This is not natural and will
eventually have a bad effect on the plant.

> By the way, Baking soda and oil? - tried it on some plants this year!
> Killed the plants and sent the medium rotten, can't recommend it!
>

I cant recommend it either. Note that that comment was made by someone
else, not by me. Randy Palmer uses this concoction and recommends it, but
as far as I know, he is the ONLY one who has any success with it. I
recommend that we stay with houseflies, ants, hornets, and other insect
prey as the source of nutrients for our plants. You wont go wrong that way.

- Carl



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