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06-27-2007, 10:38 AM
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Member
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Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: Tepoztlan, Mexico
Age: 67
Posts: 75
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Use of alcohol in raising orchids
I read recently some comments about the use of alcohol in the mix that you water your orchids with. I want to ask if somebody have experience with this
Thanks and muchos saludos
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06-27-2007, 10:39 AM
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What is the purpose of adding alcohol? To combat pests???? Thanks.
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"We must not look at goblin men,
We must not buy their fruits:
Who knows upon what soil they fed
Their hungry thirsty roots?"
Goblin Market
by Christina Georgina Rossetti
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06-27-2007, 10:57 AM
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Location: Mid Michigan
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There was some furor maybe 10 years ago over using methanol in some fertilizer formulations. I think 'Jerry's Grow'? Working from memory here, and that ain't so good.
Methanol (and some other much more expensive alcohols) in small amounts does seem to promote plant growth. But it can promote plant growth to the point of weak, leggy plants. A fast growing plant is not necessarily a good growing plant, and the soft growth may be more prone to damage and rot. I think the use of methanol has largely fallen out of favor, or at least I haven't heard of anybody using it recently.
I do try to apply some ethanol internally when I'm repotting. Usually in the form of a good beer. But that is more for the grower than the plant.
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12-04-2008, 03:43 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by littlefrog
I do try to apply some ethanol internally when I'm repotting. Usually in the form of a good beer. But that is more for the grower than the plant.
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Hey Rob, would you like some help repotting this spring????
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06-27-2007, 04:32 PM
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I have heard lately of using beer in a home grown fertilizer mix. I can not remember where. Once my short term memory returns, I should be able to tell you.
All kidding aside, I do recall some such mention of beer as an ingredient of some homegrown mix.
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06-27-2007, 06:07 PM
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Charles,
I was told that Ray's website has a recipe for this beer fertalizer and I have been told it works quite well, and the plants I have seen fertilized with it are nice and healthy looking. Perhaps it was Ray's website you saw it on?
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Becca
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06-27-2007, 06:27 PM
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I thought I maybe saw it on here posted somewhere. I pretty much looked at every single post and thread on here when I first joined so I have no idea what forum it was on but I definately read it.
Sarah
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06-27-2007, 06:36 PM
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If I remember correctly, methanol does increase the permeaility of cell walls. Jerry's Grow was essentially Dyna-Gro with added methanol. (Frankly, I'm amazed that Jerry got a patent, as the technique was used in rooting hormone solutions for years.)
I have never tried the "beer fertilizer", so use it at your own risk!
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06-27-2007, 06:50 PM
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Here is the recipe I was told about for the beer fertalizer. I am not sure if this is the same one an acquaintance gave me that she said she found off of a link on Ray's website, I tried looking for it, but didn't have any luck, and as Ray said, he hasn't tried it before. When I run out of my Dyna-Gro I am going to give this recipe a try:
"1 can of beer (yes!)
1 cup Epsom salts
1/2 cup ammonia (clear)
2 cups water
use 1/2 oz in 1 gal. of water every two weeks."
The person who gave this recipe to me uses 1 Tbls to a gal. of water every week and in the winter dilutes the fert with 4 cups water instead of the two.
I'll submit a post when I start using it!
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Becca
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12-07-2008, 02:04 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Becca
Here is the recipe I was told about for the beer fertalizer. I am not sure if this is the same one an acquaintance gave me that she said she found off of a link on Ray's website, I tried looking for it, but didn't have any luck, and as Ray said, he hasn't tried it before. When I run out of my Dyna-Gro I am going to give this recipe a try:
"1 can of beer (yes!)
1 cup Epsom salts
1/2 cup ammonia (clear)
2 cups water
use 1/2 oz in 1 gal. of water every two weeks."
The person who gave this recipe to me uses 1 Tbls to a gal. of water every week and in the winter dilutes the fert with 4 cups water instead of the two.
I'll submit a post when I start using it!
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Hmmm ray???? This seems to be the exact concontion that I told you about maybe a year ago or so. Well I have been using it for over two years with no ill effects to my plants. My paph micranthum,venustum, my tol. variegata seems to love it to. plus my dendrobium cuthbertsonii seems to have no ill effect from this mixture. the only thing that I reccommend is that you use this mixture every other feeding. supplement with a good based orchid fert that has good results. along with flushing inbetween while fertlizeing your orchids due to the salt build up.
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