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N.hamata. how do you encourage quick growth?

Hi everyone,

photos of my N.hamata. Below are more photos.

nhamata1.jpg


nhamata2.jpg


It is quite small at the moment and I am wondering what actions could be taken to encourage it to grow faster and larger without recoil to the plant? I've grown it under the same conditions as most highlands and am a bit hesitant to use chemicals or fertilisers as it may burn the leaves and I just might stuff up and end up killing it! Which would be most dis-appointing.
Has anyone had much luck with superthrive and what are the effects on your plants? I've found it useful in circumstances when plants are sent bare root to help them overcome the stress period much quicker. And what concentration should be used?

Christian

nhamata3.jpg


nhamata4.jpg
 
i used superthrive, i think it works (although i dont have nothing to compare to)
when i starting foliar feeding my Ventrata with superthrive, it started vining
biggrin.gif

also, i think thats why my VFT seed are germinating quickly.
i took them 2 weeks to germinate, as i used 1 drop per 2 cups of water when i watered them for the first month.
now, i dont use it and it seems they grow a bit slower
but remeber, dont use to much of it...
it can change your plants sex and do all kinds of crazy stuff.
Just my experience...
Hellz
 
Hi Hellz,

Are you serious? Can you be more specific on what crazy results you have had? I mist it over my plants leaves and they turn a lucious green in a day and I've noticed they make the leaves and vines thicker as opposed to plants that I haven't used them on. Can it really change the plants' sex? Or your just having me on. Hehe.

Christian
 
im serious...
a orchid groiwng friend of mine has said this that he has had some freaky results with plants, resulting in changed sex, and other freaky things, due to the hormones and who knows what in super thrive
thats y its 1 drop per gallon for regular use,
or 1 drop per cup for a high concentration
im gonna try this when i get a chance with an extra nep
another friend of mine wants to see if it can change the sex a certain plant that yields a certain illegal substance from the female flowers(if u know what i mean...)
Hellz
 
i thought all orchids were both female and male.....no specific sex. besides "sex" is genetic its kinda hard to change genes once they are "hard-wired"

Rattler
 
no no no...
although he mainly grew orchids he tryed it on other plants
o ya, have u ever seen someone OD taking steroids before?!
if humans can do it, i think plants would have no prob...
 
i didnt realize super thrive had hormones. i thought it was just B vitimins and the like. i dont have any and never have so i havent read a lable besides humans taking steroids does nothing to change sex. it may produce changes that may look like the opposite sex but it does nothing geneticly.

Rattler
 
Humans can change sex with steroids?
confused.gif
??

smile.gif
 turns into  
smile_r_32.gif
 and visa versa???

 
smile_k_ani_32.gif
 
Yea, You didn't know Griffin?
smile_m_32.gif


ST does have hormones, not the gender hormones though
laugh.gif

More like growth hormones.

Joe
 
  • #10
Whoa, hang on a moment. Superthive isn't a powerful genetic hormone in comparison to something like Cinquefoil (not sure about the spelling). This is a chemical used to attempt mutating plants (such as marijuana) to avoid easy detection. This chemical can also change sexes on deiodecious plants (single sex plants) in extreme circumstances but it is also very toxic to humans. Superthrive is not the same. Also orchids are not single sex.

I do not bother with super thrive because it is NOT a fertilizer, it is hormones, a growth enhancer. To enhance growth there has to be the basic nutrients available to have growth to enhance. These nutrients are: Nitrogen (N), Phophorous (P), Potassium (K) and the minor elements as well.

The best kind of fertilizer to use if you think you want to use it, is to buy non-burning Urea Free orchid fertilizer. This is an immediately available form of nitrogen that can be absorbed as a foliar feed, or root soak compared to standard fertilizers which must sit in the soil until bacterial action breaks it down to a useable type of ammoniacal nitrogen.  I use a brand called Growmore (PM me for a website where you can buy it). I blend 1/4 teaspoon of bloom formula and 1/4 teaspoon of Tropical formula  in a gallon sprayer of distilled water. I mist small neps who can't be fed insects about once a month and my orchids and other plants once every week or two. Inbetween fertilizing I mist all plants every couple days with pure water so there is no buildup.

I will say that since you have pitchers, the absolute best way to grow your plant (one of my fave species by the way) is by feeding with insects. I feed all active pitchers every 1 to 2 weeks with appropriately sized insects and do I not fertilize the feedable plants because they will eventually quit pitchering if they are continually fertilized and not fed. Certain species are more finicky about that than others. N. rajah and N. hamata seemed to appreciate the light fertilizing when they were young but the N. ramispina quit pitchering for about 4 leaves until it had worked the fertilizer out of it's system. The natural (insect) way is always the best if you are after bigger and better pitchers! Too much fertilizer (or superthrive)will give you a big plant and tiny pitchers, or even no pitchers.
 
  • #11
[b said:
Quote[/b] (HellzDungeon @ June 15 2004,8:16)]im serious...
a orchid groiwng friend of mine has said this that he has had some freaky results with plants, resulting in changed sex, and other freaky things, due to the hormones and who knows what in super thrive
thats y its 1 drop per gallon for regular use,
or 1 drop per cup for a high concentration
im gonna try this when i get a chance with an extra nep
another friend of mine wants to see if it can change the sex a certain plant that yields a certain illegal substance from the female flowers(if u know what i mean...)
Hellz
Lol. sap on leaves not flowers. It`s just this certain fiberoous plant produces more of the toxin in the female plants. Tell your "friend" that growth of this plant is HIGHLY illegal even though I do know it makes a great plant to plant around your garden to keep away pests.
 
  • #12
[b said:
Quote[/b] (swords @ June 15 2004,10:51)]Whoa, hang on a moment. Superthive isn't a powerful genetic hormone in comparison to something like Cinquefoil (not sure about the spelling). This is a chemical used to attempt mutating plants (such as marijuana) to avoid easy detection. This chemical can also change sexes on deiodecious plants (single sex plants) in extreme circumstances but it is also very toxic to humans. Superthrive is not the same. Also orchids are not single sex.

I do not bother with super thrive because it is NOT a fertilizer, it is hormones, a growth enhancer. To enhance growth there has to be the basic nutrients available to have growth to enhance. These nutrients are: Nitrogen (N), Phophorous (P), Potassium (K) and the minor elements as well.

The best kind of fertilizer to use if you think you want to use it, is to buy non-burning Urea Free orchid fertilizer. This is an immediately available form of nitrogen that can be absorbed as a foliar feed, or root soak compared to standard fertilizers which must sit in the soil until bacterial action breaks it down to a useable type of ammoniacal nitrogen.  I use a brand called Growmore (PM me for a website where you can buy it). I blend 1/4 teaspoon of bloom formula and 1/4 teaspoon of Tropical formula  in a gallon sprayer of distilled water. I mist small neps who can't be fed insects about once a month and my orchids and other plants once every week or two. Inbetween fertilizing I mist all plants every couple days with pure water so there is no buildup.

I will say that since you have pitchers, the absolute best way to grow your plant (one of my fave species by the way) is by feeding with insects. I feed all active pitchers every 1 to 2 weeks with appropriately sized insects and do I not fertilize the feedable plants because they will eventually quit pitchering if they are continually fertilized and not fed. Certain species are more finicky about that than others. N. rajah and N. hamata seemed to appreciate the light fertilizing when they were young but the N. ramispina quit pitchering for about 4 leaves until it had worked the fertilizer out of it's system. The natural (insect) way is always the best if you are after bigger and better pitchers! Too much fertilizer (or superthrive)will give you a big plant and tiny pitchers, or even no pitchers.
Cinquefoil changes plants sex?! I have that growing all over any instructions on turning a male Nep into a female?
 
  • #13
darn...
thought u ppl would believe anyone
biggrin.gif

o well... the jig is up
smile_m_32.gif

looks like u guys have been studying
 
  • #15
I agree with Swords i have also had excellence results with Orchid fertilizer. I use orchid 30-1010 Peter at California Carnivores also using 30-1010 as well. Heliamphoras enjoy this power mix fertillzer too they will bloom much more often when receiving this product. Best luck to you.


Drew
 
  • #16
No, it's not the herb Cinquefoil (I knew I'd mis spell it). It's a chemical spelled similarily-I wish Trent were here, I think he and I discussed this some months back. If I had my dads old high times mags I coudl tell you.

The danger with that chemical is that it is dangerous to everything and everyone and I think there are probably regulations to control it's sale these days. I don't know that it will predictably change sex, possibly only in extremely rare cases and I believe the myth was that the seeds had to soak in the stuff-not mist it onto a plant.

Also, remember, as a gene mutating chemical, what you may end up with is something that doesn't resemble a Nepenthes anymore, that wouldn't be cool!

Go buy crickets, feed 'em to the plant and wait. This is the best all around advice! In proper conditions when your N. hamata gets about 6" in diameter it will begin to grow much faster and once it begins to vine (about 18-24 months from where your plant is now looking at the pics) you'll have a bush!
smile.gif
 
  • #17
The name of the magical genetic changer is Colchicine
It disrupts The aligning of chromosomes during Mitosis and causes polyploidy, or multiple chromosomal cells. polyploid plants are larger and grow more vigorously than other plants of its kind non polyploid (look at todays strawberries at the supermarket compared to homegrown ones)
im not kidding....
this stuff can also affect humans in thier reproductive organs
it's  very toxic as welll to us
heres an article from ICPS
Colchicine hazards
 
  • #18
Polyploid most notably causes thicker tissue which has the consequence that the plants, flowers, fruits etc become larger. They do not necessarily grow faster or more vigorously. Otherwise your correct about it's toxicity and dangerous nature. It does not however cause genetic mutation by altering the chromosomes themselves.. just changes the number in the cell. There are other ways to cause mutations within genes though.
Tony
 
  • #19
Hi all:

very interesting topic indeed. i Have attempted to induce polyploidy in ceph seeds and all i can tell you at this moment is that if the concentration increases from 0.04% of the agent to 0.05% of the agent, the seeds become non-viable.

Gus
 
  • #20
agustin, u experiement with colchicine? wow, that cool
Tony, you are right, but what if when the chromosomes are knocked ouut of alignment, if an X and Y chromosome switch, changing the sex of the subject?
i want to try this out
Hellz
 
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