alright bro you obviously got me all fucked up so im gonna break it down for you
first of all to clarify, when i say algae products or compounds, im not talking about the shitty green stuff that grows on your medium when you dont block it from the light properly. what i am talking about is organic compounds that are derived from items such as seaweed and kelp, and bio stimulants that are found in other beneficial algaes.. because remember, seaweed, kelp, etc. are all different forms of algae. these are organic compounds that have weak trace elements that are more easily absorbed by plants with developing roots, and have beneficial microbes that aide in the breakdown, and absorbtion of said materials. this is why they are good for clones and seedling because it is essentially a weak organic nute solution which will help push the plants along into development and reduce the stressing of rooting.
Can't comment on the results, but most of the explaination behind that is misconceived.. Organics provide exactly the same macro nutrient compound when they break down.. Things like ammonia, nitrates, phosphates, and all the other salts organic nazi's always say they wouldn't touch with a 10' pole..
exactly, thats why i was saying that having beneficial microbes in soil is important because they break down elements into a usable form of nutrient for the roots to absorb... its basically what a chemical nute company does when they chelate their products... they break it down into smaller more absorbable forms. the companies do it so the microbes dont have to
That being said, they also form other things not found in salt fertilizers, some, but not many of these things are directly usable by the plants, its mainly the soil microbes that thrive on them, and then they turn around and produce more ionic compounds for the plants.. (The only compounds that can be taken up through roots.. Water is polar, like dissolves like applies here..)
microbes in the soil do not directly feed anything to the roots. they break down the compounds into usable forms so that the roots can uptake the nutrients. the enzymes break down and dissolve dead used organic compounds.. if microbes fed the roots directly, you would see much more usage of them in hydroponics, as well as greater yields. again because chemical fertilizers are already broken down into usable forms, the microbes are not needed.
Your baby food analogy is kind of ass backwards.. Salts are more like babyfood than more complex organic stuff.. That being said, theres that adage 'less is more', no perhaps you've accidentally poisoned them with other products in the past if you've determined a need for 'baby-food'..
actually its not ass backwards, because if you break down what i was saying in my last post, the organic compounds ( seaweed, algaes, kelp) with beneficial microbes in root stimulants are used to help the roots grow with less stress that a highly concentrated chemical fertilizer would otherwise entail. that is why they are used, and that is why they work. i dont know if you follow my grows, but if you do you will see i know what im doing. i dont poison my plants and apply a band aid or feel a need for snake oil.. i have compared and contrasted different methods, and it is clear that a plant given a beneficial stimulant when rooting will grow better roots faster, and in turn grow bigger faster than without them. later in the growth cycle they will grow at the same speeds but it does provide an initial boost.. products like rhizotonic and roots excelerator are expensive for a reason. they work
My primary purpose for rooting gels is to seal up the cut, and avoid embolisms in the stem, although IBA can't hurt.. I really haven't ever noticed a giant difference in side by side tests with/without..
you are talking about rooting hormones, i am talking about rooting stimulants.. all rooting hormones do is trigger the plant to produce roots maybe a day sooner, and seal the cutting from oxygen exposure in the stem as you said
IMO, the best way to give them what they need to root, is to feed the mother a bit of high P fertilizer a day or so before taking cuts.. this puts the nutes roots need in the cutting itself, so it can cannibalize what it needs..
I really wish I could find an msds or the like on that product.. Given the price, one would hope there is something rare/beautiful in there, but think of how rich you could get if you can pull off the psychosomatic effect simply by putting a giant price tag on a common concoction..
i agree, but again, you are comparing apples, whilst i am comparing oranges
Going out on a limb, hormones and amino acids etc are obviously organic, and some of those are alot more effective than others.. A product that expensive really deserves a side-by-side done by somebody who typically gets uniform results each and every time..
right.. well a little background info on me, i have been growing personally for 4 years and been exposed to it over 8.. i dont claim to know everything but i learned from some of the best i have ever met.. granted the only time i have documented my grows is since i moved to california, and built this crazy vert setup.. but i can assure you that when i used to grow with my ebb and flow tables, i got consistant results each and every time, and had a lot more space to work with. i have tested various methods and products, and i know what works and i know what doesnt.
If you've got algae growth in your rooting medium that early that can be a problem.. A growing algae colony consumes far more nutrients than it would yield even if you had every beastie needed to break it down in there.. Before you have roots, the cuttings are at its mercy, and it isn't very merciful at all.. Its a competitor, not a friend in this game! If you can keep light off your rooting medium you won't regret it..
again, i dont have algae growth on my mediums, even though i wouldnt particularly mind it.. i have had it when i first started with no ill effects other than when it started to break down. the algae i speak of is algae products and derivitives..