KATE CARPENTER
KATIE MY LOVE
DAYLILY ALPHABET - K'S
KATHERINE HARRIS
KEITH GREER
KINDLY LIGHT
KINGS GOLD
KIRSTEN'S CORSAGE
Kisses Like Wine-----Gift plant from Blueridge spring 2011
KATHERINE CALDWELL---Kay Day---KINGDOM OF HEARTS---Kwanza Gold
Love KATHERINE CALDWELL!
Love ~ KATIE MY LOVE, KIRSTEN'S CORSAGE and KATHERINE CALDWELL!
Kate Carpenter ~ Kansas City Kicker ~
KINGS POINT,KNOCK YOUR SOCKS OFF, & KNAPALI COAST
Oh, KNOCK YOUR SOCKS OFF is sooo pretty!
I agree!!! Very nice!!!
yes, but my foliage never is. Even in the early season my foliage doesn't look good - not rust but SOMETHING. I don't know what to do to make it healthier. I noticed the foliage on plants from northern states always looks greener than mine. Maybe that is to make up for our longer growing season :)
Corgimom, have you ever tried Epsom salt?
no, I knew some people used it but I don't know the amount to use or how to apply . ( do you put it in water ?)
You can put it in water but, I just use a handful and mix it in with the soil before planting. You can also top dress or broadcast on your established plants. You can mix it with water and spray the foliage as some do
. A couple teaspoon in a 32 ounce spray bottle should do the trick. You can try it a little more concentrated if it seem too weak for you.
A soil test for available nutrients should be on the list also.
I never used Epsom salt until last year. My roses, daylilies and clems were very grateful and put on a great show. I plan on using it in the whole garden this year.
I can't use it any more. I was told by a master gardener who lives a few miles from me that our area is saturated with whatever element is in the epsom salts. Actually using more of it has hurt my plants. I had several not bloom for the last 2 years. It will take at least 3 years for it to dissapate out of the soil. I plan on just using milorganite and possibly alfalfa pellets if I can find out what the benefit in using the alfalfa will do for my plants. Anyone know???
Information provided by Michael
The following information comes from Van Wades 1996 hosta catalog about using alfalfa.
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Since 1996 I have been using alfalfa and can tell you that the results in growth, etc. is excellent. It is worth every penny. I spend about $6.00 for a 50 lb bag at the local feed and seed store.
"""" ALFALFA and TRIACONTANOL as a plant stimulant (from a lecture by D. L. Hinerman, MD)
For more than 50 years, alfalfa has been used as a plant stimulant. The responsible chemical for this action is triacontanol which is ubiquitous, occurring widely in nature as a waxy coating on many plants and as a major component of beeswax. Triacontanol has been called "the most potent growth hormone ever used on plants."
One of the best sources of triacontanol is the extraction from alfalfa hay (medicago sativa) in one of the following ways:
1. soak 5 tablets (500 to 600 mg of compressed alfalfa purchased from natural food stores) in one gallon of water for 24 hours. Agitate, drench plants with mixture as many as five times during the growing season.
2 Add 2-3 cupfuls of alfalfa meal (purchased from farm food stores, being careful that the meal has not been denatured by high heat) to one yard of soil or growing media.
3. use alfalfa meal or chopped alfalfa has as a light mulch or top dressing to soil around plants and apply water.
4. use potent solvents. The resultant solution is much too concentrated. Only a small trace can be used (0.01 cc); not recommended for average grower.
Beneficial results as as follows:
1. Early breaking of dormancy
2. Doubling of weight of plants in one year
3. Up to three years of growth in one growing season
4. Root system greatly increases
5. Possible stimulation of mycorrhize and reported inhibition of pathogenic organism
6. Doubling of number and size of flower buds, flowers and seeds
7. Much improved quality of growth with increased number, thickness and color of leaves.
I have used alfalfa and its active principle triacontanol on all plants that I have grown with excellent results. The above article was submitted to the Great Lakes Regional Editor for publication in the fall edition - 1993, page 9. This region is part of the AHS. Article submitted by Clarence Owens of Jackson, MI and is now being reprinted with his permission.
* * * * * *
We currently are using alfalfa meal (standard 17% animal food) in fifty pound bag on all our prennial plantings and have been doing so for over eight years. We feel that the use of alfalfa meal has played an important part in our plants growing to tremendous size. We also seem to be finding a tremendous number of sports. So you suppose - just maybe - this alfalfa meal may have something to do with that? """
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Put a couple handfulls in an old sock, put the sock in a 5 gallon bucket of water and let it make alfalfa tea for about 48 hours. Then use the water on your hosta beds.
Wow Lyle, that sounds pretty good. It sounds like it might give the much needed increase on some of my slow growers. That is the trouble with plants in my climate. They don't increase well. Thanks for the info!!!
I use alfalfa meal in my pots when i transplant new seedlings this is also a good source of heat for the seedlings in the early part of the season..
http://cubits.org/desertdaylily/thread/view/63007/
I printed that info Lyle for future reference. Mike
KIng Of Angels
Key West
