superthrive long term use?

The auxin/cytokinin cycling in plants is totally natural. When we "spike" it with externally applied auxins, whether that is synthetic ones, like those in SuperThrive or Dyna-Gro K-L-N, or natural ones like those in KelpMax, we accelerate those processes, typically for a period of two- to three weeks before they fall back to normal.

If you treat again outside of that window, and make sure the plant is getting the resources it needs to support that accelerated growth, there are apparently no negative side effects. Apply them too often, or at excessively high concentration, and we apparently interfere with other processes.

As an intentional experiment a while back, I supplemented with SuperThrive at every watering for a matter of months, and it resulted in grossly deformed blossoms in every phalaenopsis treated. That, fortunately, turned out to be reversible, as during the next blooming cycle after stopping that, the flowers were back to normal.

I have also heard that overdosing can lead to stunted growth, but I have no first-hand experience with that.

 

Superthrive tends to make paph growths branch or make more new growths, in my experience.

 

I think that must be true of all such products. I use KelpMax regularly, once a month, and I see paphs going from two-, to eight growths in a year, or in a couple of cases, four or five growths to 20 or more.

A "word to the wise" about synthetic products like SuperThrive or K-L-N - they have relatively short shelf lives, especially when allowed to get warm or exposed to light.

Dave Neal, owner of Dyna-Gro, once told me that a fresh batch, if kept cool and dark, will degrade in about a year. At room temperature, it's a matter of months, and if allowed to stay warm, weeks. The problem is that you really have no idea what thermal exposure the products may have had in transit, in a warehouse, or how long it has been on the vendor's shelf... A couple of years ago, they started adding an expiration date to their bottles of K-L-N, so at least you have some idea about its age.

When I resold K-L-N, I kept it in a "dorm fridge", but fortunately KelpMax, which I now carry, has a couple of natural preservatives in it, so is stable for several years, even at room temperature.

 

Side question regarding KelpMax: does it work well with RO water? Does one need to add anything?

 

KelpMax is a plant growth stimulant that works on all plants with all water supplies. While it does have some nutrient value, it's in very low ppm concentrations, so it should not be used as a fertilizer replacement, but as a supplement to it.