Superthrive
- Thread starter Blitz823
- Start date
diddystyles72
Well-Known Member
yes I love it I use it at all waterings with nutes. and when just adding plan water I stop using it at flowering cause I've been hearing it not good to use at that stage but yes superthrive is good stuff I grew my first crop using superthrive and all miracle gro products soil and ferts. grew fat nice nugs the second grow I went with a better soil and ferts. all foxfarm products but no superthrive I had twice the amount of plants as I did with the miracle gro but the first crop harvested just as much as the second did with more plants and it's the same strians so now it's round 3 foxfarm with superthrive and it's like a big difference everyday I see big growth give it a try I think you will like it it just takes a drop or two per gallon of water
diddystyles72
Well-Known Member
it is strong stuff read the bottle and I don't see why you can't add it to hydro but yes I had a little bottle of it I would add nomore than 1/4tsp per gallon and I had success alot of people on here talk about superthrive it's been around for a long time and for years I've read of people using it you can try it on one or two plants and see the difference it makes
SmokinTokinLokin
Active Member
i used superthrive and here are my results! let me no wat ya think
1 teaspoon per gal will do the trick! it did for me
1 teaspoon per gal will do the trick! it did for me
wesnile20
Well-Known Member
Lolim glad u did a thread on this cause I jacked a bottle from homedepot bout 5 months ago but never used it cause it looked pretty cheap. LOL now I will one thing when u crack open the bottle wow!!! This shit STINKS!! It's gets on ur hand smells terrible LOL. U said that's one drop every wattering right? Through the whole veg stage? N u didn't get any nutrient burns?
eza82
Well-Known Member
this is the same thing I post on all of these - NEW SUPERTHRIVE threads...they pop up every day or two..... but
IMO this is the same result I had.........
Originally Posted by tapla
From forums.Gardenweb.com
Not all are much enamored of Superthrive, and it DOES contain ingredients that WILL hurt your plants if overused. It contains synthetic auxin, the same growth regulator that was used in defoliants in Viet Nam. This question arises soo often, that I saved a synopsis of an experiment I've repeated 4 times, with some loose controls in place. You may, or may not find it interesting, but I am pretty settled with my conclusion(s).
Superthrive or Super-Jive
The question of the value of Superthrive as a miracle tonic for plants is often bandied about in horticultural circles. Several years ago, after reading claims that range from "I put it on and my plant, which had never bloomed, was in full bloom the next day" to "It was dead - I put Superthrive on it and the next day it was alive and beautiful, growing better than it ever had before", I decided to find out for myself. If you look for information on the net, you’ll find the manufacturer’s claims and anecdotal observations, totally lacking in anything that resembles anything like a control. Though my experiments were far from scientific, I tried to keep some loose controls in place so that I could make a fair judgment of its value, based my own observations. Here is what I did, what I found, and the conclusions I made about my use of Superthrive.
On four separate occasions, I took multiple cuttings from the same plant. The plant materials I used were: Ficus benjamina, (a tropical weeping fig) Luna apiculata (Peruvian myrtle), Chaenorrhinum minus (a dwarf snapdragon), and an unknown variety of Coleus. In each instance, I prepared cuttings from the same plant and inserted them in a very fast, sterile soil. Half of the cuttings were soaked in a Superthrive solution of approximately 1/2 tsp per gallon of water. The other half of the cuttings were watered in with water. In subsequent waterings, I would water the "Superthrive batch" of cuttings with a solution of 10 drops per gallon and the others with water. The same fertilizer regimen was followed on both groups of cuttings. In all four instances, the cuttings that I used Superthrive on rooted first. For this reason, it follows that they would naturally exhibit better development, though I could see no difference in vitality, once rooted. I can also say that a slightly higher percentage f cuttings rooted that were treated to the Superthrive treatment. I suspect that is directly related to the effects of the auxin in Superthrive hastening root initiation before potential vascular connections were destroyed by rot causing organisms.
In particular, something I looked for because of my affinity for compact branching in plants was branch (stem) extension. Though the cuttings treated with Superthrive rooted sooner, they exhibited the same amount of branch extension. In other words, internode length was approximately equal.
As a second part to each of my "experiments", I divided the group of cuttings that had not been treated with Superthrive into two groups. One of the groups remained on the water only program, while the other group was treated to a 10 drop per gallon solution of Superthrive. Again, the fertilizer regimen was the same for both groups. By summer’s end, I could detect no difference in bio-mass or vitality between the two groups of plants.
Since I replicated the above in four different trials, using four different plant materials, I’m confident in drawing some conclusions as they apply to me and my growing habits or abilities. First, based on my observations, I have concluded that Superthrive holds value for me as a rooting aid, or stimulant if you prefer. I regularly soak the soil, usually overnight, of my newly root-pruned and usually bare-rooted repots in a solution of 1/2 tsp Superthrive per gallon of water. Second, and also based on my observations, I don’t bother with its use at any time other than at repotting. No evidence was accumulated through the 4 trials to convince me that Superthrive was of any value as a "tonic" for plants with roots that were beyond the initiation or recovery stage.
The first ingredient listed as beneficial on the Superthrive label is vitamin B-1 (or thiamine). Growing plants are able to synthesize their own vitamin B-1 as do many of the fungi and bacteria having relationships with plant roots, so it's extremely doubtful that vitamin B-1 could be deficient in soils or that a growing plant could exhibit a vitamin B-1 deficiency.
Some will note that I used more of the product than suggested on the container. I wanted to see if any unwanted effects surfaced as well as trying to be sure there was ample opportunity for clear delineation between the groups. I suspect that if a more dilute solution was used, the difference between groups would have been less clear.
It might be worth noting that since the product contains the growth regulator (hormone) auxin, its overuse can cause defoliation, at least in dicots. The broad-leaf weed killer Weed-B-Gone and the infamous Agent Orange, a defoliant that saw widespread use in Viet Nam, are little more than synthetic auxin.
Al F.
Originally Posted by George Buehler
from www.louisvillebonsai.org
There has been a flurry of activity on the ABSForum regarding the use of SuperThrive. The original question that was posted was whether the stuff really worked and if other root stimulator products were just as good.
One response was that every time she transplanted a bonsai, she soaked the roots in a SuperThrive solution for 20 minutes prior to putting it in a pot. Of course she believes it is the best thing since sliced bread.
Another response was that plants do not need vitamins however manufacture their own vitamins. Therefore how could the SuperThrive help the tree? This respondent said that he switched to a material called Roots 2 and found that this material worked very well.
A number of respondents reported that they had used SuperThrive in the past but gave up using it. Their conclusion was that they didn't see any benefit.
It appears that SuperThrive consists of Thiamine (aka Vitamin B1) 0.09% and 1-napthyl acetic acid (0.048%). Thiamine was promoted as a root stimulant in a Botanical gazette in the 1930's. The research report could not be repeated by other researchers, and the original authors retracted their reports since they could not repeat the results either. The 1-naphtyl acetic acid is a synthetic auxin (a plant hormone). Whether it works or not is questionable.
Other respondents said they replaced the SuperThrive with other materials like MicroMax, Sequestrine or Roots 2, and they got better results.
The directions on SuperThrive say that it is to be used with fertilizers. Could perhaps the combination of SuperThrive and fertilizer cause it to work?
I know from personal contact that the Montreal bonsai arboretum did use SuperThrive but abandoned its use a number of years ago because they could not see any positive effects with its use. They replaced the SuperThrive with MicroMax after they did a short study on that.
Apparently this controversy has been going on for years. I know several of our members use it regularly, and at least one swears by it. I also know it is extremely difficult to substantiate whether a particular chemical or process works or doesn't work especially since we are limited by the number of specimens we have. Also all research (or at least all of the research I have read) has been done on plants/trees in a greenhouse or field environment, not the bonsai environment (rock soil, small pots, constant trimming, and repeated root pruning). Therefore, my questions to the membership:
Who uses it? Do you use it in combination with other chemicals? Have you tried eliminating it or substituting it for other materials? How many trees did you do your experiment on? Please let me know. I will report the results back in a future report.
__________________
IMO this is the same result I had.........
Originally Posted by tapla
From forums.Gardenweb.com
Not all are much enamored of Superthrive, and it DOES contain ingredients that WILL hurt your plants if overused. It contains synthetic auxin, the same growth regulator that was used in defoliants in Viet Nam. This question arises soo often, that I saved a synopsis of an experiment I've repeated 4 times, with some loose controls in place. You may, or may not find it interesting, but I am pretty settled with my conclusion(s).
Superthrive or Super-Jive
The question of the value of Superthrive as a miracle tonic for plants is often bandied about in horticultural circles. Several years ago, after reading claims that range from "I put it on and my plant, which had never bloomed, was in full bloom the next day" to "It was dead - I put Superthrive on it and the next day it was alive and beautiful, growing better than it ever had before", I decided to find out for myself. If you look for information on the net, you’ll find the manufacturer’s claims and anecdotal observations, totally lacking in anything that resembles anything like a control. Though my experiments were far from scientific, I tried to keep some loose controls in place so that I could make a fair judgment of its value, based my own observations. Here is what I did, what I found, and the conclusions I made about my use of Superthrive.
On four separate occasions, I took multiple cuttings from the same plant. The plant materials I used were: Ficus benjamina, (a tropical weeping fig) Luna apiculata (Peruvian myrtle), Chaenorrhinum minus (a dwarf snapdragon), and an unknown variety of Coleus. In each instance, I prepared cuttings from the same plant and inserted them in a very fast, sterile soil. Half of the cuttings were soaked in a Superthrive solution of approximately 1/2 tsp per gallon of water. The other half of the cuttings were watered in with water. In subsequent waterings, I would water the "Superthrive batch" of cuttings with a solution of 10 drops per gallon and the others with water. The same fertilizer regimen was followed on both groups of cuttings. In all four instances, the cuttings that I used Superthrive on rooted first. For this reason, it follows that they would naturally exhibit better development, though I could see no difference in vitality, once rooted. I can also say that a slightly higher percentage f cuttings rooted that were treated to the Superthrive treatment. I suspect that is directly related to the effects of the auxin in Superthrive hastening root initiation before potential vascular connections were destroyed by rot causing organisms.
In particular, something I looked for because of my affinity for compact branching in plants was branch (stem) extension. Though the cuttings treated with Superthrive rooted sooner, they exhibited the same amount of branch extension. In other words, internode length was approximately equal.
As a second part to each of my "experiments", I divided the group of cuttings that had not been treated with Superthrive into two groups. One of the groups remained on the water only program, while the other group was treated to a 10 drop per gallon solution of Superthrive. Again, the fertilizer regimen was the same for both groups. By summer’s end, I could detect no difference in bio-mass or vitality between the two groups of plants.
Since I replicated the above in four different trials, using four different plant materials, I’m confident in drawing some conclusions as they apply to me and my growing habits or abilities. First, based on my observations, I have concluded that Superthrive holds value for me as a rooting aid, or stimulant if you prefer. I regularly soak the soil, usually overnight, of my newly root-pruned and usually bare-rooted repots in a solution of 1/2 tsp Superthrive per gallon of water. Second, and also based on my observations, I don’t bother with its use at any time other than at repotting. No evidence was accumulated through the 4 trials to convince me that Superthrive was of any value as a "tonic" for plants with roots that were beyond the initiation or recovery stage.
The first ingredient listed as beneficial on the Superthrive label is vitamin B-1 (or thiamine). Growing plants are able to synthesize their own vitamin B-1 as do many of the fungi and bacteria having relationships with plant roots, so it's extremely doubtful that vitamin B-1 could be deficient in soils or that a growing plant could exhibit a vitamin B-1 deficiency.
Some will note that I used more of the product than suggested on the container. I wanted to see if any unwanted effects surfaced as well as trying to be sure there was ample opportunity for clear delineation between the groups. I suspect that if a more dilute solution was used, the difference between groups would have been less clear.
It might be worth noting that since the product contains the growth regulator (hormone) auxin, its overuse can cause defoliation, at least in dicots. The broad-leaf weed killer Weed-B-Gone and the infamous Agent Orange, a defoliant that saw widespread use in Viet Nam, are little more than synthetic auxin.
Al F.
Originally Posted by George Buehler
from www.louisvillebonsai.org
There has been a flurry of activity on the ABSForum regarding the use of SuperThrive. The original question that was posted was whether the stuff really worked and if other root stimulator products were just as good.
One response was that every time she transplanted a bonsai, she soaked the roots in a SuperThrive solution for 20 minutes prior to putting it in a pot. Of course she believes it is the best thing since sliced bread.
Another response was that plants do not need vitamins however manufacture their own vitamins. Therefore how could the SuperThrive help the tree? This respondent said that he switched to a material called Roots 2 and found that this material worked very well.
A number of respondents reported that they had used SuperThrive in the past but gave up using it. Their conclusion was that they didn't see any benefit.
It appears that SuperThrive consists of Thiamine (aka Vitamin B1) 0.09% and 1-napthyl acetic acid (0.048%). Thiamine was promoted as a root stimulant in a Botanical gazette in the 1930's. The research report could not be repeated by other researchers, and the original authors retracted their reports since they could not repeat the results either. The 1-naphtyl acetic acid is a synthetic auxin (a plant hormone). Whether it works or not is questionable.
Other respondents said they replaced the SuperThrive with other materials like MicroMax, Sequestrine or Roots 2, and they got better results.
The directions on SuperThrive say that it is to be used with fertilizers. Could perhaps the combination of SuperThrive and fertilizer cause it to work?
I know from personal contact that the Montreal bonsai arboretum did use SuperThrive but abandoned its use a number of years ago because they could not see any positive effects with its use. They replaced the SuperThrive with MicroMax after they did a short study on that.
Apparently this controversy has been going on for years. I know several of our members use it regularly, and at least one swears by it. I also know it is extremely difficult to substantiate whether a particular chemical or process works or doesn't work especially since we are limited by the number of specimens we have. Also all research (or at least all of the research I have read) has been done on plants/trees in a greenhouse or field environment, not the bonsai environment (rock soil, small pots, constant trimming, and repeated root pruning). Therefore, my questions to the membership:
Who uses it? Do you use it in combination with other chemicals? Have you tried eliminating it or substituting it for other materials? How many trees did you do your experiment on? Please let me know. I will report the results back in a future report.
__________________
diddystyles72
Well-Known Member
all I can say is using the same strain off two plants I harvested the same amount using superthrive with miracle gro soil and ferts. as I did using four plants no superthrive all foxfarm products. Now using foxfarm with superthrive this time they look must better then the last time without it so I think it works and like I said all from the same strain
ScottsBlown99
Well-Known Member
it's one ml per gallon, which is more than a drop or two
i'm using it in flowering w/my botanicare nutes & molasses, noticed nothing adverse, my plants are flourishing, tripling in size in the first 2 weeks
of flowering
i'm using it in flowering w/my botanicare nutes & molasses, noticed nothing adverse, my plants are flourishing, tripling in size in the first 2 weeks
of flowering
diddystyles72
Well-Known Member
I use a 1/4 tsp per gallon how long have you been using it I'm new to the game but I like the stuff
ganjaluvr
Well-Known Member
Well now, you're the first person I've seen so far around here.. that has said that they used ST during the flowering cycle. Or, do you mean that you fed the plant with a dose of ST.. a few days before you started flowering the plants???
I've heard your not suppose to use it during flowering.. as too much of this product can cause plants to go balls on ya. Turn male in other words.. and I heard that from a well respected grower from this site too. So, I think I'll just stick to using it once during veg.. and on sick plants only. I put too much work and love into my grows.. to just ruin them.
But, if you say it worked for ya.. well.. then good for you. But, until I see it for myself.. or see 100% proof positive that it works during flowering.. "doubling bud sizes" or whatever.. I'll just stick to my method of using it.
peace.