I’ve been searching a bit. Plenty of articles about the benefits of amino acids to help trees fight stress, but I’m not finding many products in the US.
Anyone?
Use a good fish hydrolysate. Organic Gem, Neptune Harvest, PacificBio etc. That said, most bottled amino acid/enzyme products are geared towards MJ growers nobody knows what is in the bottle or will it make a difference.
Hmmmm. I’ve just heard amino acids can help a tree tolerate wet soils and other stress.
I did find this product.
Fish contain all 9 needed amino acids plus more, so I would use whatever’s cheaper.
Looks like Lumina uses shrimp. Why not just use whole proteins? (strings of amino acids). It’s eventually going to breakdown to amino acids.
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I have absolutely zero experience with fertilizer that is not granular from a big box store, thus the ask.
If you have any specific suggestions, I’d appreciate it.
Again, I live on a 75’ x 150’ lot, so I don’t need to spray acres of land all summer long. Just a battery powered 4 gallon backpack sprayer.
Thanks!
Fish is liquid. I don’t use fertilizer on the leaves , I don’t use a sprayer. I use time release granules that last from 90 to 140 days depending on the product. Also fish has nitrogen. Lumina has very little nitrogen which is what trees need most. It’s a supplement to fertilizer, not a balanced fertilizer itself.
From the manufacturer
“Lumina™ may improve nutrient availability, especially when added to tank mixes containing additional nutrients”
So you still need to feed them nitrogen and micro nutrients like calcium, sulfur etc.
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I can vouch for Impello’s inoculant I have used their version 1 with good results in vegetable crops. Not sure about Amino Acid product, should be a new product. For abiotic stress, consider using silica, kelp, GrowMore plant tonic.
Here is some information on amino acid tests on Organic Gem fish fertilizer. I have been using this product for three years with good results. In the past, I have used Alaska fish, pacific bio, and Neptune harvest. But I like organic gem because it smells the least and has slightly higher N.
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Kelp extract, GrowMore Tonic, and Bio-Ag Fulpower are true bio-stimulants. The latter two are quite powerful.
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Thanks a bunch.
I use DE instead of perlite in my soil mixes. It adds tons of silica that is available to plants. Studies on DE show more growth of roots and shorter node intervals. From the silica. It also benefits from the water retention. Since I grow tons of stuff in containers it gives me an extra day before needing water. Since I live at my cottage in the summer the extra time is appreciated. Silica is needed for cell wall growth. Most soils have an adequate amount. Although extra is shown to be beneficial. DE or
calcined clay particles are used in ball parks soil to prevent puddles in the infield. It absorbs and holds 120% of its weight in water. Disney uses DE in all of its gardens.
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Interesting idea to use DE as part of the soil, the silica in DE is it in form of plant absorbable molecule? last year I used potassium silicate soil drench (DynaGro Protekt) in some of annual veggies for the first time, noticed leaves were thicker almost leathery like and stems wood was rigid. Major benefit was no chewing insects at all, mainly on my peppers that used to attacked by aphids a lot. Way less bugs on my squash plants as well.
test with higher dose and more frequent application on a pepper plant, the wood got brittle that it started to break.
yes
From strawberry study (Diatomite = DE)
“Diatomite is mainly made of silicon dioxide and is highly absorbent thanks to a high porosity and a big surface area [27]. It was demonstrated in studies by Angin et al. [28] and by Aksakal et al. [27] that it enhances nutrient and moisture retention in light textured soils and prevents crust and large aggregate formation”
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/260133195_Effect_of_diatomite_on_growth_of_strawberry
… Diatomaceous earth is a sedimentary rock formed from the deposition of Si-rich unicellular life forms (diatoms) that is more easily solubilized than crystalline silica and hence is expected to release more plant available silicon [33]. Diatomaceous earth has been reported to increase the yield of rice [32,35] and guava [8] in India, Vicia faba plants in Egipt [1], and strawberry in Turkey [3]. …
So when you are done using DE to root figs throw that used DE in your potting soil. I always use fresh DE for rooting as algae grows on it especially if using clear cups. it doesn’t hurt anything. It’s nitrogen once it dies.
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wonder how they make granules out of powdered DE. I agree, it’s a good addition in any plant growth media.
Same way they do clay, calcined which it’s heated but not melted. I believe it’s a similar process with DE. Helps remove impurities too. Not positive on that though?
Many have done freezing tests and such, the particles last for years. Going through the winter won’t make it turn to powder so the water retention remains for years if not longer. Old potting soil goes in my raised beds. After doing this for a decade all the beds have DE throughout the soil from top to bottom.