Pics of Kratom and Catha

[Jack]

Catha Edulis

Kratom

[ 27. November 2004, 11:58: Message edited by: Jack ]

[mr toodly]

I may as well use this as an opportunity to ask some questions regarding Kratom.

I live in a Mediterranean zone (Zone 10) that becomes very arid in the summer months. Would a humidity tent be necessary for the propagation of Kratom? Can any of you recommend a suitable soil mixture? How much light does the plant prefer? What kind of growth should I expect in the first year?

[gerbil]

Lookin' good Jack, love the narrow leaf qat, very healthy.

Is that humidity chamber the one people talk about from bunnings? Should look impressive once the little fella picks up pace.

[philistine]

Sorry, this is totally off topic.

Gerbil, those green house things are from bunnings, only about $20 too!

You can also get a much larger one for about $73 thats got a proper steel shelving frame type construction, I can't remember how big, but I think they're about head height and you can get one with a white tarp type covering (not see thru) and there's another one in the same sort of box that Im assuming has a clear plastic covering.

[Rev]

r. Jackson:

I live in a Mediterranean zone (Zone 10) that becomes very arid in the summer months. Would a humidity tent be necessary for the propagation of Kratom? Can any of you recommend a suitable soil mixture? How much light does the plant prefer? What kind of growth should I expect in the first year?

no its not needed

In perth hot dry climate i had better success than here in the subtropics

i would cut back all leaves on plants as cuttings by 1/2 to 2/3 a few days before cutting. i think this hardened them up. I would take cuttings in the hottest most horrible time of year take single node cuttings with a sharp scalpel blade (clean cut is critical)and insert into rockwool blocks sitting in a takeway container with a little bit of water

as the parent plant was also accustomed to lower humidity the leaves seemd harder and the cuttings were fine with no tent

strong roots erurpting from the sideds of the stem in 2 weeks in hot weather or using a heatmat

once the rockwool is grown through repot immediately to individual pots with clay and continue growing on till well established root system and stem are formed

They are then fed with a veg grow nutrient suited to leafy crops and kept warm

good thing is that inlke for weed growers kratom loves wet feet so not even an airstone is needed - though im sure it would help. so long as its warm kratoms sends out juicy white water roots

This made me thing that Pot growing teks like sea of green might be adapted using kratom as it strikes so easily from a motherplant

the tray above a few weeks later

I had mine later either in 50:50 expanded clay and perlite drain to waste wetup or in a premium potting mix cut with perlite to open it up

My kratom liked its head in the fire and feet in the water. under HID lights they boomed and when accustomed to full sterngth sun they loved it too

though hot dry winds frazzled some leaves.

plenty of sun is goo like with cacti but you must accustim them

sun is a must if you want a bushy leafy plant not a lank monster

deflasking to vermiculite under fluoro

and growth under HID at less than 6 months

then one planted after 12-14 months in the ground

I warn you though they dont tolerate and wet cold very well at all as the drop all leaves and decline in health.

Unlike most plants though i have had all trobles above the ground not below. it is quite rot resistant in the roots but on top everything from white flies to scale, insecticide damage,water stress, sunburn and fungus keep coming

Keeping the scale off helps a lot in maintaining vigour in plants. I know several people who dont worry about this much and their plants survive but theyll never look as healthy as mine did

I think in zone 10 and below articial lighting and heating over winter would be a must

perfect in hydroculture

I looked into all this cos id considered growing kratom like this using natural light in greenhouse hydro systems

that is before the scehduling and the entrance to the market of Asian herb.

Kratom is a great plant but any incentive to grow it as part of a living is well dead

[ 30. November 2004, 01:19: Message edited by: reville ]

[mr toodly]

Very impressive, reville.

I am interested in the plant you have set in the earth. Did you condition the soil in any way? My garden is full of heavy clay. It would obviously be advisable to condition it with sand and gypsum before transplating a mature tree, right? Or does Mitragyna tolerate a heavy soil?

Thanks, as always.