BBGONE
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Posts posted by BBGONE
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Diazinon and Chloryryfos almost identical in chemical structure (they are both thiaphosphiric acid esters).
the latter a little more active. http://bss.sfsu.edu/cdavidson/contaminant/sparling%20OP%20oxons%20and%20Rana%20boylii%20env%20pol%2007.pdf
But they are both safe to plants and are not accumulated in plants tissue,
because plants readyly metabolize them (although their metabolites can be present in plants). They are active only in soil and on surface of leaves (if sprayed on leaves),
and after 2 months they are almost totally disintegrated into nonactive compounds.
Chlorpyrifos is used also (like diazinon) against fleas on home animals:
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I would not like to repot those trichs.
This spring i discarded several 1 year old seedlings of T. Peruvianus v. aricapampa.
Although they were classic style, they are not for home with those evil spines.
Now i prefer to grow Scops and Lophs.
Seems scops have all the qualities of other trichs like pachanoi. the only drawback- their seeds are rare.
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More info on insects killers.
I wrote about diazinon - it is very effective, and sold in granules and sand forms (about 5% active compound in preparations).
It is sold under different brand names - so it is needed to see on the packet what is is active compound.
Another effective insecticide (which is not harmful to birds - if you care) is deltamethrin - pyretroid, which kills insects in 2 minutes.
It is sold locally (where i live) by the name Decis (Bayer Crop protection). I have found, that is very effective (I also used diazinon) to kill mealy bugs, and every other bug (everything that crawls), and is not harmful to plants growth.
Dont use insectcides those contain imidacloprid to water plants, it is phytotoxic (it is now used very often).
I used this on home plants, and a lot of leaves on plants died and dropped.
P.S.- one more advice, because all insecticides are sold under brand name, look for what is typed in small letters, which substance they contain.
Better look for solid forms (not liquid concentrates), they dont contain phytotoxic additives.
Some liquids can contain kerosine, and malodorants.
You can read also this article: http://www.bugsaway.com/diazinon.htm
Alternative insecticides to Diazinon Granules
Millions of pounds of Diazinon and Dursban Granules are used in the United States each year for the treatment of various grass insects including beetle grubs, fleas, ticks and ants. Diazinon Granules contain an organophosphate type of insecticide and as such are fairly toxic to non-target wildlife. Birds especially are very susceptible if they feed on freshly applied Diazinon or Dursban granules. In addition Diazinon has been found in ground water in various parts of the country.We recommend two very effective alternative granular formulations to Diazinon Granules. Both of these products are in the synthetic pyrethroid family of chemicals and as such are very safe to non-target wildlife, including birds. Below are descriptions for both of these products.- DeltaGard G (a.i. Deltamethrin): Deltagard is a granular insecticide which utilizes a unique, water soluble carrier. Its irregularly shaped granules dissolve completely (leaving no particles that might be picked up by birds and other non-target species!), delivering the maximum dose of DeltaGard to the target insects. Packaged in convenient 10 lb. bags which, at the treatment rate of just 2 lb. per thousand square feet, will treat 5000 square feet. This is considerably less than traditional granules, and means you carry a lot less bulk while still getting the job done properly. Normal residual is up to 4 weeks, depending on environmental conditions and targeted pests.
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Talstar (a.i. Bifinthrin) Talstar is a synthetic pyrethroid that is available in both granular and liquid concentrate forms. It is very safe towards non-target animals such as birds, reptiles and mammals. Talstar lasts much longer than organophosphate pesticides such as Dursban, Diazinon, Malathion and Acephate. We have had many reported cases of Talstar controlling molecrickets for up to two months, chinch bugs, ants and fire ants for three months! Only 1 or 2 applications are needed each year for mole crickets. No special site preparation is needed when treating for mole crickets with Talstar. Talstar is very effective in controlling ants, fleas, mole crickets, chinch bugs and other turf and ornamental pests.
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Find granules sold from soil insects (they contain diazinon, typed on packet in small letters).
Add them to the top of the soil, and ants are gone.
P.S.- diazinon is not systemic, very low toxicity to humans, not water soluble, has no effect on plants.
Can be also used to kill mealy bugs.
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Glad to know, that all is going OK.
Have found one more post about action of light on Lophs. growing by @Gunter http://www.shaman-australis.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=29726&hl=lophophora&fromsearch=1.
they show a red color but grow just fine,
in fact in some of the batches the more vigorous ones that are the largest and most well established show the most red color...
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Have found good post on lighting of lophs. seedlings by @Rev http://www.shaman-australis.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=10025.
IME lophs dont care about heat and sun expousre
i did the unthinkable and left my lophs in full sun afternoon exposure through a glass window in sealed humid containers from sowing till now
they did not die. they did not redden. they did not suburn
rather they are the best loph seeding i have ever grown , not one but half a dozeb tubs of diff sources
and the epithelanthas nex to them bleached, cooked and died
its a mystery
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It is better to have long t5 fluoros tubes.
There are a lot of aquarium lights setups on the market.
With long 16 mm tubes, the light spreads more evenly, and reflector is better used.
With CFLs a lot of light directed not down, but in every directions, and using them with reflector is less efficient.
But for simpler solution , CFL is OK.
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I would think that the person that is growing in vermiculite would have had a lot of failures along the way as he tried to perfect his technique.
No his friend gave him 3 lophs, he repotted them in vermiculite, put them under lights, fertilized them like normal plants.
he was not cactus lover, he just did it out of pure experiment.
he then tried to move them on passive hydroponics, they lived, but later he made adjustment for hydroponics.
He mixed vermiculite with gravel (50:50) and on the top added 2-3 cm of gravel.
Later he propagated them (from seeds).
He sowed seeds in vermiculite from the start.
He said that lophs never rotted. Out of the batch, maybe one or two lophs died, not more.
So it is overexaggerated, that lophs are rotprone and grow very slow.
Information from "divine cactus" supports this. They grow them in UK outdoors. http://www.divinecac...cultivation.php
If somebody wants to grow them more compact, it is better to grow them with more blue light in the spectrum.
It was noticed (Anne halonium tek) that grafts on PERES can be given any shape, with red they grow long, under blue they grow spherically.
If one wants more natural plants, then it is better to give soil time for drying before new watering.
Interestingly, could they reform their shape to more natural, if they are grown till mature in good growing conditions, and
then under normal drier conditions for cacties ???
P.S.- Sure, Pilz probably grows under lights only seedlings, then they go for natural light.
They have plenty of greenhouse's space.
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The grow lights produce more light in the wavelengths needed for plant growth, but tend to have a lower output per watt consume
but they emit light less visible to human's eye, output in wattage the same.
They realy cost a lot more (Double or triple the price of ordinary lamps)
For growing purposes they are equal to warm light fluoros (2700-3000K).
So, if you want chipper lights, better go with warm lights.
P.S. - why the cacties dont like purple lights.
I use them, and seems there are no difference between ordinary T5 HO lamps and special T5 HO lamps.
Just have bought them to try, and now dont see the reason.
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Not much bills for electricity.
Under 324 W fluoros setup (120 x 40 cm) they can put 30-40 grownup lophs (7-9 cm in diameter or 11 - 13 cm pot).
It is only 3 - 4 $ per one Loph a year.
But when they are smaller they can pack easily a hundred under the lamp's setup.
When they are seedlings they can have thousands of them under the lamp.
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Lophs. seedligs grow very little the first 3 months.
Seems they push all their energy to grow roots.
Then after 3 months old, they start to grow.
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Dont know how they are old but http://shop.kakteen-piltz.de/
sells them for 45 euro.
Seems they mass produce them in some way.
If they grow them without wintering, under lights and fertilizing them, they can grow them this big in 4 years.
Omitting wintering, means doubling their growth,
growing under artificial lights means - the light intensity is perfect for growth (not too much and and not too low),
so they grow constantly 365 days a year (not like in nature)
and they recieve nutrients (once in 2 weeks).
The results are better than grafting, because no need to graft them, then degraft, root them.
Grafting method takes 3 years to grow normal Lophs (1 year before graft, 1 year to grow as a graft, and 1 year to root them)
Simpler to grow them on their roots all year round, and in 3 years the results will be the same.
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I have found today, that when keeping them open allows to much water evaporation from the surface.
I germinated seeds on vermiculite moist with low concentration fertilizer in water.
So, now when water evaporates on surface , the fertilizer gets more concentrated on surface, and they grow slower.
I covered them today with lids, keeping holes for ventilation, and sprayed them with fresh water to move nutrients down the substrate.
Lids will prevent from excessive evaporation, and prevent nutrients concentration build up on the surface.
But when i keeped them with lids and no holes, it was too moist for them, and some of seedlings, began to display orange spots.
I discarded those seedling and removed lids, but then nutrients became to get concentrated.
So the best way is to keep them with lids , and leave holes for ventilation.
P.S.- interesting that when covered with red plastic lids they grow better.
I have 4 seedlings in different tray, covered with red lid (lid from CD box), they germinated later, but grow better.
They grow not in vermiculite, but in citrus peat soil, which i have bought for my plants.
So i dunno, which one causes better growth, citrus soil or red lids.
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Mine are also under fluoros, 6 aquamedic Plant Grow T5 tubes in Aqua Medic aquarium Lights.
I uncovered mine when they became green and rounded, only 10 days after sprouting.
Lophs. grow roots faster than Pedros, and they feel nice without cover.
I keep mine in vermiculite covered with aquarium sharp white sand , and vermiculite keeps moisture very well,
sand also helps from drying of the substrate by reflecting light off the surface.
So I even don't need to spray them every day. I feel sand is moist, so underneath is also enougth moisture.
It is easy to determine distance, if they turn too brown on tops (a little is OK), it is a sign to put them father from the lamp.
You can read a report for growing Lophs under HPS lamp.
http://www.shaman-australis.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=31895
The author used 150 W at 50 CM distance (to start seeds)
After some time he moved them closer -- to 35 cm.
I think MH lamp puts off heat, as much as HPS lamp.
So distances can be taken as with HPS lamp.
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For example german Pilz kakteen sell old texana lophs for 45 euro.
it depends, if you grow them a lot for selling from the start of their growing, then the price be quite low.
if you grow them for yourself as a hobby, then no price is enougth to part with them.
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Alright,
I just found a 150w metal halide light & transformer in my shed, I now have some questions about how far to place the light? Should I still keep them in there humidity box covered with the shade cloth that only lets 50% light through?
Thanks for the help so far, any other good advise( cement WTF ) would be great.
Cheers jox
No need for shade under lamps. Place them 30- 35 cm from the source of happiness lamp (the distance calculated for your lamp).
No need for humidity, just spray water every day, so soil is moist (for spraying better distilled water).
P.S. - no need to warm them from the bottom, there is enough warmth from the lamp.
And don't add cement or anything alkaline to the soil.
the best soil PH is 5,5- 6.0, for calcium - it is enough in tap water.
If there's a need for more calcium, use calcium nitrate as additive to fertilizer.
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Impressive pics BBGONE, however the color balance in the first four pics seems to indicate some other type of lighting other than fluorescent is being used. Do you know what that lighting would be?
Sodium high pressure lamp 250 W, 35 cm distance.
But, i'm using fluoros. Seems they grow the same under yellow, orange and red and a little blue.
I'm using 13 cm distance from a set of 16 mm 54W tubes.
If closer, they grow slower and shrivel a little (creases on ribs).
P.S. - those, largest Lophs on the pictures, grown in passive hydroponic conditions.
the Author did it just for experiment, and the Lophs did not mind:)
But as the author says, there is no difference in growth rate, when one fertilize them in common ways.
They have tap roots, and this is builtin hydroponic setup.
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Results of growing Lophs. under lights and feeding them
with common fertilizer in ordinary doses for leafy plants.
After one year and a half, they are 50 - 55 mm in diameter.
P.S.-
These pictures were taken from one local (my country) forum member grow report.
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Thats good to know about Emerson effect (thank, usefull knowlage).
But, alas all simple flourecent tubes are triphosphoros.
And they emit not wide spectrum light, but very narrow bands.
To make white or warm white light tubes, they use three narrow bands (red, green, blue) -
when they are mixed in different proportions, tube producers manufacture different lights (warmer, cool white, etc).
Plant Grow fluoros have wider spectrum than common tubes, and less green with more blue and red.
So i expect them to produce better result than common tubes.
P.S.- now i use 115 cm tubes, 6 tubes with 54W each.
I use aquarium light set up "Aqua Medic Ocean Light".
Did not find here locally specialized (for growing plants) T5 tubes setup like in USA's stores - "Sun Blaze" or "New Wave".
What I have found about Plant Grow Fluoros: http://donklipstein.com/f-spec.html
The usual plant photosynthesis using chlorophyl works best from red light. There are two slightly distinct processes that both work best from red light. Both work well from red wavelengths from 610 to 675 nm, and one of them also efficiently utilizes wavelengths up to 695 nm. Most fluorescent lamps made for plant growth purposes usually produce most of their spectral output in the 630 to 670 nm range. These wavelengths are red, and not as visible as shorter red wavelengths in the 610 to 630 nm range typical of fluorescent lamps designed for maximum apparently visible red output. Therefore, plant-growing lamps are not as bright as lamps designed for general illumination purposes.
Since plant-growing lamps produce mainly the light blue light of the low pressure mercury vapor arc and deep red wavelengths, they usually have a light purple or purplish-pinkish color and are noticeably dimmer than white fluorescent lamps.
Although chlorophyl also utilizes blue light, it does not utilize blue light as well as red light. Other photosensitive chemicals such as carotene respond to deep blue and violet-blue light, and therefore some plants may need some blue light for proper health. However, plants will usually get enough of this from the violet-blue 435.8 nm mercury line from any fluorescent lamps that provide enough red light. Use of blue light by chlorophyl may be impaired in a few types of plants by colored substances in these plants that block blue light.
Plants will utilize orange and orange-yellow light, just not quite as effectively as red light. Fluorescent lamps rich in orange and orange-yellow output will generally work, but you may need enough lighting to be distractingly bright since human eyes are more sensitive to orange and yellow light than to the deep red wavelengths that plant lights are optimized to produce.
Please note that lowest-color-temperature ("warmest") tri-phosphor lamps (generally with rated color temperature at or near 3,000 Kelvin) produce lots of orangish red light around 611 nm, and will grow plants somewhat better than other white and near-white fluorescent lamps. These will grow plants almost as well as lights made for plants, but will look brighter.
Lights optimized for plant growth are low on green output, since plants reflect green light and cannot utilize green light well. One side effect is making red and blue objects look extra bright, and making green objects look an extra-deep darker shade of green. Part of the color-enhancing effect is from a relative lack of orange, yellow, and blue-green wavelengths that make green objects look slightly less green, with the presence of some nearly pure (only slightly yellowish) green light from the 546.1 nm mercury line. The shortage of orange and yellow light results in red objects looking vivid pure red. All this results in a general color-enhancing effect which is often considered a desirable side effect of plant-growing fluorescent lamps.
* "Aquarilux" "Aquarium Light" - This is a common model of fluorescent lamp nearly optimized for growing plants. The phosphor spectrum consists mainly of a 5-peak red band, with the major peaks near 624, 632, 648, and 660 nm. Within each of these two pairs, the longer wavelength peak is somewhat stronger. The 648-660 pair is substantially stronger than the 624-632 nm pair, but looks slightly dimmer due to the lower visibility of the longer wavelengths. There is a much weaker peak in the middle near 640 nm.
In addition to the strong 5-peak red band, there is a weak continuous spectrum.
And one more article about flourecent lamp Phosphors techs. and spectrum:
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Talking about Loph's flowering, there's no need to do something special.
They flower everywhere and always provided light and nutrients for them (it flowers now, and two weeks before, and already has fruit from previous flowering).
Especially, what i would like to mention , they dont like to much light and shrivel if to much light and loose their color.
I tried with flouros (110 W, four 6500 K T5 tubes), if i draw them to close to lights then growth stops (5- 7 cm from lights),
when i put them farther (13- 15 cm) they look well.
I tested with luxmeter , optimal is 30K lux.
Now i changed lights to Aqua Medic Grow Plant fluros (more pronounced red and blue spectrum). They are only 2 days under them.
So dunno will they be better or not than simple 6500 K Osram Fluoros.
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I have seen a lot of photos of loph's that have grown to 50mm in four years and flowering. I have also seen photos of loph's grafted onto pere flowering after 12 months
If a noob grafting hack like myself can get a loph to grow to 40mm plus push out a pup in six months from when the seeds were sown I can see plenty of reasons to graft loph's
Cheers
Got
I saw Lophs. grown on their roots under lamps and fertilizing them reach 50 mm in 18 months.
They flowered after 14 months.
See my post http://www.shaman-au...showtopic=31895
The author reports, that after 2 years they are fully mature.
He grows them all year round, without wintering, and they periodically flower and give fruits with the viable seeds.
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I've also got these others - A mate had them and gave them to me, he said: "They're LW, I got them off a mate" but they were in a bag that was labelled 'Pachanoi' - So i have no idea which they are, and neither does he. At what stage can you tell? They do look greener and different than all my pach seedlings (which are all pink too), and the pach seedlings seem to have spikier heads... Is it too early to identify them?
By there appearance they are not Lophs. More likely - pachanois.
P.S. - Dont know the reason to graft Lophs. They are mature and big on their own roots in two years, grown in the right
conditions.
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I'd be glad to have them but they are not mine.
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Some interesting info about Lophs. watering (in summer):
Unlike so many articles I have read that say water your plants once a year,
only if there is a full moon, only water with water that has run over a naked virgin etc
(I am left wondering how many of these plants the authors have actually grown)
Lophophora can take a lot of watering growing in this soil mix, rainwater is best but tap water is also fine.
Due to shortage of space, for the last 2 years we have grown the plants outside for the entire growing season (UK)
with last year (2005) being one of the wettest on record.
The plants were out with no protection from April until October with the soil wet almost every day of the season.
The result: healthy fat plants with a much better colouring than those grown in the glasshouses and with no pests.
The plants were fed with a 12.5-25-25 fertilizer, every two - three weeks - available from our store.
After these amazing results, I will continue growing them this way.[/code][/i]
from http://www.divinecac...cultivation.php
And this is excerpt from another growin experience: http://www.bcss.org....154293&start=20
The Lophophora obtained from seed grow relatively quickly on their roots.
If fertilizer is provided regularly, it grow fast.
Picture of his Lophs sowed in March 2010
made in November 2011 (he used fertilizer "flortis" once in every two waterings. Composition: NPK 4-6-8+B+Cu+Mn+Zn
He used half the recommended amount (he added 5 ml of fertilizer per liter of water).
This corresponds to 200 mg of Nitrogen per liter of water.
)
Loph red rot
in Cacti & Succulents
Posted
Some seedlings of my loph's batch had these spots.
Because i had a lot of seedlings i discarded damaged cacties.
One batch had a lot of them (that was from another vendor), and i discarded all the batch.
Seems it is fungi inside the seeds, they must be contaminated and seems it is systemic desease.
I tried difenoconazole spraying, it did not help (bu i did not wait long, just 2 days, and then discarded them).
Now i spray the seedlings from the start of their sprouting.
Wetting seeds before sowing with fungicide may be better prevention.