I have used beer for some time. Source of Vit B. Since I'm too cheap to buy Super Thrive and since I'm pretty well convinced it is a hype, I use beer once or twice a week instead. On really hot days I drink the beer. I have only recently started adding a little sugar to the mix.

On the beer, the results are pretty conclusive. The orchids looked great before I started using it and they still look great. Obviously a 'Great Sucess' as Borat would say.

Does it do any good, I have no idea, I don't think it does any harm as I have for a long time had the philosophy to give them anything I can get my hands on. The mix seems to be good. Beer is part of the mix.

Nick

I just posted a question regarding the beer formula under the thread Epsom Salts.

Basically, what I would be interested in knowing is if anyone has used the beer fertilizer with hydroton as potting medium. If so, what were the results? Did it cause residue or a problem with the hydroton?
Thanks!

Sande

hi, Sande, I have a few diff. orchids in hydroton - and beer causes no problems - as a matter of fact, i think they really like the beer.
sue

Sue, I was concerned about two things. One if it would leave a mess in/on the hydroton. Salts are already showing on it. Second, Whether the plants could utilize it because of no soil bacteria or enzymes to break ingredients down. How long have you been using it on your orchids in hydroton. Do you use the molasses in your beer mix?
Thanks!
Sande

I used to put beer in those green plastic things that florists put on rose stems. I'd put them on my vanda roots. I think they improved thier growth. There's always using beer to lure slugs and kill them but I know that's not what you're asking.

Is this straight, undiluted beer that you're using or is there a formula that you folks concoct? Just curious, any difference between beer types (ie do they have a taste for imported over domestic?) :-)

The cheapest rotgut I can find at the cheapest supermarket. The Heineke is reserved for me. I actually buy 'Natural' which does not taste bad and at $13.00 for 30 cans is the cheapest I come up with.

I don't figure it in my fertilizing routine mixing up the usual brew every second day. Twice a week I add a can of beer. If I make the effort to dissolve horse manure and hake 'Horsie Tea', I skip the beer. I don't use molasses but throw in a handful of sugar now and then.

The key to not overdoing this is to keep an eye on the root tips, as long as they are green and there are no black leaf tips on the likes of Maxillarias, Oncidiums or Encylias one is not over fertilizing. I make a point of watering with clean water every second day washing away any residue from the previous day's feast.

Now that it gets super hot here and I have to water twice a day, this routine is compressed into a daily dance of water with mix, then clean water the second time.

None of the above applies to potted plants, only bare root growers are treated like this.

Nick

Caromo,
We're talking about beer fertilizer formula that contains epsom salts, molasses, ammonia, and a few other things. Being a real beer dummy, I bought cheap lager. One bottle was used to make beer bread, which normally is quite good. The bread turned out bitter and ended up in the garbage. Wonder if the plants can taste the difference?? lol
Sande

hello, Sande, I haved used just beer and the concoction with the molasses, etc. i have not seen any residue. the beer i used came from my son's house: no idea what it was. I also have plants in lavarock; in mix of charcoal and rockwool; bark and charcoal; coconut husk and charcoal; and some other combinations. i have used beer and the concotion in every plant i have and I can see the brightness and growth spurts so i am sure that they must have been able to utilize the nutrients. i used the beer and concotion diluted with RO water. i don't used exact measurements - sort of 1 part beer/concoction to 7 parts water. 3 of my cymbidiums are still in flower and have spikes on a vanda and a few catts. I have been using the beer thing for 3 months. i have no more beer now so I am using seaweed extract which i also find give good results.
sue

Thanks Sande--
Just curious -- what are the proportions of ingredients?

Thank you for sharing your experiences, Sue. Interesting. Seems like you've tried the beer mix on many different materials. I use seaweed extract and have been fairly satisfied with it. The hoyas seem to like it just fine, but I've seen nothing extraordinary. I just bought Dyna Gro and it's too soon to see any results from that. One of the beer formulas calls for Dyna Gro. I would be interested in what your comparative thoughts are once you've used the seaweed extact for 3 months.

Sande

hello, Sande, i used dyna grow from last fall to about feb and i did not see much in the colouring of the leaves but i did get flowers on various orchids. i used seaweed last summer and liked the results. but the beer resulted in very nice green leaves and the flowers seem to last longer. what is the beer formula which calls for dyna grow?
thanks
sue

I forgot to mention I also use Seaweed Extract all the time as part of my basic formula. Not much but every time I fertilize. I have used it for years and think it is beneficial.

Nick

Sue,

The beer formula I have came from David Elliott on the hoya forum. His formula is:

12 oz beer
1 c epsom salts
1/2 c ammonia, plain
2 c water
1/2 c molasses or a little sulphur (I assume the molasses is sulphured)

Mix together

4 TBL bloom booster (dyna gro Bloom during spring; dyna gro Grow fall and winter)
250-500 mg Vit B12

Mix 2 TBL above mixture to 1 gal water

Nick, for those that don't know, seaweed extract guaranteed analysis is 0.10-0.10-1.5.It has to be loaded with all sorts of goodies that are beneficial to plants, not just N-K-P, as it's a natural absorbable food.

Sande

hello, Sande, thanks for the info - the molasses i used was organic blackstrap molasses without sulphur. is sulphur good for the plants? the amonia i used had lemon in it - the only kind i could find here. but it does not say how much lemon or if it is lemon extract.
sue

Sue,

The beer recipe specifically says to be certain to use plain ammonia, but if that's all you can find, you've done your best. If you have used it for a while with no problem, I wouldn't be too concerned. Sulphur is a secondary nutrient. In other words, it follows the primary ones which are nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium (N-P-K). According to an article I copied from the internet called Plant Nutrients http://www.ncagr.gov/cyber/kidswrld/plant/nutrient.htm.
Sulphur is essential for production of protein, promotoes activity and development of enzymes and vitamins, helps in chlorophyll formation, improves root growth and seed production, helps with vigorous plant groth and resistance to cold. Seems like I read somewhere sulphur needs enzymes in the soil to break it down, so it leaves one wondering how it does with subtrates other than soil, i.e. hydroculture.
I'm no expert and learning myself. Hope this helps.

Sande

I found some info on epsom salts while doing a net search and thought some one might find it interesting. Sue, I know you use epsom salts.

http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf62825998.tip.html

Sande

hello, Sande, thanks for passing that on to me.
sue

I recently went to s/h culture - had used Primeagra but didn't work for my situation (too much salt buildup) so went to hydro pellets.

After looking over a number of fertilizers I am staying with dyna grow - it has done quite well for me. But I will also be using the beer recipe - the one I will use has beer, ammonia, epsom salts and water. This recipe was recommended by a s/h grower who has used it for many years in her orchid growing (she got me started in s/h).