![]() So are root stimulators necessary? Not under ordinary conditions. This article has more about making willow tea: It's made by cutting the newest branch growth, boiling the pieces in water and then watering plants with the cooled mixture. That's why you can cut a willow switch, stick it into the ground, and it will grow roots. Willows and other fast-growing trees such as poplars and silver maples are loaded with auxins. You can also make your own root stimulator from willow water. It's not that these products are ineffective, it's that their success can't be attributed to Vitamin B1 alone. Subsequent research has refuted these results, indicating that it wasn't the B1 that was initiating root growth, but the auxins also present in the solutions. Healthy soil will contain adequate amounts of it.) (Plants naturally make Vitamin B1, as do fungi and bacteria. Early research indicated that vitamin B1 stimulated root growth, helping plants better establish in new soil. Then there's Vitamin B1 (thiamine), touted as a miracle ingredient in some well known root stimulators, such as SuperThrive and Rootone. ![]() Some brands add mycorrhizae, "good" fungi that work symbiotically with plants to promote growth. Phosphorus also stimulates root growth, so any plant fertilizer containing it is a de facto root stimulator. Root stimulators may contain phosphorus, the "P" in NPK (nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium). Some brands of root stimulators contain natural auxins, while others are synthetic-based. Auxins are hormones that plants make to regulate cell growth and division. The active ingredients in root stimulators are auxins. They can contain macro- and micronutrients, trace elements, minerals, and beneficial microbes. They are most often sold in a liquid solution that is diluted with water and watered into the soil around the plant. Root stimulators can be made from seaweed, algae, humic acid, or plant extracts, or a combination of them. Plants that have been neglected or straggly annuals that could use a boost are good prospects, too. Maybe you've bought a plant at the end of the season that's struggling but can be saved with some TLC. Or when a plant has a long taproot – taprooted plants are notoriously difficult to transplant, and root stimulators seem to help. So when should you consider using one? When you've dug up a plant for transplanting and didn't get it back into the ground right away. Root stimulators are best used as a pick me up, not as a regular feed. Pretty much any plant type may benefit from root stimulators if conditions merit it, whether in the seedling stage, as a cutting or when a plant is in mature growth. They can be used on vegetable crops, woody plants, perennials and annuals. ![]() This fosters vigorous growth and improved overall health, including better pest and disease resistance.Īlso called root promoters, root stimulators are widely used by commercial growers to encourage fast, healthy and uniform root systems when growing cuttings. Longer roots and lots of them means a plant can more efficiently absorb water and nutrients. Like the name suggests, root stimulators promote faster root growth. It gives them a burst of energy to overcome stressful conditions such as transplant shock and help them quickly establish in a new spot. What is a root stimulator? Think of it like a cup of strong coffee or a can of Red Bull for your plants. ![]() GardenSMART :: Root Stimulators Root Stimulators
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