Re: [IBC] Superthrive. Snake oil or Miracle?

Marty Haber

Superthrive is probably the longest thread in this group. To my knowledge,
no controlled experiments have ever justified the blurb that comes with the
bottle. I'm among those who have used it and discarded it.
Marty
----- Original Message -----
From: "Andrew G" <notchevy327@HN.OZEMAIL.COM.AU>
To: <BONSAI@HOME.EASE.LSOFT.COM>
Sent: Wednesday, September 08, 2004 9:41 PM
Subject: [IBC] Superthrive. Snake oil or Miracle?


> Hi everyone
>
> Juest reading through some posts and saw a post on Superthrive (though it
> was deliberately spelt different I think).
> Is this stuff any good?
> I have a very small bottle I got from a rep at work a few year ago. I have
> tried it, but don't know if it made any difference.
> I have a friend into Hydroponic gardening who uses it all the time. He was
> sold by the readings on the bottle. I have only used it for transplanting,
> after root pruning.
> I'm nearly out of the stuff, know it's expensive, so wonder if it's worth
> the money.
> I am guessing not, but wondering if any of you have tested it and seen
> results.
> Cheers
> Andrew
> --
> Mid North Coast
> New South Wales
> Australia
>
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>

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Craig Cowing

Marty Haber wrote:

> Superthrive is probably the longest thread in this group. To my knowledge,
> no controlled experiments have ever justified the blurb that comes with the
> bottle. I'm among those who have used it and discarded it.
> Marty

I used it when I first got started in bonsai five years ago, but the price put me
off. I never did experiments to compare growth with and without it, but I'm simply
not willing to pay the price for something that makes such fabulous promises. My own
opinion is that a person is better off trying something like Michael Persiano's
Superfeeding program (in which, I realize, he has Superthrive as an ingredient,
although my suspicion is you could leave it out and see no difference) or your own
fertilizing program. In the end, it isn't just a magic bullet that is going to make
trees grow and develop well. It's intentional fertilization, pruning at the
appropriate times, the right amount of sun/shade, proper winter storage, etc.

Craig Cowing
NY
Zone 5b/6a Sunset 37

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Jim Lewis

On 9 Sep 2004 at 11:41, Andrew G wrote:

> Hi everyone
>
> Juest reading through some posts and saw a post on Superthrive (though it
> was deliberately spelt different I think).
> Is this stuff any good?

I and others say "NO!"

Others say "yes."

The science says, "probably not"

And, since the jury is definitely hung, your pocketbook (it is
absurdly expensive) also says it isn't worth it for the
"benefits," which at best are assumed.

The same probably goes for most of the other horticultural
tonics; many of the people who use and swear by them take good
care of their plants so they'd thrive anyway.

Jim Lewis - jklewis@nettally.com - Tallahassee, FL - Bonsaiests
are like genealogists: We know our roots!

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Iris Cohen

<< To my knowledge, no controlled experiments have ever justified the blurb
that comes with the
bottle. >>

One of the commercial growers in my orchid newsgroup did a controlled
experiment and found that it does work. Of course it is much too expensive in
small bottles. I buy it in pints or quarts, especially when I can get a
discount. Ignore the nonsense on the label. There is another similar product
called Roots2, which was tested by a university out West. However, Roots2 is
hard to find and stains everything it touches.
Iris,
Central NY, Zone 5a, Sunset Zone 40
"If we see light at the end of the tunnel, It's the light of the oncoming
train."
Robert Lowell (1917-1977)

Jim Lewis

On 9 Sep 2004 at 16:04, Iris Cohen wrote:

> << To my knowledge, no controlled experiments have ever justified the blurb
> that comes with the
> bottle. >>
>
> One of the commercial growers in my orchid newsgroup did a controlled
> experiment and found that it does work.

I would love to hear how he set it up, how long it lasted, how
many plants in the test and control groups, and the results vs
the control set of plants. Did he publish? Has anyone seen the
"controlled" experiment?

Jim Lewis - jklewis@nettally.com - Tallahassee, FL - Nature
encourages no looseness, pardons no errors. Ralph Waldo Emerson

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Carl Rosner

Iris and all::
Try and find the Roots2Granuales... I use it all the time... when repotting...

I believe one of our members Da Su Nurseries sells it on the Internet.

Best regards,

Carl L. Rosner

Iris Cohen <iriscohen@AOL.COM> wrote:
<< To my knowledge, no controlled experiments have ever justified the blurb
that comes with the
bottle. >>

One of the commercial growers in my orchid newsgroup did a controlled
experiment and found that it does work. Of course it is much too expensive in
small bottles. I buy it in pints or quarts, especially when I can get a
discount. Ignore the nonsense on the label. There is another similar product
called Roots2, which was tested by a university out West. However, Roots2 is
hard to find and stains everything it touches.
Iris,

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Steve wachs

Superthrive is not a miracle and it is not snake oil. It does have its
purpose. I used to help out at Jiu San Bonsai. Phil Tacktill used it on all his
transplants. It was used in a pump spray bottle and applied to the roots of all
plants being repotted. We used a concentration higher than the amount
indicated on the label. It does not have fertilizer, but seems to have a root
stimulant. There are few products out there that are similar. I don't know if they
have all the ingredient Superthrive has. (e. g) B1 startup, Do they work? I
think to some extent they work. it does smell like a vitamin I was given
when I was kid.


SteveW

LI NY

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