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Follansbee, Wv

Has anyone tried using a rooting stimulator, specifically Indole-3-butyric acid, this late in the season to try to encourage new root growth? With the excessive cucumber beetle populations this year, I am certain there has been some root feeding by the larvae. I have treated with imidicloprid, and am considering using the stimulator to try to boost root growth. Any opinions?

8/5/2005 8:11:09 AM

Ontario, Canada.

Monty, Yes we have tried it here at the Cornerstone and Lanterra Patches this year. The plants appear to be very healthy and all are running ahead of the benchmarks...

Firstly it has been tried on plants only with younger vines that have actively growing young roots. Observations reveal, good success in the development of young unsuberized roots to promote additional Calcium absorption. Only time will time if this works to any degree?....

8/5/2005 3:27:17 PM

Follansbee, Wv

Thanks. I think I will give it a try this evening, since we have had a nice rain today. I plan on drenching the basal crown area as well as the vine areas I can easily reach. I am not sure how to judge the results though.

8/5/2005 3:39:08 PM

New Jersey

Hello Monty,

I used Dip'N'Grow on my Tomato plant earlier this year when the plant was ~3ft tall. .75 ounces to a 5 gallon drench... DipNGrow has 1% of indole-3-butyric acid in it, but also includes .5% of 1-Napthaleneacetic acid as well.
I believe this to have been a pretty hefty dose as supported by the plants reaction.

My experience was, within a few days of the application, the plant began wilting, which it continued to do so. It looked as if someone had cut it off at it's base and it was done for. I was able to pull the plant through this stressful time by spraying with water on all of the leaves several times a day and keeping the plant shaded for nearly the entire time. After about 2 weeks of life support the plant recovered and re-started vigorous growth.
I know have fruit on the plant which have grown pretty fast. I had no 'control' for my experiment, but after the season if I look at the root mass and it appears substantially greater I will perform a similar side by side comparison next year using clones.

Hope this helps you... Keep in mind I've only done it to this one plant, how it affects your plant may be totally different, after all mine could have potentially been affected by something else.?.?... But be prepared to potentially shock the socks off your plant.

Jason

8/6/2005 1:51:50 PM