Date: 24 Jun 2018
SUNSHINE-SuperFood for your plants health
We are getting very high interest from our customers to our new plant booster SUNSHINE-SuperFood as well as many questions. We continue experimenting with the Jasmine that you saw in our previous newsletter, that had pale yellow leaves and numerous deficiencies. Right now, after only 2 applications, it looks healthy green again. Click on the picture to zoom in and see leaves turning from yellow to green within less than a month. See also full plant photo of this jasmine.
Q: Is SUNSHINE-SuperFood a fertilizer?
A: Traditionally we call a fertilizer macro-elements (NPK - nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium). Technically, SUNSHINE-SuperFood is a complex of micro-elements that are essential for plant's health. It provides such elements as Mg, Fe, Mn, Zn, Cu, B, Mo, S, and Amino-acids that our soils are usually poor of. These elements are responsible for proper development of leaves, roots, flowers, and overall plant vigor. Read more about role of these micro elements.
Q: Can I just get these additional elements in a dry form and add to soil like a fertilizer?
A: No. Some of these elements must present in extremely low concentrations (this is why they are called micro-). SUNSHINE-SuperFood is a liquid substance with very high bioavailability that has very complicated formula; it is not just a mix of the elements. The formula is developed with the maximum efficiency for a plant to absorb through leaves and a root system.
Q: Is it better to spray leaves or water the plant with the solution?
A: Foliar applications are always most efficient in regards of seeing a quick result. However, we recommend to also drench the root ball with SUNSHINE-SuperFood solution to deliver the necessary elements evenly to all parts of the plant through its natural metabolism.
Q: My gardenia looks very sad after winter - most leaves are yellow and some have pale spots. Should I use SUNSHINE-SuperFood more often and in higher concentrations?
A: We recommend to apply SUNSHINE-SuperFood once a month to maintain a general plant health. In difficult cases like with this jasmine on the photo, you can do twice a month. However do not exceed recommended concentration. The rule of thumb is, you can apply water soluble fertilizers and supplements more often, but with lower concentrations - this way a plant will be more responsive. Plant metabolism in general is rather slow, changes take days and weeks - don't try to speed it up. Your patience will be rewarded.
Try SUNSHINE SuperFood on sick looking plants, especially with leaves that are yellowing, deformed or have spots (see photos of different deficiencies). There are no miracles, but this one works like a Miracle! All you need is a few drops of SUNSHINE SuperFood - item 6000! We also have bottles 50 ml and 100 ml for large plant collections and yard/landscape applications. Read more about SUNSHINE SuperFood...
Date: 29 Oct 2020
Healthy Plants. Q&A from Mr Booster: How to get Ylang Ylang to flowering
Q: I am writing in reference to my Ylang ylang tree. I purchased this from top tropicals a few years ago and although the plant is doing well, I don't see any flowers yet. Can you tell me when it will flower? Do I need to do something special for it to flower?
A: Cananga odorata, Ylany Ylang tree, takes a few years until it
starts flowering, hopefully it will bloom for you any time soon.
However, keep in mind that it may be a bit challenging for a potted plant.
In natural conditions, this is a large tree that requires lots of room not
only for the tree itself, but also for the root system. It is still possible to
get Cananga odorata to bloom in container, considering the plant has all
necessary nutrients for flowering. Here is the trick.
When grown in the ground, root system can reach out to all necessary elements in surrounding soil (considering soils are not too poor on necessary elements). In a pot, a supply of nutrients can be exhausted very quickly, so a quality fertilizer program is very important. Fertilizer must include all necessary nutrients in easy accessible (soluble) form, and a plant must have their constant supply for proper development.
SOLUTION:
prescribe Ylang Ylang tree the following combination of plant food:
- SUNSHINE Pikake - Fragrant Flower Booster
It will provide well-balanced amounts of high absorption Phosphorus (P) and
Nitrogen (N), as well as Potassium (K) - to provide enough flowering energy
to the tree, plus a combination of all necessary micro-elements. It is safe
to apply this fertilizer as frequent as with every watering, including winter
time.
- SUNSHINE-Honey - sugar booster This supplement has a high content of elements Mo and B - once the tree starts getting them on regular basis (a few times a year, according to the label), it will trigger flower production.
You may also consider getting dwarf varieties of Ylang Ylang that starts
flowering in container right away:
Cananga fruticosa - Dwarf Ylang-Ylang
Currently these high demand plants are sold out, but new plants are
establishing and will be ready for sale within couple months. You may add your email
to wishlist ("Notify me when available") to get notification as soon as we
have it back in stock.
Ylang Ylang vines also start flowering within a year.
Date: 19 Jan 2021
Healthy Plants: Q&A from Mr Booster
Fertilizing in Winter
Q: I have many tropical plants in my garden, both in the ground and in pots. I realize it is wintertime and some of them, the Hydrangea, Hibiscuses, and roses are in bloom but the rest of them seem wilty and droopy. Is it alright to fertilize them now, or should I wait for a few days? I have an all purpose tropical fertilizer and a 20-20-20 also. Please advise what to do.
A: During wintertime, tropicals may suffer from low temperatures
and lack of sunshine which causes droopy leaves, and leaf loss.
Regardless of the cause and plant condition, you should NEVER apply
traditional dry fertilizers during cool months. When cold, dry fertilizers
(EDTA-chelated) may create nutrient lock up in soil and damage the roots. Dry
fertilizers (both granulated and water-soluble) can be used only during hot season -
when min temperatures stay above 65F for at least a week in a row, and
daytime temperatures are over 75-80F. During hot, active growth season plant
metabolism increases. This provides less chance for a chemical root burn, as the
nutrients are used up quickly.
However, liquid fertilizers, as long as they are amino-acid based, can
be used year round. From our own experience last winter, we discovered that
fertilizing sickly looking plants (with signs of cold damage and root issues)
with Sunshine Boosters actually revived those plants. Sunshine Boosters even
brought back to life some hopeless specimens. Take a look at this gardenia
that grows in our garden (picture above). See full article.
In your case, it would be beneficial to use a mild formula of liquid
boosters in combination with Sunshine Epi -a natural plant hormone that boost their growth and helps
to cope with cold-, temperature- and low-light-related stress.
These are the products we recommend:
- Sunshine Bombino - add to every watering
- Sunshine Epi - twice a month as foliage spray
Since you grow plants in pots, feeding program is especially essential,
because plants are limited with a container size where roots can't reach out to more food in the outer soil.
In professional nursery set up with injector irrigation systems, container plants are fed daily (depending on season, more than once a day) with every watering. This is why greenhouse plants are so healthy looking.
So feel free to give your plants Sunshine boosters with every watering,
dozing according to the label. During cold period, plants need less frequent
watering, so fertilizer input will be balanced accordingly, it will depend on
temperature and plant metabolism.
Sunshine Bombino - mild, "pampering" formula for young and tender plants, as well as plants recovering from stress and/or winter damage.
Date: 13 Jul 2023
Fertilizing during rainy season
Q: I have installed your Robuster unit to fertilize my fruit trees, but here in Florida, it is the rainy season and most of the time I do not need to irrigate during the summer. What do you recommend to keep up with fertilizing program?
For in the ground plants
If there are frequent rains, it's not necessary to use any fertilizers except for slowly soluble ones. During rainy periods, use a slow release fertilizer. Simply scatter 3 oz per 100 square ft. You can adjust the amount based on your specific area and number of plants.
Additionally, for foliar treatments, use Sunshine SuperFood microelement supplement and Sunshine Epi biostimulator.
When you water next time, regardless of whether it rained or not, resume
using liquid Sunshine Boosters.
For potted plants
When you water your potted plants, use liquid Sunshine Boosters. Every 1 or 2 weeks (we recommend weekly), apply Sunshine Garden Series (the same type you are using when watering) for foliar treatment. Use the same dosage as you would for watering. By following these recommendations, you can ensure that your plants receive the appropriate nutrients during the rainy season.
Date: 16 Dec 2021
Why should you use Sunshine Boosters?
by Ed Jones, the Booster guy
...You have heard it before, but I will tell you again. Sunshine Boosters are safe to use with every watering. It means that you can use Sunshine Boosters amino acid based fertilizers whenever you water your plants, even in the winter. Why is that so important?..
...We normally stop using dry, timed release, fertilizers around the first of November and not resume using them until the first part of March. This is true in many areas of the deep south where the ground stays above freezing year round...
However, it is safe to use Sunshine Boosters during these cooler months... Temperature does not play a role in the absorption of nutrients when using Sunshine Boosters...
To find out how it works, see Ed's new Article Why should you use Sunshine Boosters. If you want to learn even more in depth, check out his blog: Micronutrients Delivery Systems.
As of this writing, all Sunshine Boosters are on Holiday Sale. There are boosters for all different types of plants. Check them out and -
