Sorry - this probably should have been posted as a follow-up relating to a specific Vanda I have asked about here. It is just beginning to recover from chronic lack of water and has been dormant for about 7 months with no new growth other than roots. I want to give it some "oomph". Others here suggested to my question and to others using fertilizer or some other product in the water or in spag. They were right about the sad lack of water, so now I am seeking "the next step". I water it not quite every day now. It gets a few minutes under the tap or in the shower. But I would like to use the "soak it in a bucket of water" method maybe once or twice a week (because it IS trying to recover from lack of water. It is super dry). The products I have in my arsenal are: Green Light Root Stimulator & Starter Solution Green Light Rooting Hormone Better-Gro Orchid Plus (20-14-13) Dynamite Plant Food (pellets - I use these in my potted stuff) 13-13-13 That really common orchid food that comes in a little blue pouch (blue crystals, can't remember the name, but it is SUPER common). Thanks for the forumula for the water ratio. Would you recommend I try 13-13-13 or other? Perhaps I should move this post?

CMT, Rooting hormone is not usually used on violets because you are not really after roots, you are after babies. The hormones will stimulate root growth and suppress plantlet growth. I used it at one time and was not very successful with it. Lots of roots; babies, not so much. Everything I have read of others using it says the same thing. We do need root formation but, as AV's root readily, this using RH is not necessary and may slow things down considerably. Let us know how our experiment turns out. Everyone's growing conditions and growing practices are different so you may be successful with it. Linda

Willow tea is well known for its rooting ability. It contains a hormone that promotes rooting, salicylic acid. It also contains high concentrations of Indolebutyric acid (IBA), the same stuff that is synthesized for commercial rooting powders. But it is in its best concentration at the growing tips and during the active growing season. The closer the plant gets to dormancy, the less potent its abilty to encourage rooting. The same chemcial (salicylic acid) can be found in aspirin (just the plain stuff, like Bayers) so crushing up a baby aspirin or two in water will achieve the same thing. Honey contains natural fungicidal properties and antiseptic qualities which is why it is believed to aid in root development. But it is best to use raw honey, not processed honey that has been pasturized. This process will remove most of its rooting benefits.

Janice, like many others I waited so long to try Rogaine. But I did try it on June 27th. Just a small amount in one spot to see if I had any reactions (the burning and itching) that some people had experienced. All I felt was just a SLIGHT burning. I gathered up my courage and used a full dropper for my evening dose and have been using Rogaine (the 5% extra strength MEN'S forumula) ever since that day. It's been about 14 weeks since I started it, and I *do* see a difference in my hair. Like you, I was scared to see more shedding than I had been going through before I began the treatment. Before using Rogaine I was shedding hair allll day long. I'm looking at my journal now.... hmmm.... okay in the middle of July (about 2-3 weeks after starting the Rogaine I reached a peak shedding incident when I counted 76 hairs that fell out onto the bathroom vanity after I had washed and just fluffed my hair very gently with my fingers. THAT was scary, but I decided to keep up the routine with the Rogaine. It took a lot of faith to do that, but then about a week later only 36 fell out after a shampoo. On Aug. 23 there were only SIXTEEN hairs that fell out. Now I have about that many shedding hairs, sometimes much less. I figured an AVERAGE is just that... some days I am going to have more and some days less, but I would say on average it is less than 16 a day, sometimes I see only 5 or 6 fall out! Wheeeeeeeee!!!! I am thrilled with what the Rogaine has done for me. I have little hairs, about an inch or two long over much of the crown of my head now. The other day I even got a compliment on my hair. Not only does it look thicker, it feels thicker, too. Just a couple more things... I had been under a very big amount of stress the last few years. I first noticed the hair loss after having surgery and having to wait for the biopsy results, negative, thank God, but the hair thinning sent me to the dermatologist, who diagnosed me as having telogen effluvium (TE). I waited and watched some regrowth, but then I had to deal with marital problems. Every time I made some progress, something seemed to set me back. I begain seeing a marriage counselor (by myself...husband refuses to go). Just talking to her reduced my stress levels enormously. i highly recommend this option to others who feel that stress is contributing to your hair loss. This has been long, but I hope it has given you some guidance in making your decision as to use Rogaine or not. I know that there were times that I was really frightened by the initial shedding, but I just kept using that great stuff twice a day. :-) take care... daisy