Eulychnia castanea f. varispiralis brown and not growing

[Steve Johnson]

Thanks Steve
I’ll be sure to calculate the ppm then to double check in case it’s too high or low. Hopefully I will find this clematis feed soon

I'm 99% confident that it'll be perfect for you, but we need to make it 100%. You can buy Chempak products direct from the Thompson & Morgan website, and here's the link to the clematis food:

https://www.thompson-morgan.com/p/chemp ... /kww2556TM

Before you decide if this is really the right stuff, use the T&M contact page here:

https://www.thompson-morgan.com/contact-us

In case you need it, the clematis food product code is 14579. I don't necessarily have to see the fert's label, so just ask them about the following:

• Is P listed in their product description broken down as 14% P2O5 and 6.1% elemental P?

• Is the K listed in their description broken down as 32% K2O and 26.6% elemental K?

• Does the clematis food include Ca, Mg, and S? If so, what are their elemental percentages?

If the answers to questions 1 and 2 are "yes", go for it. The answer to question #3 will tell us if you'll need to supplement the clematis food. If you do, I can guide you from there with the recipes and instructions for everything.

Just a reminder...

For our non-US members, I usually do all of the recipe calculations diluting in grams per liter/milliliters per liter. If you give me the volume of your watering container in liters, I can make the calculations easier for you.

[Hero878]

Thanks Steve
I actually tried contacting them the other day and they said they didn't have an image of the label but that apparently it contains "micro nutrients". Either way I ordered it online so should have it in a few days. Will serve my vining plants well even if it doesn't work out for my cacti

[Steve Johnson]

Thanks Steve
I actually tried contacting them the other day and they said they didn't have an image of the label but that apparently it contains "micro nutrients". Either way I ordered it online so should have it in a few days. Will serve my vining plants well even if it doesn't work out for my cacti

Your cacti are definitely not out of the running yet, so when you receive the Chempak clematis food, post a photo of the label here. If it shows 6.1% elemental P and 26.6% elemental K, your cacti are in the running! I'd also like to see if the micronutrients are listed by percentage. I'll look forward to seeing that label, then we can proceed. If everything looks good, don't forget to let me know about the volume of your watering container in liters. From there I'll be able to calculate the correct dilution for you.

By the way, is the Chempak clematis food in liquid or powder form? If it's a powder, weighing it with a digital scale reading down to .01 g may give you a more precise amount for dilution in water. Not sure if you'd need that kind of precision, so it's something else we can figure out.

[Hero878]

Just received it today! So far the NPK ratio seems perfect. Good news is it also contains a breakdown of the micro nutrients but unfortunately there is no Ca, Mg or S.
Also it is dry so just needs dissolving in water. The guidelines and label are as follows. The measuring spoon it comes with says 5ml on it.

[Steve Johnson]

Very nice! I just downloaded the label onto my computer, so I'll go through it in more detail this weekend and determine the right amount of the 2 supplements you'll need -- calcium oxide and Epsom salt (for its Mg and S). Once I do the necessary calculations, I can give you the recipe and instructions for the clematis food plus supplements. Bear in mind that Chempak's instructions for diluting 2 level scoops of clematis food in 5 liters of water applies only to nonxeric plants like clematis. Too much for cacti and succulents, so going half-strength with 1 level scoop should be better. I'd still like to check the parts-per-million for N with that dilution just to make sure it's not above 90 ppm. While the 40-60 ppm range may be "ideal", you won't be overfeeding your cacti in the 60-90 ppm range. And because you have John Innes 2 in your mix, you won't need to fertilize every time you water (I do because I'm growing my cacti in a hydroponic pumice and granite gravel mix). I'l get back to you with all of the details over the weekend.

[Hero878]

Thanks Steve it is much appreciated!
By the way it seems to have Mg as Magnesium Oxide. You will see it on the label at the bottom.
Thanks again and I look forward to creating the perfect fertiliser for my plants

[Steve Johnson]

Thanks Steve it is much appreciated!
By the way it seems to have Mg as Magnesium Oxide. You will see it on the label at the bottom.
Thanks again and I look forward to creating the perfect fertiliser for my plants

Always a pleasure!

While you're waiting for my recipe, check this out on Amazon UK:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/CULTIVERS-Defi ... 253&sr=8-1

That's 8% CaO, so I'll need to find out the percentage of elemental Ca before I determine the correct dilution in 5 liters of water. From there I can also determine the correct dilution for the Epsom salt. As I said earlier, the Ca-Mg ratio should be about 4:1, so I'll take the Chempak's elemental Mg into account. I'm sure the amount of S in the Epsom salt will be quite sufficient.

[Steve Johnson]

Glad I checked...

Even at half-strength (1 level 5 ml teaspoon per 5 liters of water), the N for your cacti would be too high by a factor of 5. If you don't already have a set of measuring spoons, here's a good set you can buy on Amazon UK:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Measuring-Stai ... hdGY&psc=1

Comes with a leveler which is a nice little bonus. Anyway, 1/4 level tsp. (= 1.25 ml) of the Chempak clematis food per 5 liters of water will give you approximately 70 ppm N. I say "approximately" because measuring dry weights with measuring spoons is like comparing apples (volume) to oranges (mass). 1.25 ml is not equal to 1.25 grams, so the amount of clematis food going into 5 liters of your watering solution will be a little less than 1.25 grams. But not to worry -- the amount of N going into the roots of your cacti will be quite acceptable.

I'm eager to get things going for you, so I may have the supplement recipe ready tonight.

[Hero878]

Glad I checked...

Even at half-strength (1 level 5 ml teaspoon per 5 liters of water), the N for your cacti would be too high by a factor of 5. If you don't already have a set of measuring spoons, here's a good set you can buy on Amazon UK:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Measuring-Stai ... hdGY&psc=1

Comes with a leveler which is a nice little bonus. Anyway, 1/4 level tsp. (= 1.25 ml) of the Chempak clematis food per 5 liters of water will give you approximately 70 ppm N. I say "approximately" because measuring dry weights with measuring spoons is like comparing apples (volume) to oranges (mass). 1.25 ml is not equal to 1.25 grams, so the amount of clematis food going into 5 liters of your watering solution will be a little less than 1.25 grams. But not to worry -- the amount of N going into the roots of your cacti will be quite acceptable.

I'm eager to get things going for you, so I may have the supplement recipe ready tonight.

Interesting thanks. Looks like this pack will last a very long time as all I will need is about a 1/10 of the dose specified on the box.

[Steve Johnson]

Interesting thanks. Looks like this pack will last a very long time as all I will need is about a 1/10 of the dose specified on the box.

Yes indeed, a little bit goes a long way for cacti! Regarding the CULTIVERS CaO supplement I have in mind for you, I can't imagine there would be a problem with using it. However, I'd like to know for sure, so I PM'd our horticulturalist-in-residence MikeInOz and asked him to review the product. If his answer is " ", I have the dilution ready for you, and I'll include the proper dilution for Epsom salt.

[jerrytheplater]

Steve, did you read the label on that Cultivers calcium product? It says it is Calcium acetate and Calcium lignosulfonate. Both are fully soluble. The lignosulfonate will do some chelating of the calcium to keep it in solution. A very good thing.

Not sure how you are mixing up a Cal-Mag solution now, as in what chemicals. I forget. But, Epsom salt being Magnesium sulfate will react with Calcium acetate to form very slightly soluble Calcium sulfate, or gypsum. Now, in a diluted amount, you might get away with it.

[Steve Johnson]

Steve, did you read the label on that Cultivers calcium product? It says it is Calcium acetate and Calcium lignosulfonate. Both are fully soluble. The lignosulfonate will do some chelating of the calcium to keep it in solution. A very good thing.

Not sure how you are mixing up a Cal-Mag solution now, as in what chemicals. I forget. But, Epsom salt being Magnesium sulfate will react with Calcium acetate to form very slightly soluble Calcium sulfate, or gypsum. Now, in a diluted amount, you might get away with it.

Seriously, Jerry -- why I don't ask you about these matters too is beyond me. Need to be better about that...

I did see the label, and there are quite a few "derived from" aspects to fertilizers that are kind of a mystery to me because I don't know the chemistry involved. That being the case, you filled in a couple of important gaps, and from what you said, the Cultivers CaO supplement should be perfect for Hero878. The Chempak clematis food he'll be using indicates dilution in 5 liters of water per Chempak's instructions. My supplement calculations for a 5-liter watering solution diluted with clematis food are:

• Cultivers (or is it CULTIVERS? ) -- 8% CaO has 5.72% Ca, dilute 1/4 tsp. (=1.25 ml) Cultivers per liter. In 5 liters of watering solution, we can do a little bit of easy math -- 1 tsp. (= 5 ml) plus 1/4 tsp. Cultivers, giving us 71 ppm Ca.

• Epsom salt contains 9.8% Mg and 13% S -- dilute 1 gram per 5 liters of water, Mg = 20 ppm, S = 26 ppm. The Ca-Mg ratio is 3.55-1. Maybe not the 4-1 "ideal" ratio, but IMO close enough to keep cacti happy. Hero878, if you don't already have one, you can buy a 1 g/1 ml measuring spoon at Amazon UK here:
  
  https://www.amazon.co.uk/Plastic-Measur ... 421&sr=8-5

The amount of sulfur in your watering solution should be fine for your cacti. Or at least in theory -- Jerry, would you see a magnesium sulfate-calcium acetate reaction problem with the dilutions I just described? While you're at it, please let me know if you see any boo-boos in my math.

[Steve Johnson]

Okay, I just did a little investigation of the John Innes 2 going into Hero878's cactus mix. From Gardeners' World Magazine (https://www.gardenersworld.com/how-to/g ... s-compost/):

"John Innes No 2 contains moderate levels of fertilizer and is used for potting on plants at the next stage of growth, and most vegetables."

I see a couple of problems here -- we don't know exactly what's in the fertilizer, and we don't know how much fert is in the product. Could be fine for cacti, although I don't know why anyone would add even more fertilizer. My opinion for whatever it's worth -- I wouldn't let a potting soil "baked in" with fertilizer get anywhere near my cacti.

[jerrytheplater]

• Epsom salt contains 9.8% Mg and 13% S -- dilute 1 gram per 5 liters of water, Mg = 20 ppm, S = 26 ppm. The Ca-Mg ratio is 3.55-1. Maybe not the 4-1 "ideal" ratio, but IMO close enough to keep cacti happy.
  
  The amount of sulfur in your watering solution should be fine for your cacti. Or at least in theory -- Jerry, would you see a magnesium sulfate-calcium acetate reaction problem with the dilutions I just described? While you're at it, please let me know if you see any boo-boos in my math.

I am forgetting if you are making up two solutions or mixing it all into one. If two solutions, and watering separately, I would not be too concerned. If one, I'd have to mix it up in a clear glass container and look to see if I see any precipitate. But, you are dilute and I just checked the solubility of calcium sulfate dihydrate in water and found it is 2.6 grams per liter. (I don't have all of these numbers in memory-Google helps) That is great, since you are using much less than that when you make up your solutions. I would not worry.

[Steve Johnson]

• Epsom salt contains 9.8% Mg and 13% S -- dilute 1 gram per 5 liters of water, Mg = 20 ppm, S = 26 ppm. The Ca-Mg ratio is 3.55-1. Maybe not the 4-1 "ideal" ratio, but IMO close enough to keep cacti happy.
  
  The amount of sulfur in your watering solution should be fine for your cacti. Or at least in theory -- Jerry, would you see a magnesium sulfate-calcium acetate reaction problem with the dilutions I just described? While you're at it, please let me know if you see any boo-boos in my math.

I am forgetting if you are making up two solutions or mixing it all into one. If two solutions, and watering separately, I would not be too concerned. If one, I'd have to mix it up in a clear glass container and look to see if I see any precipitate. But, you are dilute and I just checked the solubility of calcium sulfate dihydrate in water and found it is 2.6 grams per liter. (I don't have all of these numbers in memory-Google helps) That is great, since you are using much less than that when you make up your solutions. I would not worry.

My recommendation for Hero878 is to place his Chempak clematis food, Cultivers, and Epsom salt right into 5 liters of watering solution. Compared to the extra step I have to go through with an ammonium sulfate-potassium sulfate stock solution supplementing my General Hydroponics ferts, what I have in mind will make things easier for him. However...

Please see my comments re. the John Innes No. 2 compost he's using -- given the fact that the product already has an unknown quantity of fertilizer in it, we'll consider this along with what he said earlier in the thread:

But at the moment it's just in John innes 2 and some cat litter. Feeding it miracle grow. Previously I had used cacti fertiliser like chempak etc

Now we'll look at the photo he posted to start the thread:

c2929682-b4af-46e9-8a88-eb4bd289a55b.jpg (146.77 KiB) Viewed 2457 times

To my eyes, that photo has "badly and persistently overfed" written all over it. If you concur, then adding fertilizer on top of the John Innes makes no sense, and doing so would only make matters worse for the plant along with any other cacti Hero878 is trying to grow.