Tulasi Question

[jayagauranitai]

Hare Krishna

Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada.

I have a question about taking care of Tulasi. Can you use Miracle Gro on her? Someone I know does, but it doesn't seem right to me. Does anyone know anything about this?

[suchandra]

 

Hare Krishna

Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada.

I have a question about taking care of Tulasi. Can you use Miracle Gro on her? Someone I know does, but it doesn't seem right to me. Does anyone know anything about this?

According the manufacturer Miracle Gro contains potassium, phosphorus, boron, copper, iron, manganese, molybdenum and zinc. This looks like natural minerals but how they produce for example phosphorus? If they use animal waste (what they will never put open) like bones which contains a lot of phosporus it's surely offensive to use for Tulasi. Another disadvantage comes from the fact that these quick to dissolve nutrients are also quick to leave the soil and thus must be applied frequently, usually every 2 weeks. In fact the soil is disabled to store water anymore, water just runs through the soil very fast. If we consider that a Tulasi plant lives usually between 3-4 years...

http://markswright.brinkster.net/SDGOnline/articles.asp?art_id=40

 

...and you have to use that fertilizer regularly quite some extra costs. Again, high probability that slaughter house waste being used for the production of Miracle Gro is there.

 

http://www.permaculture.org.uk/mm.asp?mmfile=permacultureinbritain

 

...says, never use any chemical fertilizer.

 

From googling:

 

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</td></tr><tr><td align="right" valign="top">Q:

 

</td><td>when we take in the chemicals from miracle-gro are they good for us or can we become sick.

 

</td></tr><tr><td top="" align="right' valign="></td><td>rebecca ross (age 12)

Welesley

 

</td></tr><tr><td align="right" valign="top">A:

 

</td><td>I assume that you don't mean eating the fertilizer itself, but rather putting it in the ground and then eating plants that grow from that soil. Eating the fertilizer would be a very bad idea indeed. I've heard that in some areas where a lot of fertilizer is used nitrate contamination of the water supply can be a health problem. I've never heard of any health problem from eating plants grown with moderate use of ordinary fertilizers. The chemicals in the fertilizers (mostly nitrates and phosphates) are the same ones present in fertile soils anyway. Really you should check these hearsay answers with some serious soil scientist.

Mike W.

One common fertilizer component is ammonia, which is used in farms around here, where they grow lots of corn and soybeans. Ammonia is a natural byproduct of decaying plant and animal material, and is a natural fertilizer, but I wouldn't eat anything with ammonia in it if I could help it. Miracle-Gro may contain more gentle compounds, but I still wouldn't put it in my mouth. I happily eat the veggies grown with it, though!

Tom

 

</td></tr></tbody></table>

 

Test below says Miracle Gro didnt help the growth of Chrysanthemums

 

Substances in Miracle-Gro that

Increase Chrysanthemum Growth

Amy T. and April R.

Southern Wells High School

September 16, 2002

Abstract

The topic of this lab is the effect of Miracle-Gro on chrysanthemum plants. The purpose of it is to find the ingredients in Miracle-Gro that will enhance the size of chrysanthemums. The experiment will also test soil for nutrients. By testing the soil, potassium, nitrogen, phosphorus, and the pH of the soil will be evident. In the procedure the controlled flower is given only water, while the variable flower is given Miracle-Gro solution. The nutrients in soil will be determined. This lab will analyze, evaluate, and produce a greater understanding of how plants react to Miracle-Gro. At the conclusion of this experiment, the data will be analyzed and interpreted for its accuracy.

Introduction

What is in Miracle-Gro that makes plants develop? There are between 100 to 200 species of chrysanthemums that are cool weather perennials (Ellis, 1999). Chrysanthemums are hardy perennials, but are also widely grown as annuals (Ruggiero, Christopher, 2000). They come in a vast variety of colors, which include: yellow, cream, white, bronze, copper, orange, pink, lavender, and red (Taylor, 1963). There are no blue flowers, but the plants are bred pure and mixed (Rice, 1996). Chrysanthemums have globe-shaped heads and are seven to eight and a half centimeters in diameter (Taylor, 1963). They are 16.8 to 19.6 centimeters tall (personal communication, 2002). Some blossoms on these plants are single headed and some are double (Ball, 1990). Many of the leaves are toxic (Stephens, 1980).

Chrysanthemums bloom in July, August, September, and October (Cox, 1998). These plants are not trouble free. The flowers are susceptible to: leaf spots, wilt, mildew, rust, aphids, leaf-miners, mites, and thrips (Ruggiero, Christopher, 2000). Miracle-Gro contains potassium, phosphorus, boron, copper, iron manganese molybdenum, and zinc. Miracle-Gro feeds two ways through the roots and the leaves (personal communication, 2002). The hypothesis is that Miracle-Gro will help chrysanthemums develop rapidly.

Method

Apparatuses

2 Chrysanthemum plants

15 mL of All Purpose Plant Food Miracle-Gro

soil test kit

1 1.1 Kg bag of potting soil

2 small flowerpots with drain holes

275 mL of tap water

275 mL of tap water mixed with Miracle-Gro

graduated cylinder

shovel

paper towel

4 small to medium sized rocks

well-lit room

ruler

computer

paper

pen

masking tape

Procedure

1. Gather all materials that are need for lab use.

2. Label flowerpots “A” and “B”.

3. Place two rocks in each pot and fill halfway with potting soil.

4. Measure the length and width of the plants in cen-timeters. Count the flower heads, and record data on computer.

5. Gently place each plant into the middle of the partially filled pot.

6. Fill pot to the top with potting soil.

7. Press soil down gently in the flowerpot.

8. Follow directions on Miracle-Gro and add the proper amount to plant A.

9. Add 25 mL of Miracle-Gro solution to plant A and 25 mL of tap water to plant B.

10. Place plants in the well lit room.

11. In 24 hours add 25 mL of Miracle-Gro solution to plant A and 25 mL of tap water to plant B.

12. Measure the height and width of plants in centimeters. Count flower heads of each plant in

the experiment. Record data on the computer.

13. Leave undisturbed in sunlight for 24 hours.

14. Add 25 mL of Miracle-Gro solution to plant A and 25 mL of tap water to plant B.

15. Measure the height and width of plants in centimeters. Count flower heads of both plants in

this lab. Record data on the computer.

16. In 24 hours, add 25 mL of Miracle-Gro solution to plant A and 25 mL of tap water to plant B.

17. Leave undisturbed in sunlight for 78 hours. Record data on the computer.

Results

As a result, the plants shriveled up. The first two days showed progress in the plant growth, but the lack of water and temperature of the room caused a decline in plant development. On days five and six of the experiment, the plants were not watered. The flower buds of plant B began at 18 and reduced to 15 (see Figure 1). The flower buds of plant A started at a thriving 15, increased to 17, but had a gradual decline back to 15 (see Figure 2). The phosphorus test of plant A was low, while plant B was very low. The nitrogen was high in both plants. The potash was low in plant A and very low in plant B.

Discussion

What is in Miracle-Gro that makes plants develop? The hypothesis is Miracle-Gro will help chrysanthemums develop rapidly, and it was disproven. It was disproven because the chrysanthemum plants developed at the same rate. The two plants were not adequately watered. The 25 mL of water given daily was not enough to sustain life in these plants. On day two it was decided to start adding 75mL of water daily. Unforeseen problems were not watering the plants daily with enough water. The temperature of the room was not cool enough for the chrysanthemums to survive. Also, the nitrogen level of the soil was too high. Alterations of the lab may include testing the soil before planting, giving more water daily, and placing the plants in a cooler environment. Better planning would have helped the experiment run more smoothly. Ample results might have been found if more time to develop was allowed. Would the chrysanthemum plants survive longer in a more natural habitat?

Reference

Ball, Jeff and Liz. (1990). Rodale’s Flower Garden Problem Solver: Annuals, Perennials, Bulbs,

and Roses. MJF Books New York.

Cox, Jeff. (1998). Perennial All-Stars. Rodale Press Inc..

Ellis, Barbara. (1999). Taylor’s Guide: Annuals. Houghton Mifflin Company.

Hill, Lewis & Nancy. (1994). Successful Perennial Gardening: A Practical Guide. A Garden Way

Publishing Book.

Rice, Graham. (1996). The Complete Book of Perennials. Reader’s Digest.

Ruggiero, Michael & Christopher, Tom. (2000). Annuals With Style. The Tauton Press.

Stephens, H.A.. (1980). Poisonous Plants of the Central United States. The Regents Press of

Kansas.

Taylor, Norman. (1963). 1001 Questions Answered About Flowers. Vail-Ballou Press Inc..

 

 

[Airicky]

Miracle Gro contains a substance called Urea Phosphate.

 

Isn't Urea urine? The most common place for a company to obtain urine for their products is a slaughterhouse.

 

I was told by a temple Tulasi caretaker that he uses Miracle Gro. Is Urea Phosphate something different from a urine product?

[jayagauranitai]

I e-mailed Miracle Gro and asked them what ingredients are in their plant food and what their source is. I also asked them if any animal products are in the product. We'll see what response I get, if any.

Thank you for the replies concerning this.

[suchandra]

 

I e-mailed Miracle Gro and asked them what ingredients are in their plant food and what their source is. I also asked them if any animal products are in the product. We'll see what response I get, if any.

Thank you for the replies concerning this.

That's what I found in the tulasi handbook,

http://www.salagram.net/sstp-12.html

 

Feeding -- There is really no need for artificial feedings, in fact some foods (certain mixtures of 20-20-20) will actually build up toxin in Her soil and cause great damage. Stick with a little cow manure every 3 or 4 weeks, and once a month feeding of iron. This combined with the perpetual replanting in fresh soil are enough to keep Her in fine health. Try a powdered iron solution; ours is 1 tsp.--2 gallons water; 1/4 cup--1 every 2 weeks. Stay away from chemical fertilizers. They do build up toxins in the soil, and make it sterile of certain elements eventually. Use cow manure, and a good brand of organic compost is essential. The compost should be cultivated into the soil every few weeks, along with a little manure. Watch out for bone material in the compost though (some brands have ground-up animal bones).