My Favorite Plant Stuff
Share
Note: I do the majority of my plant shop growing in semi-hydro, but a lot of my personal plants are in soil mixes so we're going to be a bit all over the place here. Nearly all of the products listed would work well in either media (for example, I use net pots for all of my anthurium even when they're in a mix. I've found they really benefit from all that extra air flow to their roots.) Fertilizer dosages will differ depending, so please check the manufacture's instructions to ensure you're using the proper amount for your own personal needs.
GROW MEDIA
• Besgrow Premium New Zealand Sphagnum Moss
• Geolite Italian Clay LECA - I purchase mine locally, but the Amazon price actually isn't bad ($46.96 at the time of writing) especially with free next day delivery for Prime members. I prefer this type of LECA to the round Hydroton pebbles. The varying sizes fill in more easily which helps cut down on root rot.
• Lechuza Pon
• Fluval Stratum - You can also buy this on Amazon, or Wal-Mart, or at your local fish store, but PetCo's price is the best I've found. It's nearly always on sale for $15 for the 8lb bag (about half what it sells for on Amazon.)
• GrowIt Size 3 Perlite - Is it weird to have a favorite perlite? Because I do. It's this one. (I would strongly encourage you to check your local hydroponics store vs. buying on Amazon, it's typically much cheaper.)
FERTILIZER
• Dyna-Gro Foliage-Pro - NPK 9-3-6 - My all purpose everyday fertilizer. I have also used, and been happy with GT Foliage Focus, but Foliage Pro is just as effective (imho) and cheaper domestically.
• Clonex Clone Solution (CCS) - This is what I use for rehabbing after import and for my propagations.
• General Hydroponics RapidStart - I use a small bit of this with the Clonex.
• MSU Orchid Fertilizer - NPK 13-3-15 (+ 8 Cal - 2 Mag)
POTS & PLANTERS
• Clear Drip Trays
• rePotme 3 inch Orchid Pots - I do also use their larger sizes for some of my personal plants, but these small ones are perfect for props in Pon or Fluval.
• Hydro Crunch Net Pots - I use these in 3, 4, 5 and 6 inch for all the plants I have in LECA or for rehabbing imports in perlite.
• 4 inch Self Watering Planter - Great for use with Pon.
STAKES & POLES
• Grow Vertical Propstick Pro - I use these Grow Vertical poles in various sizes for a lot of my personal plants. They're probably my favorite of the "D" shaped moss poles.
• THICCLY Small GrowPole
• Coir Poles - Not every plant needs a high-maintenance moss pole. Coir poles work just as well for a lot of climbing plants. No muss, no fuss.
• Stem Supports & Stakes from Maddwoods - Love these for my larger Alocasia, they really help to keep everything nice and tidy and gives heavy stems some extra support.
• Bonsai Training Wire - What I use for my round Hoya / Fallopia trellises.
GROW LIGHTS
• Ring Grow Lights - Let me start by saying, I'm actually not wild about ring grow lights, in general. They tend not to be very powerful, so have to be kept VERY close to the plant to be effective. That said, I do use these for a couple plants I've got on a high shelf that gets a lot of light from the front, but not much on top, so the plants up there were going a bit bald on me.
I keep the ring light about 6" from the upper leaves and it's actually worked really well (better than expected) helping them to fill back in. My only complaint is that the timer has to be reset anytime there's a power outage, which happens CONSTANTLY where I live. If you're on a more reliable grid this would be less of an issue lol. Anyway, they're super cheap (at $8 a piece) and they do the job.
• Barrina Standing Grow Lights - Now with a taller stand so there's less wasted space at the bottom. Hallelujah.
• Barrina T8 Grow Light Strips (3ft) - I use these on the plant shelves in my grow tent. They're great. No complaints. (Which is high praise considering how much I apparently have to say about grow lights.)
• Barrina T8 Grow Light Strips (2ft) - The same, but shorter.
(I really like Barrina, incase you couldn't tell.)
PEST PREVENTION / TREATMENT
• Beneficial Insects - Little bug-friends that help control pests, pollinate plants, and improve soil quality.
• Peppermint Castile Soap - All the plants I buy in and all the plants I send out get a gentle wash down with peppermint Castile soap. Peppermint is a natural pest deterrent, and the Castile soap is gentle enough for even the most delicate leaves.
• AzaMax - An organic insecticide, miticide and nematicide. One of the biggest advantages to a botanical over synthetic is that it doesn't leave any harmful byproducts on plants, and is reasonably safe for humans and pets.
• Captain Jack's Insecticidal Super Soap - It's also organic and it works. Full stop. (Kills on contact, is not systemic)
MISCELLANEOUS
• Retractable Plant Pulley - Makes watering hanging planters about one million times easier. Seriously. Where had these been all my life?
• Humidity Meter - I use these everywhere. My house is littered with them. It's getting out of hand to be honest.
• PAR Meter
• Label Printer - For my plant tags.