Question
I am a long time commercial hydroponic vegetable grower here in florida. I've used Superthrive additive am still am not sure if there is any difference. I mix my own fertilizers into R/O water for my plants. Have you heard anything else on this? thank you.

Answer
The mystery potion sold as 'SuperThrive' gets a lot of press, but you'll find very little information in those paragraphs and endorsements.

Harold Garrett, the Texas 'Dirt Doctor', describes Superthrive as 'A liquid product made from vitamins and hormones. It is a good supplement for flowering plants. Use at 3 drops per gallon at each watering for best results. It can be mixed with other products.'

I don't like that description, frankly.  When someone is that secretive, about a plant product, they look sneaky to me.  I have to wonder if something's rotten in Denmark.  And I am disappointed in Mr Garrett's vague verbage.  C'mon - 'a liquid product'?  You mean, it's a liquid?  Nothing like meaningless information to discourage more questions.

But there's something even weirder about this description (if you can call it that) of Superthrive.  THEY (who, we don't know) insist this is NOT A FERTILIZER.  My hunch is that THEY have a reason to tell us what it's NOT.  Reason being, you have to register Fertilizers in some states.  In Indiana, for instance, a 'Fertilizer' is 'any substance containing Nitrogen, Phosphate, Potash, or any recognized plant nutrient that is used for its plant nutrient content and that is designed to have value in promoting plant growth.  The term includes unmanipulated animal and vegetable manures.'

There's also a term, 'Specialty Fertilizer', which is 'a fertilizer distributed for nonfarm use.'

In Indiana, 'Each brand and grade of commercial fertilizer shall be registered in the name of the person whose name apears on the label...'  The label, by law, must display the percentage of N, P2O5, and K2O.  Indiana also declares that 'it is the duty of the state chemist to sample, inspect, make analysis of, and test commercial fertilizers  distributed within Indiana.'  If someone makes and sells a Fertilizer that does not comply with these rules and other parts of the law, they note, 'The state chemist is authorized and empower3ed to cancel the registerration of any brand of commercial fertilizer..'  Proceedings are published and released each year for public review.  There is nothing anywhere indicating SuperThrive is registered in any state in compliance with the law.  Which explains why THEY are so quick to tell us this is not a Fertilizer.  And why Mr Garrett uses the words 'hormone' and 'vitamin' and 'supplement' in his description -- but never 'fertilizer'.

Sounds fishy to me.  How about you?

Not a single description posted anywhere provides any concrete information about what Superthrive might be.  I can't figure out what it's made of.  If I don't know what I'm putting on my plants, I'm inclined not to buy it.  'Trade Secrets' are a legitimate business strategy.  There's no 'patent pending' as the formula would have to be divulged as part of the application.

Some literature suggests Superthrive contains (among other things) Vitamin B.  We know the B Vitamins are good for people.  But plants?

One of my favorite horticultural iconoclasts, Dr Linda Chalker-Scott, rails against the medicine show at some garden products companies that push Vitamin B as a plant nutrient.  Her essay, 'The Myth of Vitamin Stimulants', explains how the history of horticulture came up with the idea that Vitamin B is good for plants.  'Many decades ago, the plant growth regulators called auxins were isoalted and characterized.  Auxins were found to stimulate cell elongation in both root and shoot tissues.  Commercial preparations were developed that contained auxin and vitamin B-1 among other ingredients.  Research in 1949 found improved root development in plants treated with one of these preparations ('Transplantone', which contains both auxin and thiamine), but noted the importance of auxins in this response.  Further research throughout the last half of the 20th century investigating the applications of auxins to root systems suggested that auxins may stimulate root growth, but that vitamin B-1 on its own does not.'  Dr Scott maintains that there are plenty of other legitimate chemicals that stimulate root growth and minimize transplant shock, including IBA, NAA, PBZ and others.  Thiamine -- Vitamin B1 -- is commonly available in the environment and produced by many Fungi and Bacteria all over; even if there was evidence supporting the use of Vitamin B for root stimulating, a special supplement would be unnecessary.

You can read Dr Scott's 'Myths' series here:

http://www.puyallup.wsu.edu/~Linda%20Chalker-Scott/Horticultural%20Myths_files/M...

and you should.  It's entertaining, and candid.  The author hold solid scientific credentials (she would never describe something as a 'liquid product'; not with a straight face, anyway).

I guess it is then a matter of how important B's like Pantothenic Acid are to plant growth.  I have heard of people using Vitamins on their plants.  Must look into research on this.

Blackstrap Molasses (unsulphured) has various key nutrients that are known to be valuable plant health boosters, for a variety of reasons.  It is my understanding that there are also a LOT of 'mystery cocktails' for plants, and they are not cheap, which are basically diluted Blackstrap Molasses.  They enhance health and growth in the plants they are used on, but they are still Molasses when you get down to it.

That said, my best guess about Superthrive is that it is a product that is good for your plants, available in a very inexpensive generic form.  The company -- still guessing here -- remains comfortably under the EPA radar by carefully wording their promotional messages; you read between the lines, so that no one can accuse them of making claims that would mandate an EPA registration (which is expensive).

The company that makes them has about 10 different names at the North Hollywood, CA address, all with the same phone number.

I'm glad you asked about it.  I have a lot of messages out to various authorities -- government officials, that is -- who will perhaps explain either why Superthrive is not registered with them OR that it should be and they plan to act on it.  My opinion about it will have to wait until someone gives me a bottle, because there is no way I am going to run out and buy it.