New to growing my own in florida...
Hi all. Long time user, for spinal injury, but just got some rooted cuttings to (try to) grow my own in Florida. I have a green thumb, but am new to trying to grow Kratom. Lots to read and learn. Glad I heard about this app on Reddit. Hope to help and be helped. Thank you all... PETEY
![20190726_020602.jpg](https://i.imgur.com/cKrIL7o.jpg) ![20190726_015521.jpg](https://i.imgur.com/mutroqz.jpg) I just received my 4 babies. Vietnam , Malay, indo, and Bali. Giving them a breath of the humid Florida air and then back on go the plastic bags. I'm reading that I may need neem oil spray for bugs, and a better soil than the miracle grow soil that I have now. So much to learn and read. I've had success at rooting figs, olives, hibiscus, angel trumpet flower, rosemary, and dozens of other species. New to growing kratom, and want to grow my medicine, instead of relying on the Indonesia post office in the future. I've heard that they may phase out the exportation of kratom to the states. Maybe pressure from the FDA to exclude competition to big pharma? Just a guess here. ![20190726_020335.jpg](https://i.imgur.com/k5QBNFl.jpg) ![20190726_020305.jpg](https://i.imgur.com/pYJowpn.jpg) Btw, this angel trumpet flower plant (top pix)is 3 years old now and a huge 10 foot tall Bush. They like humid warm partial sun too. Maybe the kratom babies have a chance here too?![20190726_015559.jpg](https://i.imgur.com/B2Dxfgp.jpg) ![20190726_015521.jpg](https://i.imgur.com/6wdkrmZ.jpg)
last edited by peteypyro
Wow your plants look great!! Are you able to put them in the ground? Also do u know what zone you are in? Depending on what zone you will may want to take in the Kratom cuttings untill they get bigger once winter rolls around. Miracle grow will work but I'd actually recommend looking up the Ruth Stout method. It's honestly the best thing I have found for Kratom trees. You use fish emulsion for the bottom layer with coconut husks above it before you repot or plant your tree. This give a dose of nutrients your tree can rely on to grow so healthy. Then we added hay to the top layer. This keeps the ground moist, free of weeds or grass, and each time we apply layers of hay over time, the hay will break down and becomes it's own nutrients source that compounds over time. Then we plant limabeans around the trees for constant nitrogen production. Heres a link to my Kratom nursery to show you what I explained above Permaculture: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL1hWIjYFQCZYH7gtRFfTzTrhYzIpK9wEV If you can't do this then look for osmocote. Works really well. Much better then alternatives. We have been growing Kratom trees for 10 years so we have had a lot of practice trying new things.
Fantastic garden! You’re going to have a lot of fun growing kratom.
@SubstanceTheSqid thank you. I'l try to document my new plant's growth and try the proven techniques here.
@SubstanceTheSqid thanks. I'l try the fish emulsion, coconut fiber with hay mulch. I'm near Gainesville and Daytona beach, key lime and grapefruit fo very well here, along with olives, papaya, mangos etc.. rarely gets down to the 30s, and will keep them in pots so that they can be rolled into the 12x20 greenhouse on cold nights. It freezes once a decade or so over here. At what temperatures must they be protected? 30? 40? 50?. Thanks fir the recommendations.
A greenhouse grower in oregon told me they start dropping leaves around 45/50F
@peteypyro Your in a really good area they will do fine there during winter. I'd recommend watering more in winter as that's what helped our trees not loose any leaf during the cold. However do not use sprinklers. The water will stagnate on the leaf and it will cause the tree to freak out and drop the leaf. I'd recommend using a garden hose instead
@SubstanceTheSqid thank you. I'l wheel them into the greenhouse if temps are expected to dip below 50°F. I grow winter tomatoes and it's nice and warm/ humid with all of the vegetation around you. Last year I didn't even need the greenhouse for the 'maters since it never got below 45 but I don't want the kratom to drop leaf and go dormant. BTW, is home grown as good as commercial kratom? Is autumn or winter the best harvest time, allowing a full growing season, for the leaves to developed maximum alkaloid content? PS. I do have 2 fans inside the greenhouse as well as the main event exhaust fan.... does growing kratom really need or want lots of air flow or breezes to be potent? I'm on a big lake and get lots of breeze outdoors too. When they get bigger, can they be slowly acclimated to full Florida sun? I've read that some strains can but others need dappled light, such as with my staghorn ferns, bromiliads, and most orchids. I have huge oak trees outdoors (to place the pots under for summer). ..and shade cloth for the hothouse (winter days?). I know that 1 day of full sun will burn/blacken exposed staghorn, most of my orchids, bromiliads etc. They are ALL intolerant of full sun and not even able to be slowly acclimated to it either. Any thoughts on that would be appreciated. Thanks very much. Petey ![20190726_184356.jpg](https://i.imgur.com/ddvxYpJ.jpg) Greenhouses in Florida are useless in the summer
@guywithtrees thank you. I like to manually water anyway. Call me crazy (most do), but I like to talk to and be with living growing plants. Makes me feel connected. Years (decades) ago, I learned to avoid getting water on most plants' leaves, to prevent fungus (black spot on rose leaves) and leaf spotting (African violets come to mind). I do mist some orchids, but the atomized water doesn't pool up on leaves as it turns into water vapor (humidity) almost immediately. Thanks again for the encouragement. Petey