Quote Originally Posted by DreadedHermie
Nice post @ 1479, btw.

The poetic outburst could probably be set to a Steely Dan type melody and stand up quite respectably.


Thanks!
Jus' comes bubblin' up sometimes.
I try to filter out 96% of it.
The crap that does escape, just tickles the hell out of me when I stumble across it later, even hours later.
Most of the time, I don't remember writing it, and usually can not repeat it verbatum from memory when I do.

I think I might be chaneling an exceptionally funny Tuvan throat warbler.


I'm arbitrarily assigning extra validity to that study involving reflected light from the different colored mulches. Probably, because I feel like I've seen the phenomenon in action and just 'didn't have a name to put to it.' I remember your description of vegetation along a stone wall doing particularly well, possibly because of IR radiation, and wonder if the color of the wall or other nearby objects might have contributed to what you observed.

Mais oui!
Color, texture, and composition all affect what is reflected, what is absorbed, and what is re-radiated, from IR through UV.
In udder words, what da plant, she see.


As this relates to your experiment, I think the reflected light from contiguous plants (6 inna tub, etc.) will signal each plant that she's in a competitive environment. I'd expect the plants in groups to stretch first, and to devote less initial energy to root development because of perceived "crowding" upstairs, not below.

Hmmm, under sunlight, or full-spectrum, I'd agree.
But with no green, or yellow to relect, seems the li'l buggahs would be un-aware of each other above ground.
I do plan to put them in bondage to help with crowding and the competition for light.

You could maybe mitigate this effect by keeping the 'green part' of the grouped plants as short/small as possible. Maybe light them with a wavelength that won't reflect "green" or (730nm, or whatever...)imp:

Oh, didn't see this.
My point exactly. Jus red, an' blue.

But if ya got everything evened out "on top" I'd kinda like to think roots don't mind crowding, as long as there's a good circulation of nutrients. (But a "normal" comparison won't show it, is what I been trying to say... )
You make good points.
But, by now, you must be aware that I'm forced to leave "normal" comparisons to normal MeHums. yah?:tin foil hat:

What I'm tracking here is inhibitory chemicals produced by plants roots that prevent them from growing close enough to crowd each other for sunlight, and nutrients.
That is factual.

The part that I'm investigating is whether plants recognize siblings.
Are they immune to their own strain's "chemical fence" ?
Are some inhibitory compounds specifically targeted for say, climbing vines?
Are these compounds one of the the reasons that some weeds hurt yields and some do not?
(And, that the "bad" weeds/"good" weeds are plant kine, specific.)

I mean, why sleep, when I can sit up thinking 'bout dese kine t'ings?

Oh, yeah! 'syour move.

Pensive Leezard