Electricity and Plant Growth

[RackitMan]

Note: This is far from conclusive, nor is it an original idea. Wish I had the time and space to do a real controlled experiment, but my hope is that is where the community comes in.

I grew four seedlings (two different strains - one indica; one sativa) under identical conditions except for the addition of electricity.

One plant used a solar panel putting out about 3.5 volts and one used a 9v battery. The electrodes were placed several inches deep about 1.5" away from the stalk.

Attached are the results after several weeks.

For those wanting to try this, I strongly suggest the use of gold plated electrodes as both of my copper electrodes quickly eroded. Also my solar panel was using my grow light as a source and was quickly shadowed by the leaves. My battery slowly drained.

For these reasons, I did not continue past a few weeks. If I were to do it again, I would use some sort of variable power supply to control both current and voltage and to be able to increase the stimulation as the plant grows. My electrodes were needle shaped, so the dispersion of electricity was very narrow. I think a gold plated screen would give a much larger surface area and would have even greater effect on the roots.

And, of course, more control plants are necessary to rule out normal variation in growth.

How does this work? Not sure, but something to do with accelerating ion exchange in breaking down minerals to make them more accessable to the plant.

RackitMan Reviewed by RackitMan on 12-10-2010. Electricity and Plant Growth Note: This is far from conclusive, nor is it an original idea. Wish I had the time and space to do a real controlled experiment, but my hope is that is where the community comes in. I grew four seedlings (two different strains - one indica; one sativa) under identical conditions except for the addition of electricity. One plant used a solar panel putting out about 3.5 volts and one used a 9v battery. The electrodes were placed several inches deep about 1.5" away from the stalk. Rating: 5

[MadSativa]

interesting I know lighting and storms bring out growth in plants not to sure about electricity though. if anything you are makin some hydrogen out of you water or nutes.

[RackitMan]

Not enough current to break down water into hydrogen and oxygen.

[RackitMan]

So no interest in doubling the size of one's plants?

[emilya]

I would love to see more experiments in this area. I am convinced that electrical flow can cause very interesting growth as evidenced in the orthopedic field where electrical stimulus is used to stimulate bone growth in cases where knitting is problematic.

I am a Ham Radio operator and have heard many anecdotal stories about the strong electrical fields around our antennas and operating positions causing apparent miracle remissions in various maladies. It only makes sense to me that an electrical flow could stimulate a plant to grow faster and I would not be surprised if we someday learn that plants have a way to use this electricity to increase the energy needed to promote cell division and growth. I have some solar cells laying around here. I may just do some experiments of my own when I get a bunch of clones sitting around not doing anything productive.

Emmie

[TANKJR]

There is another forum where a few are experimenting with this using a 120vAC to 4.5vDC and I forget what the milliamps were (350mA rings a bell maybe), but it was a cell phone charger basically modified and electrodes placed in the soil....it vegged about twice as big, twice as fast compared to the non-electrified plants. Unfortunately no-one has gotten past the veggin so far, but it certainly would appear it does increase the veggin mass and much quicker too. I'm just finishing up some stuff, but I might try this next batch...looks interesting. I have plenty of old phone chargers lying around!
I would really like to see what it does to a flowering plant....twice the bud in half the time??? Yea, I'm interested!

[emilya]

I would really like to see what it does to a flowering plant....twice the bud in half the time??? Yea, I'm interested!

I can hear the names of the new strains now... ya man... I have some killer Electric Blue Diesel here... High Voltage Herer... Afgani Amperage... all guaranteed to give you a jolt! :stoned:

Emmie

[sum1cull911]

I can hear the names of the new strains now... ya man... I have some killer Electric Blue Diesel here... High Voltage Herer... Afgani Amperage... all guaranteed to give you a jolt! :stoned:

Emmie

Love it.

[LetsSeeYa]

I can hear the names of the new strains now... ya man... I have some killer Electric Blue Diesel here... High Voltage Herer... Afgani Amperage... all guaranteed to give you a jolt! :stoned:

Emmie

Thats some funny shit Em, im rollin here:S2:

But the most funny thing is its true. If a person would try this, id think that by wiring the inside of the pot so that when the plant is buried the current could work across the medium. And if it did work, man someone would get rich. Maybe we should get some ideas from an electrician, cuz im not sticking wires in anything im going to water. Yeah in know a 9v isn't going to blow my hair into a curl, but just someone who might help us push the limits.

Id luv to grow a seed faster:wtf:but a great idea i think:jointsmile:



:rasta:

[WashougalWonder]

Pretty good. Pretty good Emily.

Sounds possibly beneficial, but I would assume that milliamps would do the job....

DC current is safe at low amperage but creates heat in higher, and as resistance continues it increases the heat. Possibly that is what is occuring, as the soil drys resistance increases and warms it more like the sun? Wild guess. I do like the idea of a pair of screens on either side of the pot...gold? no way I am that spendy.