2IP (Isopentenyl adenine) is a naturally occurring cytokinin that regulates cell division, development, and nutrient processing in plants. Zinc (Zn) is not a plant growth regulator. It is one of the eight essential micronutrients.

As the plants require oxygen, water, sunlight, and nutrition to develop and grow, they do require certain chemical substances to manage their growth and development. These chemical substances are known as Plant Growth Regulators and are naturally produced by the plants itself.

Plant hormones (also known as phytohormones) are organic substances that regulate plant growth and development. Plants produce a wide variety of hormones, including auxins, gibberellins (GA), abscisic acid (ABA), cytokinins (CK), salicylic acid (SA), ethylene (ET), jasmonates (JA), brassinosteroids (BR), and peptides.

Plant growth regulators (PGRs) are chemicals used to modify plant growth such as increasing branching, suppressing shoot growth, increasing return bloom, removing excess fruit, or altering fruit maturity. Gibberellins: Gibberellins (GA) promote cell elongation, shoot growth, and are involved in regulating dormancy.

Auxins were the first growth hormones to be discovered. Auxins are a class of plant hormones (or plant-growth regulators) derived from the amino acid tryptophan. Plants produce natural auxins such as Indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) and Indole butyric acid (IBA).

During propagation, rooting hormone should be applied immediately before you place your clipping in the soil. For powdered hormones, dip the base of the cutting into the hormone, then shake gently to remove any excess. Place the cutting into moist soil, loosely covering the base.

Ethylene promotes flower formation in certain types of plants such as pineapples, mangoes and lychees. Administering ethylene results in smaller plants and flowering finishes a lot quicker.

Auxins stimulate the elongation of cells in the plant stem and phototropism (the growth of plants toward light). Gibberellins promote both cell division and cell elongation, causing shoots to elongate so plants can grow taller and leaves can grow bigger. They also signal buds and seeds to begin growing in the spring.

The selective weedkiller contains a growth hormone that causes the weeds to grow too quickly and die. Because most weeds have broader leaves than grass or wheat, the weedkiller is absorbed in larger quantities by the weeds. Selective weedkillers kill plants that some species of animals rely on as a food source.

Initial research into plant hormones identified five major classes: abscisic acid, auxins, cytokinins, ethylene, and gibberellins. This list was later expanded, and brassinosteroids, jasmonates, salicylic acid, and strigolactones are now also considered major plant hormones.

Gibberellins are a group of plant hormones responsible for growth and development. They are important for initiating seed germination . Low concentrations can be used to increase the speed of germination, and they stimulate cell elongation so plants grow taller. They are naturally produced by barley and other seeds.

Water, air, light, soil nutrients, and the correct temperature for the right plants are the most basic factors to make a plant grow faster and bigger.

Sugary soda pops are not the most ideal choices for use as fertilizer. Therefore, pouring soda on plants, such as Classic Coca Cola, is inadvisable. Coke has a jaw dropping 3.38 grams of sugar per ounce, which would certainly kill the plant, as it would be unable to absorb water or nutrients.

Human urine provides an excellent source of nitrogen, phosphorous, potassium and trace elements for plants, and can be delivered in a form that’s perfect for assimilation. With a constant, year-round and free supply of this resource available, more and more farmers and gardeners are making use of it.

Milk is a good source of calcium, not only for humans, but for plants as well. It contains beneficial proteins, vitamin B, and sugars that are good for plants, improving their overall health and crop yields. The microbes that feed on the fertilizer components of milk are also beneficial to the soil.

Banana peels are good for gardens because they contain 42 percent potassium (abbreviated to its scientific name K), one of the three major components of fertilizer along with nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) and shown on fertilizer labels as NPK. In fact, banana peels have the highest organic sources of potassium.

Though vinegar can be fatal to many common plants, others, like rhododendrons, hydrangeas and gardenias, thrive on acidity which makes a bit of vinegar the best pick-me-up. Combine one cup of plain white vinegar with a gallon of water and use the next time you water these plants to see some amazing results.

To use coffee grounds as fertilizer, simply sprinkle them onto the soil surrounding your plants. Summary Coffee grounds make great fertilizer because they contain several key nutrients required for plant growth. They can also help attract worms and decrease the concentrations of heavy metals in the soil.

Composting tea bags is a “green” method of disposal and terrific for the health of all your plants, providing organic matter to increase drainage while maintaining moisture, promoting earthworms, increasing oxygen levels, and maintaining soil structure for a more beautiful garden.

If the soil becomes depleted of magnesium, adding Epsom salt will help; and since it poses little danger of overuse like most commercial fertilizers, you can use it safely on nearly all your garden plants.

In most cases, the grounds are too acidic to be used directly on soil, even for acid-loving plants like blueberries, azaleas and hollies. Coffee grounds inhibit the growth of some plants, including geranium, asparagus fern, Chinese mustard and Italian ryegrass.

Clematis vines are HUNGRY for vitamins and nutrients. Clematis eat a lot and should be fed supplements like this from February through September. You can also feed them coffee grounds in the same manner as you would a rose plant (See post on coffee & roses). Clematis seems to love the same nutrients that roses love.

Clematis plants are heavy feeders and respond well to constant feeding. Two weeks or so after planting, apply a well-balanced liquid feed fertilizer, such as Fish Emulsion or Miracle-Gro, and continue to do so every 2 weeks from April through the end of July according to label directions.

Clematis with yellowing foliage will appreciate a drink of Epsom Salts (magnesium sulfate), or a fertilizer with magnesium sulfate in it (try tomato formulas).

To encourage bushy growth of clematis, pinch out shoot tips early in the season. Tie in shoots regularly during the growing season, aiming to make sure stems are spread out to cover bare areas. Use soft garden twine to secure growth.

A clematis vine requires about 1 inch of water weekly from rain or irrigation, but these needs can change depending on temperature and soil quality. Sandy or fast-draining soil may require more frequent watering, while heavier soil may drain more slowly and require less.

Deadhead spent flowers for another series of blooms, though they will likely be smaller than the first, as these appear on new growth. When deadheading the first blooms, as much as 12 to 18 inches (31-46 cm.) of stem can be removed. This rejuvenates the plant and is often the best means of pruning clematis vines.

Clematis varieties are classified into three groups according to blooming time and characteristics: Group 1 (spring bloomers), Group 2 (repeat bloomers), and Group 3 (summer or fall bloomers). Each group has its own pruning protocol; see Pruning Clematis for detailed information on timing and techniques.