Willard Water™ and Growth of Syngonium 'Pink Allusion'

University of Florida, IFAS
Central Florida Research and Education Center - Apopka
CFREC-Apopka Research Report RH-91-19

R.T. Poole and C.A. Conover*

Foliage growers agree that a product which would allow them to produce good quality plants with less fertilizer than currently used would be both economically and environmentally beneficial. Many growers have stated they can produce better plants when using Willard Water™ (Caw Industries, Inc. Rapid City, SD 57702-8399), sometimes with much less fertilizer and water. Farmers have reported producing plants with better root structure, stronger stems, more foliage and higher yields when they were treated with Willard Water™. Willard Water™, also called CAW, (catalyst altered water or carbonaceous activated water) has a micelle which consists of sodium meta silicate, sulfated castor oil, calcium chloride and magnesium sulfate. An experiment was performed comparing plants grown with Willard Water™ to plants grown with tap and de-ionized water at two fertilizer levels.

Materials and Methods

An experiment, using Syngonium 'Pink Allusion', which tested 4 water and 2 fertilizer treatments with 5 replications per treatment, was initiated 20 June 1991. Liners were placed in 6" pots containing Fafard #4 potting medium (pine bark, Canadian peat, perlite and starter nutrient charge) then moved to a greenhouse where they were grown under natural light with a maximum of about 1,500 ft-c at bench level. Temperatures ranged from 70-95°F and pots were watered 2-3 times weekly, with tap water, deionized water or Willard Water™ at the recommended rate (2 ounces Willard Water™/gallon water) or the recommended rate. Pots within each watering regime received either 2 or 4 grams 19-6-12 fertilizer 20 June and 20 September 1991.

Plant height, grade and fresh weight were determined 4 October 1991, when research was terminated. Growth and quality measurements were analyzed using analysis of variance.

Results and Discussion

Plant height, fresh weight, and quality were unaffected by treatments, indicating that good quality plants could be grown with any water treatment tested and 2 tri-monthly applications of 2 grams of 19-6-12 Osmocote (Table 1). The least expensive choice would be the use of tap water and 2 grams of 19-6-12 fertilizer.

*Professor of Plant Physiology and Professor of Environmental Horticulture and Center Director (retired 7/96), respectively, Central Florida Research and Education Center-Apopka, 2807 Binion Road, Apopka, FL 32703-8504.

Additional Reading

1. Chase, A.R., L.S. Osborne and R.T. Poole. 1984. Syngonium. Agricultural Research and Education Center-Apopka, Foliage Plant Research Note RH-1984-G.

2. Jacobsen, R.M. 1987. Aqua Vitae. Christopher Lawrence Communications, Fargo, ND 58102.

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   Table 1. Growth of Syngonium 'Pink Allusion' as influenced by Willard Water™.

1. ^Z1 = poor quality, unsalable, 3 = fair quality, salable 5= excellent quality.
   ^YWillard Water™ 1 = 2 oz/gal (15.5 ml/l), Willard Water™ 2 = 1 oz/gal (7.7 ml/l).
   ^Xns = Nonsignificant at P = 0.01.