> the Eneabba seeds (Volume 24, Number 1). I have a problem though, I've
> only been able to find gibberellic acid in biological supply catalogs,
> and the smallest amount they sell of the kind I need is 1 gram. I don't
> have a gram scale so I can't divide it accurately. Would it be alright
> to mix up a liter of the solution and store the portion I don't use?
Your best bet is to make a simple balance - I used a wooden ruler
with a foil cake cup pinned to each end (though this year a friend
weighed me out 100mg portions - thanks Mike.) Balance this on a
pencil or other suitable pivot (the balance point will be at about
the 6" mark on a 1ft ruler - check it empty first and mark it to
ensure it doesn't slip while you're weighing,) and use this to balance
out 2 half gram portions. Repeat this procedure to make quarter,
eighth,etc. This works well (unless you don't know what the starting
weight is, in which case you're stuffed.) For GA3 it isn't vital to
measure it exactly to the microgram - once I've got 1/8g, I portion
it up by eye to 1/16g or 1/32g which is close enough.
A gram in a litre would be very strong - I routinely use 250ppm
(1/4gram/litre, or rather 1/32g/125ml-ish,) though my margin of error
is probably +/- 10% or more.) I find some plants like it weaker, and
I know mention has been made on the list of very weak solutions of
<10ppm still being effective.
I've found that very strong solutions can cause abnormal growth
problems, so I wouldn't push it higher than 200-300ppm myself.
> How long does the solution stay viable, indefinitely or does it have a
> limited shelf life?
You need to keep it refrigerated - GA3 can be rendered ineffective
by as little as 2 weeks at warm room temperatures. I don't like to
keep more than 100ml solution or so at a time, as I've heard it
degrades faster in solution than as powder, but I don't know for
sure.
I always buy a fresh gram each year (I spray the rest on the crabapple
tree in the garden - it's trebled the yield! I got 33lb of apples
last autumn, which makes a lot of scrumpy :-) but for all I know it
keeps longer.
> How dangerous is this stuff, do I have to worry
> about it eating through the container? What about skin contact? I
Best wear gloves I suppose, though I've splashed it about myself on
several occasions, and no apparent harm resulted. I doubt it's more
acidic than vinegar in 200ppm or so.
Good luck with the gigantea - I tried it myself, but had a lot else
on, so didn't really pay enough attention and lavish enough care to
succeed. Perhaps I'll try it again this year.
Happy growing,
Peter
snail:Peter Cole,17 Wimmerfield Cr. :mailto:carnivor@bunyip.demon.co.uk
Killay, SWANSEA SA2 7BU, WALES :http://www.angel.co.uk/flytrap/index.htm
vox:+44 1792 205214 :ftp://www.angel.co.uk/pub/flytrap