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More seed!

  • #21
Hello Copper,

Thanks for the seeds...but I have a bit of a question/complaint:

Everything arrived wet! From the outside the package looked dry, but on the inside the bubble wrap and all the seeds were soaked.

I'm just very surprised as I can't see the sense in it. Do you know how this may have happened? I was hoping to sow the seed in late summer, but I'm forced to do it immediately. Maybe you only meant for one seed pack (the pings?) to be wet, but it spread to everything. IDK. Fill me in.

Also, please give me some tips (if this is how you usually receive seed) on what to do from here.

Regards.
 
  • #22
The seeds are in a solution that helps them germinate. Sorry, thought I gave everyone a choice on whether or not they want the solution. If you want to sow them later just pull out the envelope and let it dry, the solution still would have done it's job. I am going to sow mine now as I have found many resources that say sow in summer. We have entered our hottest months here (104 yesterday).
 
  • #23
Thank you for the information. If it is best to sow now, then sow I will.

Is the solution Ga3?
 
  • #24
Also got my seeds, Thanks! :-O

I'm also curious as to what the germination chem is......
 
  • #25
aww.. no seeds for me yet. :-(
 
  • #26
I was wondering myself and found that i got a decent price for it. It is gibberellic acid or GA3. It is about 50mg mixed in 1/4 a teaspoon of rubbing alcohol, then mixed in 1 cup of water. so it is about 99% water. The acid has shown to have no dangerous affects in normal and even high doses, but the makers do recommend that if you get in your eye to rinse the eye with water. My skin is very sensitive (I get instant blood blisters from latax (sp?) and burn from peroxide. I found this stuff did not bother me until after a couple of hours and then was only a slight annoyance.

This being said many growers are using this with growing plants as it greatly boost the growth of the plants although the plant can grow a tolerance and to much can be harmful to the plant. Also there is a toxic amount. The fatal dose is not exactly known and varies greatly in animals. In a normal human it is believed to be any ware between 2.6 oz and 4 pounds of pure 90% gibberellic acid. The best price I have found on the stuff is $25 for 10gm. You would have to mean to kill yourself and be willing to pay a lot to get it done.

This material is considered relatively non- toxic by the government. It is in all the plant matter that we consume. Also I diluted it twice what it called for since the seeds were going to be in it for a few days. Here is a very good link for it http://www.seedman.com/sstartga.htm. Also I put it in with seeds that need smoke. The skin softened. I will let you know if it works or whether I had to use smoke as well.
 
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  • #27
GA3 is a suspected mutagen/carcinogen from some lab studies. I wouldn't be so cavalier about it.
 
  • #28
GA3 is a suspected mutagen/carcinogen from some lab studies. I wouldn't be so cavalier about it.

If I grow an extra finger I'll let you know...my hands got drenched in the stuff when I opened the package.....
 
  • #29
Suspected and known are two different things. I went to lab sites, plant sites, government sites and others. I even called my sister in law who is a chemist. I do not think I was being cavalier about anything. Not a Number I am not sure what your problem is with me, but I would now ask you to keep it to PMs to me or to yourself or start a thread on it.

---------- Post added at 05:54 AM ---------- Previous post was at 05:07 AM ----------

From the chemical information sheet. This is on pure Ga3
Potential Acute Health Effects:
Very hazardous in case of eye contact (irritant), of ingestion, of inhalation. Inflammation of the eye is characterized by redness,
watering, and itching.
Potential Chronic Health Effects:
Very hazardous in case of eye contact (irritant), of ingestion, of inhalation. Hazardous in case of skin contact (irritant).
CARCINOGENIC EFFECTS: Not available. MUTAGENIC EFFECTS: Not available. TERATOGENIC EFFECTS: Not available.

Yup, but every thing we use can be dangerous. Only go on if you want to see the other dangers we face (that I found because I was ticked)

vermaculite - Additionally, some vermiculite products may contain asbestos and pose a health hazard when used. For example, products such as vermiculite potting soil and gardening materials have been found to contain small amounts of asbestos during routine sampling tests by the EPA. If the asbestos fibers are loosened or otherwise disturbed, the fibers can easily become airborne.

perilite - foloride toxicity - Plant Tests
Three crops were grown in a greenhouse to assess the potential toxicity of fluoride in perlite. These included the Asiatic lilies ‘Pixie Orange’ and ‘Sunray’; Tahitian bridal veil (Gibasis pellucida); and spider plant (Chiorophyturn comosum ‘Variegatum’).

Peat - Fungal Disease
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that people who have contact with peat moss containing the fungus Sporothrix schenckii have the potential of contracting sporotrichosis. The fungal spores from the moss enter the blood stream through a cut or open would and infect the person. To protect yourself from coming down with sporotrichosis, cover any exposed skin that may come into contact with the peat moss by wearing gloves and a long-sleeved shirt.



Peat moss is used as a soil conditioner, especially in areas where sand dominates the soil content. It helps increase moisture content of soil, but take care when working with it because it can cause respiratory problems.

Mold

Peat moss can become infested with mold, including penicillium and monocillium. These molds can release spores when you shovel peat moss into place or rake it to neaten up your landscaping, according to "Patterson's Allergic Diseases."
Allergies

The main respiratory danger of peat moss is hypersensitivity pnuemonitis as a result of exposure to mold. It is also called "peat moss processor's lung." Symptoms include inflamed airways and lungs, coughing and difficulty breathing.
 
  • #30
Take a look at Research Organics' MSDS (revised 1/19/2009) www.resorg.com:

MUTATION DATA:
TUMORIGENIC DATA:
Oral TDLo - mouse = 142 g/kg/78W-I (Toxic Effects: Equivocal tumorigenic agent by RTECS criteria;
Lungs/Thorax/Respiration Tumors; Liver Tumors).
Oral TDLo - Amphibian (toad) = 13200 mg/kg/22W-I (Toxic Effects: Equivocal tumorigenic agent by RTECS
criteria; Liver Tumors).
Further testing to determine actual mutagenicity and tumorigenicty is necessary. Classification into either of these
categories is not yet warranted until further tests are performed.
Only selected toxicological data is presented here. See actual entry in RTECS for complete information.
CAUTION! THE TOXICOLOGICAL PROPERTIES OF THIS MATERIAL HAVE NOT BEEN FULLY
INVESTIGATED. FOLLOW GOOD LABORATORY PRACTICES WHEN HANDLING.

DNA Damage - Salmon sperm = 1 mmol/L. Cytogenetic analysis - Human lymphocyte = 3 mmol/L. DNA
damage - Mammal (species unspecified) Lymphocyte = 1 mmol/L.

Note their caution (I highlighted it in red).

Note also they are reporting DNA damage at 1mmol/L. The molecular weight of GA3 is 346.38 so 1mmol/L is 0.346 g which is less than the standard working solution of 1 gram/L (1% or 1000ppm).

Have your cavalier attitude if you want. You won't find me working with this stuff without a mask, goggles, long sleeves and gloves (e.g. good laboratory practice).

And did you use the 1% solution to treat all the seeds? The standard 1000 ppm solution can kill the seed of some species. You might have to go down to a little as .1% (100ppm). I don't know if there is any systematic studies on Drosera other than Norman C. Deno's work (see First Supplement to the Second Edition of Seed Germination Theory and Practice, second printing July 10, 1997). With the Drosera species studied he notes: Germination in 70 GA-3 was always poor and often zero. 70 refers to 70F for the temperature. Species in question D. aliciae, D. anglica, D. binata, D. binata v. multifida, D. burkeana, D. capensis, D. spathulata.

Of the species I've treated with GA3 at the standard 1000 ppm - D. hilaris, D. cistiflora, D. filiformis var filiformis, and D. intermedia only D. hilaris germinated. Unless the seed was no longer viable to begin with these and Deno's results suggest to me that a lower concentration of GA3 may be needed.

Deno's work can be downloaded from the National Agricultural Library. It is no longer in print.

http://ddr.nal.usda.gov/dspace/handle/10113/41278
http://ddr.nal.usda.gov/dspace/handle/10113/41279
http://ddr.nal.usda.gov/dspace/handle/10113/41277
 
  • #31
Oh crap......so not only do I have possible DNA damage, but my seeds might not come up?
 
  • #32
Thank you for the information.
Why am I cavalier? If you wish to discuss this further please feel free to start a new thread. I will not respond to you any longer in this thread.

---------- Post added at 08:24 AM ---------- Previous post was at 07:55 AM ----------

Ok, One thing I have learned from this is never to send anything with seeds, but seeds. N.A.N. is correct about using precautions, but we should use them with everything. No, I am not having problem, but people have been caused to worry and that was not my intention.
 
  • #33
I'm not worried. You could send them in toxic waste and I'd only be worried about the seeds. ;)
 
  • #34
Thank you for the information.
Why am I cavalier? If you wish to discuss this further please feel free to start a new thread. I will not respond to you any longer in this thread.

---------- Post added at 08:24 AM ---------- Previous post was at 07:55 AM ----------

Ok, One thing I have learned from this is never to send anything with seeds, but seeds. N.A.N. is correct about using precautions, but we should use them with everything. No, I am not having problem, but people have been caused to worry and that was not my intention.

NaN is very helpful much of the time. I wouldn't take that attitude. If he hadn't posted we wouldn't have been "enlightened" of a few interesting possibilities.

And yes...just send seed. I have my own Ga3 ;)
 
  • #35
What attitude? This isn't a discussion thread, by any means. She has every right to ask for the conversation to be moved to a different location. It never helps to fuel the fire bro-chacho.
 
  • #36
OK. I just wanted to say: Thank you again Copper. Even if nothing comes of it I'll remember your generosity. :boogie:
 
  • #37
For what its worth, the best time to sow D. trinervia is mid-late summer so the addition of GA3 won't impact on anyones ability to get these seeds up and going- just sow them as soon as you receive them. Regarding the human health aspects of GA3, it always pays to be careful when handling this and many other chemicals.
 
  • #38
For what its worth, the best time to sow D. trinervia is mid-late summer so the addition of GA3 won't impact on anyones ability to get these seeds up and going- just sow them as soon as you receive them. Regarding the human health aspects of GA3, it always pays to be careful when handling this and many other chemicals.

Sow them on damp soil or dry soil, and in what temp range?.....I've heard that they may need a period of hot stratification before germination when the weather turns cooler.
 
  • #39
Sow them on damp soil. This species is much easier than some of the other winter growig South African species or tuberous Drosera. I find they germinate and grow just as easily as any other easy to grow South African- as long as the night temps drop to around 40F. In general, no pre-treatment is necessary- I've got the things coming up as weeds everywhere- even in pots that remain wet all year.
 
  • #40
Sow them on damp soil. This species is much easier than some of the other winter growig South African species or tuberous Drosera. I find they germinate and grow just as easily as any other easy to grow South African- as long as the night temps drop to around 40F. In general, no pre-treatment is necessary- I've got the things coming up as weeds everywhere- even in pots that remain wet all year.

Hmmm...yeah....the nights aren't gonna drop to 40F here unless they spend it in the fridge....not untill late fall and winter at least...so should I hold off on sowing them then?

Keep in mind that they are treated with GA3...which apparently negates the need for stratification of any kind.

The place I would be growing them this time of year would have 75F days and 65F nights....but in winter the temps would be 65F day and 48F nights.
 
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