bearstate,

You might want to have a look at this Gibberellic Acid Kits and Supplies link. Scroll all the way down the page, because there is a lot of good information there.

MM

You know, I did come across J.L. Hudson Seedsman some time ago when I first started researching Giberellic Acid to see if I might want to use it. Yes, this is a second source of GA-3. MegaGro is more common as it is a commercially distributed product sold through many outlets.

The nice thing about J.L. Hudson is that they are right here in my backyard, well maybe a couple hundred miles away, but I used to live in the Bay Area and still get up that way and love excuses to go.

It's funny about the lower part of that web page and the fact that some organic certifying agency denied someone certification if they used GA-3. That's very funny indeed as GA-3 is natural and organic and occurs in most plants naturally.

Further, I've found some health food and organic health and diet web sites while researching Giberellic Acid that sell Giberellic Acid containing products as health enhancing products, kind of like they cell Gingko Biloba extract, etc. I am amused.

Thanks for bringing up J.L. Hudson Seedsman. I completely forgot about them till now.

I used JL Hudson GA-3 and have some good and some not so good results for my seeds germination. Some seeds like tricytris germinated well enough but seedlings were weak and died after some time. Some seeds did not show any effect to being treated. Some seeds like columbine germinated 110% with no cold treatment.
I really like Norman Deno book on his experiments- very useful.

Let the games begin! The stuff just arrived!

{{gwi:243845}}

Megagro is the Giberellic Acid, Nitrozime is a seaweed or kelp based root and growth stimulator that claims to include cytokins, Piranha is a beneficial fungi that kills molds and other plant pathogens and Voodoo Juice is a growth enhancer nutrient mix that includes several kinds of microbes involved in nitrogen fixing and production of giberellic acid, auxins and cytokins.

I've just treated my difficult seeds with GA-3 and added recommended dosages of the other stuff to seedlings that I have had growing since this Spring.

Let's see what happens ...

Gosh, I feel like Dr. Frankenstein! I can make them Live! I can make them Live! Yes!

So, how did your experimentation work out for you?

It's hard to say. This has been my first year of gardening and well, I don't have any prior experience to compare to. Further, I was caught unaware by how bad the heat on my concrete patio here in Bakersfield would be for seed germination. It was terrible. And there were other problems which were on the learning curve ... like not using nitrogen fertilizers on seedlings or on a lot of other plants. Too much fertilizer can kill and in some cases any will kill.

But there have been some successes in more controlled plantings. For example, my first set of Puya seeds all failed. But planting indoors helped. Again, its hard to say if GB helped.

In truth, I think GB helps more after germination, not before. And of course, that would go for the other stuff too, the Voodoo Juice, Pirahna and Nitrozime.

Most folks soak seeds for at least 24 hours before planting them and I follow that advise, but have soaked them in water with GB added. It really doesn't seem to help that much.

But after the seeds start growing, adding GB did seem to cause some acceleration.

I've taken the following strategy ...

1) Prepare Mulch by adding Pirahna. The microbes that kill mold and break down the mulch will have a chance to settle in and do their work.

2) Plant the seeds and if possible, indoors, under controlled conditions.

3) Once germination starts, add Voodoo Juice, Nitrozime and GB. I also add in some root stimulant.

4) Do not use Nitrogen Fertilizers on any seedlings. However, make up Nitrogen Fertilizer batches to use on certain plants that are very hungry, like Banana, Canna and Palm sapplings that are at least 6 months old.

5) Move plants into larger pots periodically to allow them more root growth which in turn promotes more rapid growth above ground.

6) Identify water restrictions for certain plants and water those plants less frequently.

7) Use Shade cloth in Hot Summer months. I believe many seedlings that survive grow in shade under forest canopies or other shelter until they mature and take direct UV radiation.

I will do some more experiments next Spring, of a type where I soak some seeds in GB and have a control batch that was not soaked, so that I can make some comparisons. It's the only way to learn if it works.