rooting gel

Forgive me if this has already been addressed . . . .

Some of you have mentioned good success using rooting gel. So I tried to buy it. There are 3 products I am confused about:

1) plain gels, like Horta-Sorb Water Management Gel (see [HYPERLINK@www.toptropicals.com])

2) rooting hormones in gel form like Clonex [HYPERLINK@search.ebay.com]

3) rooting gel packs, like gel used in [HYPERLINK@www.leevalley.com] (which are nifty but pricey for using in any quantity and bulky to store). Seems to me the "greenhouse" is a waste of money -- you could just put the puts in a clear plastic bag. But what is in the gel?????

I'd like to make the rooting gel that is in the gel packs, and I'm wondering how to do it -- maybe it is a combination of 1) and 2) above, with maybe something else thrown in. Or maybe it is just the gel in 1) above without more?

I have heard clonex is a god product but i myself havent tried it yet.

the one from leevally Gell2Root i do have and it works great on my mints and catnip.
I got the quart refill bottle and i had some test tubes laying around so i just fill up the test
tube with the gel and pop in my cutting. cant remember how long it took for the cuttings
its been a while ago.. ( got my gel2root at 50% off , store closing )

happy ma_comb: I too am getting impatient looking at products that don't say what they are in terms of basic chemical composition--just use this "miracle magic rooting gel". Hey folks, I did take chemistry in high school (and more in college). At least I would like to know the shelf life of something I am buying. I did use the gel2root at one point, but was disappointed when it turned to the consistency of silicone caulk.
I have heard of using agar agar. The gel2root, I think is some kind of polymer. I have been half looking at the clear hair gels in the dollar store, I guess I should check it out to see if they can be used for plant propagation. It looks to me that commercial propagation supplies need to be explained. Maybe this is the thread that will accomplish that!

http://www.seedman.com/plantge.htm This seems to be the basic material, if you want to make the gel packs.

I'm not sure if the rooting gels/etc are registered with the EPA or not (I'm pretty sure they are...at the very least the ones with a fungicide in them should be) but if they are and they don't have an expiration date listed on them then they should have 1 yr shelf life (assuming the EPA's rules for those products are the same as for the type of products that I have experience with). In the area I'm familiar with, if it doesn't have at least a 1 yr shelf life then you have to put an expiration date on it.

Most rooting hormones that I have used are a white powder and are 90% talc powder. The talc keeps the hormone stuck to the stem to be rooted... so when you water etc... it doesn't just wash off. Making your own would be difficult. As they don't sell just the straight hormone by itself. If you come up with some home concoction, I'd be happy to hear of it and try it.

My $0.02 worth!

Donna

http://www.super-grow.biz/Products.jsp#Rooting Here is a source for rooting hormones. The web site also has formulas for interpreting ppm (parts per million), and also how to disolve some of the chemicals that are not soluble in water. This company is in Canada. American chemical sources I found sell in 50 g units.

group, I'm wondering if Agar could be used as a geling agent. I have some, so I think I might experiment. Jim

hostajim1,

Yes, agar can be used. But there is nothing in agar itself to help the plant grow. I use to talk extensively to someone who was majoring in botany (I think). (Haven't seen them around lately on IRC). But they use to take clippings of different plants. And in a steril environment place the clippings in dishes with agar. He specifically was working on a way to extract the hormone from your typical off the shelf rooting hormone product to use in it. But using the method he (and I tried with gelatine) was referred to as micropropagation. I can direct you to many sites about it. It is very difficult... as everything is sterilized... and the clipping put into steril dishes (I used baby food jars). I never had success, but then, I never had a good place to keep the projects.

Of course, he was also working on a way to change a plants cell structure (dna) through injection into a seed or something. This guy was into it.

Take care,
Donna

http://biology.clemson.edu/biolab/agar.html

hostajim: I thought agar was a type of seaweed. Here, specifically it is identified as red algae. Used as a medium for culturing all kinds of stuff. Used in cloning.

thanks for your help, I know about using agar as a gelling agent for media in TC. but I was interested in the aspect of it's use with rooting hormones when taking cuttings. and dipping the cuttings and then placing them in media. I'm not sure about how much to use and what the consistency would be. Jim

Let me offer up some links that may help:

http://www.omnisterra.com/botany/cp/slides/tc/tc.htm

http://www.une.edu.au/agronomy/AgSSrHortTCinfo.html

I'm sure there are more. But this is a start.

Keep us posted!

Donna

DonnaA2Z, thanks for the references. there is a lot of useful info. that I can use. I ordered Charles Tuttle's protocol for Hostas and his recipe for media. it's seems there is a specific protocol for each species. so I ordered the media from Phytotek specific for Hosta. rather that make my own from the recipe. I hope it works. my downstairs is evolving into a laboratory. I started with a homemade plant rack with workshop lights. now I have all these different areas for germinating, growing, tissue culture, potting up, etc. the frist thing I do in the morning is check on all my little Hosta babies. where could I go to have this much fun? Jim

hostajim1,

I envy you for the space you have to work with. When I lived in Buffalo, I had a basement too that I could have done all that jazz in... but I didn't know much about it then. Now, well... I live in FL so, space is limited. However, I have managed to get a 10 x 10 green house and a section of the yard fenced off to call my own. But I have no place inside to even put a plant. I have 2 big dogs... and inset vertical blinds. Just no space and no place!! Good luck and let me know how everything goes.

Take care,
Donna

Thanks unfortunately , I have to read something like this a dozen times and if lucky - I learn something . I bookmarked them .

I finally got around to experiment with using the Agar as a gelling agent, I used 1/2 teas. of Agar with 250 ml of rooting solution. I put this in the microwave on high until it boils, then set the timer for 3 min. and microwave. let it cool. if you want a thicker gel just add more Agar. I liked the consistency of this recipe, I dipped some sticks in it and the gel stuck well. Jim

what was the rooting solution?

gloria125, I make it up from 2 rooting hormones, IBA,( Indole Butric Acid}, and NAA,( Naptha Acetic Acid), the same ingredients that the name brands use ,only I can make it up for a lot less. and guarantee it's potency. Jim

http://www.super-grow.biz/Products.jsp#Rooting

Like this?

gloria125, yep, that's it. Jim