Posted by Dave East on August 19, 2011, 8:36 am
Would like to try and create a clear jelly like growing medium, so we can
watch the plant roots grow outwards.
My first thoughts are an edible type jelly dessert from the supermarket with
plant food added to it.
Grateful for any advice on this project please.
Posted by nmm1 on August 19, 2011, 8:20 am
>Would like to try and create a clear jelly like growing medium, so we can
>watch the plant roots grow outwards.
There are such products available commercially, for propagation,
but they are probably very expensive.
>My first thoughts are an edible type jelly dessert from the supermarket with
>plant food added to it.
Grrk. I wouldn't. The synthetic fruit squashes that are so cheap
and popular make fairly effective sterilising agents, and the cheap
jelly materials use the same dyes and flavourings.
Get some agar and make it yourself, but remember that oxygen will
permeate though it very slowly, so only some plants will be able
to grow in it.
Regards,
Nick Maclaren.
Posted by Stewart Robert Hinsley on August 21, 2011, 5:39 am
>>
>>Would like to try and create a clear jelly like growing medium, so we can
>>watch the plant roots grow outwards.
>There are such products available commercially, for propagation,
>but they are probably very expensive.
I tried one a few years back. I wasn't impressed.
>>My first thoughts are an edible type jelly dessert from the supermarket with
>>plant food added to it.
>Grrk. I wouldn't. The synthetic fruit squashes that are so cheap
>and popular make fairly effective sterilising agents, and the cheap
>jelly materials use the same dyes and flavourings.
>Get some agar and make it yourself, but remember that oxygen will
>permeate though it very slowly, so only some plants will be able
>to grow in it.
>Regards,
>Nick Maclaren.
--
Stewart Robert Hinsley
Posted by Chris Hogg on August 19, 2011, 9:18 am
On Fri, 19 Aug 2011 13:36:54 +0100, "Dave East"
>Would like to try and create a clear jelly like growing medium, so we can
>watch the plant roots grow outwards.
>My first thoughts are an edible type jelly dessert from the supermarket with
>plant food added to it.
>Grateful for any advice on this project please.
Remember that most edible jellies such as gelatine or agar are derived
from natural products and hence susceptible to bacterial or fungal
attack. How long does it take a 'jelly' left out at room temperature
and exposed to the air, to become a smelly mess of blue-furry liquid?
I don't know what's in KY gel, obtainable in tubes from chemists, but
that might be longer lasting.
--
Chris
Gardening in West Cornwall overlooking the sea.
Mild, but very exposed to salt gales
Posted by stuart noble on August 19, 2011, 9:50 am
On 19/08/2011 13:36, Dave East wrote:
> Would like to try and create a clear jelly like growing medium, so we can
> watch the plant roots grow outwards.
> My first thoughts are an edible type jelly dessert from the supermarket with
> plant food added to it.
> Grateful for any advice on this project please.
Alan Tich has allegedly done this with wallpaper paste, although it
usually contains anti fungal stuff IIRC. The gel would probably be
clearer using deionised or rain water.
If the gel itself has to be edible, some kind of vegetable gum
(guar,locust bean, xanthan). Most only need 1-2% in water to create a
stiff gel, but dispersing them in water isn't easy
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>watch the plant roots grow outwards.