Anyone ever try GA3 gibberelic acid

Gardens North sells this product, I ordered it but am not sure what seeds to use it on. Thanks

I only use it on viola and aquilegia as it is recommended for them. I sure would like to know if anyone else has tried it successfully on other things.

Thanks, I'm wondering if there is a web site out there that can help, haven't had much luck. I have good luck with the viola and aquilegia surface sowing on seed starter with light 10 hours a day and bottom heat mats.

Forgot to ask how do you mix it?

Hi all,
In the past, I have only used it on Aquilegia when I wanted to get some started quick with out waiting for stratification (A. species only, not hybrids which are much easier to germinate). This winter I found some research (sorry, can't remember where it was published) mentioning a 24hr treatment with 1000 ppm on Penstemon digitalis. I did a quick little study with three treatments - 1. 15 seeds in standard potting soil @45 degrees, 2. 15 seeds @ 68 degrees and 3. 15 seeds soaked for 24 hr in GA3 and seeded at 68 degrees. All were surface sowed, pots covered w/ plastic and placed in light. Results: for GA3 treatment, 30% germination 10 days after sowing and 50% germination by 18 days. So far zero germination in the controls (25 DAP). However, of the ones that germinated, 1 plant looks excessively leggy and two look very stunted. I'm sure that the leggy one is a result of too high dosage of the GA3 as these symptoms are common.

I have also looked high and low and can't find much on the web for use guidelines for GA3. Much of the info I have found suggests starting around 500 ppm and adjusting concentration higher or lower depending on the species. The only plant that I have found lots of info on is germinating Camellias (which I don't grow). They need a very high concentration (20,000 ppm).

At concentrations below 2000ppm, you shouldn't have any problem dissolving it in tap water. If you do, you can add a drop or two of ammonia to raise the pH and make it easier to dissolve.

Hopefully, you will get good instructions when you receive your chemical. Be careful with the dosage, too high a dosage can cause some very weird growth, (excessive internode length and other symptoms) which can continue for the life of the plant and can even be expressed in successive generations in some circumstances.

If others have experience with GA3, please join in, there is not a lot of (free) information out there.

I've been considering getting it for use with a few things and really only wanted a small amount.
J.L Hudson also sells it, and has some instructions for use also.

Finally got the GA3 fromGardens North, it's a tiny amount, cost $10 maybe 1/16 of a Tablespoon. I'm trying the mix with water for the whole packet, it's a little less than 1/2 cup and needs to be kept refrigerated. Not for use on annuals, only mentions aquilegias, thalictrum, and violas, I am going to experiment with approx, 10 different varieties at 500 ppm. JL Hudson seedsman seems to have the most info. I'll keep you posted. Norm Denos research book is recommended, but it's out of print and amazon doesn't have it.

Kob, please do let us know how you make out with it. I ordered one of the single packs from JL Hudson, as I have such a small amount of seeds to try it on.
mj

While searching seeds I will be starting this year B & T seeds kept coming up in my searches. http://b-and-t-world-seeds.com/letters.htm Try searching seeds you will be starting in the link. Quite a few of them said GA-3 may help germination at the bottom. I noticed it usually said it when the seed info also said they would benefit from smoke treatment. I would assume any harder to germinate seeds would benefit from GA-3. Such as anything that requires a long stratification period.

From the Gardens North website.

http://gardensnorth.com/site/aboutus/f-aboutus.htm

Just select 'Germination Corner' on the left hand side.

I only mixed mine up as needed as I wasn't doing a lot of seeds. Kept the rest of the powder in a ziploc bag in the fridge. Kristl always includes an information sheet with the GA3.

You have to watch the GA3 - it can make the seedlings
etoliate - stretch out as if to find light. I did a lot of reading
on it a few years ago. Its a by-product of a decay process,
I believe discovered in rice but I'm not positive since its
been a while. It definitely does enable germination of some
seeds.

I like the ORGS germination website. It pretty thorough.

http://www.onrockgarden.com/guide/orgsindex.htm

I have the Deno books. He has similar recommendations to
the ORGS site for the most part (I cross checked a number
of seeds the first year I had his books and decided it was
much easier to just look them up on-line rather than check
in three books to find if he had recommendations).

Tam

I took a class on seeds just last week. GA3 is just for certain difficult-to-germinate seeds. The guy who taught the class is going to try it himself for the 1st time this year, so he didn't have a lot of experience with it. Since the class was local, it recommended local Alplains catalog, which specifies which seeds need GA3.
He recommended this website and:
tomclothier.hort.net/index.html
I also use Thompson & Morgan's germination instructions, but I don't think I've ever seen a direct reference to GA3 (I think "difficult or challenging" to germinate would be an indirect reference).

have you checked the ORGS website? They have
a quite extensive database with instructions for all
but the most escoteric plants.

where do you go on that website for the GA3 info?

They use a key that tells you their recommendation for
germination. So it will tell you which seeds require GA3.
(or if the seeds require light or dark, warm or cold etc)

Tam

kobwebz,

"where do you go on that website for the GA3 info?"

I think the ORGS site just links to the Canadian Gardens North website info:

http://www.gardensnorth.com/site/aboutus/germination.htm#GA-3

http://www.gardensnorth.com/site/aboutus/germination.htm#working

Incidentally, if you need much GA3, there are less expensive sources of it.

http://www.bonanzle.com/booths/EcoOasis/items/Gibberellic_Acid_GA3_90___Plant_Growth_Hormone_5_Gram_Kit

http://www.bonanzle.com/booths/EcoOasis/items/Gibberellic_Acid_GA3_90___Plant_Growth_Hormone_10_Gram_Kit

Gardens North sells 100 milligrams of GA3 for $7.50. That is just one tenth of a gram, which is equivalent to $75 for a gram. The sources above are considerably less expensive. Also, PhytoTechLab sells a gram of GA3 for $26.

http://www.phytotechlab.com/detail.aspx?ID=350

Since PhytoTech's stuff is tissue culture tested, I think I will go with them.

ZM
(not associated with any product or vendor mentioned)

Thanks for the info. I tried the GA3 on a few varieties, and got caught up in 176 different seedlings going, still have more to do, Will
keep you posted. Annette