"peterlsutton" wrote in message
news
I have just bought some water absorbant crystals to mix with
compost
in pots - but would like to play with them. 1) What are they
chemically speaking. 2) Are they the same as the transparent media
I
have seen for growing cuttings. 3) Can you grow cuttings in them
and
do you need to add any feed. 4) How do you mix them with water to
give a totally transparent media. My first attempt left a lot air
bubbles and air sheets that make it
almost opaque. Though I have got better since. 5) Can you buy
small
transparent containers to put the gel and cuttings in. At the
moment I have
used my smallest glasses. and 6) any tips on recovering and
cleaning the gel afterwards to use again.

I fancy doing a little experimentation with different types of
cuttings at different times and different temperatures, where you
can directly observe what is going on. Any advice would be very
welcome.

Peter



For small transparent containers try disposable party drinks cups.
My
local pound shop has such.

Hazel

Can you use Polycell or similar wallpaper paste as a medium for
cuttings? (It would have to be free of fungicide, I imagine.) I'm
sure I've seen it suggested as a fluid sowing medium: you mix in the
seeds and squirt it out from something like an icing bag, and they
end up sown more evenly than by hand -- I don't see much point,
though.

Whatever you used, I'd say using it again would be asking for trouble
with infections.

--
Mike.

You can use gelatine as sold for use in the kitchen

Hazel