World of Carnivores

Gibberellic Acid (GA3) Mixing Instructions

Care Guides | Propagation | Tissue Culture | Links | Policies | Build a Bog | Make A Terrarium | Contact | Forum | Site Search | Mailing List
CP Books | CP Shirts | Plants for Sale | Terrarium Kits | Empty Terrariums | Pots/Saucers | TC Supplies | Live Food | CP Soil | CP Seed | Ga3

Sarracenia | Drosera | Butterworts | Utricularia | Nepenthes | Darlington californica | Dionaea muscipula | Cephalotus | Aldrovanda | CARE
General ~ Gibberlic Acid | Pollination/Seed Collecting | Terminology ~ general

Gibberellic Acid can be purchased from our store. We have made a seed kit that makes the entire process extremely easy. Click on Ga3 (above the yellow line, right side) in the nav links to check it out.

First of all I strongly recommend getting the Gibberellic Acid in a powder form. Ranges of 85% - 90% pure are acceptable. Once the powder is mixed into a liquid it starts to loose its potency. Store liquid GA3 in the fridge and use within two weeks. These instructions are set up to be used with 90% Gibberellic Acid powder. You can order it from various sources, there is someplace on the links page.

Store powder GA3 in the fridge too.

How to Make Gibberellic Acid into a Liquid

This mixture will work for all carnivorous plant seeds that need a winter dormancy.

Pick a container that has a lid and can hold 2 oz. of water. The lid isn't needed if your going to use all of it as soon as you make it, or least in the same day. A baby food jar works fine but something smaller is better.

Measure out roughly 1/4 of a "smidgeon" (smidgeon measuring spoon) of Gibberellic Acid. Try to eyeball the amount as close as you can, pretty much just cover the bottom with a thin layer. Dump into your mixing jar. Add 2 drops of 70% (90% if you can) Isopropyl Rubbing Alcohol. You just want to slightly wet the Gibberellic Acid crystals. Tip and tap the jar to get all the crystals into the alcohol. Let sit for a few minutes and swirl it around a bit. If all the Gibberellic Acid powder it not dissolved add another 2 drops and wait a few minutes. Mix it around a bit again, once 3/4 or so of the Gibberellic Acid powder is dissolved its ready. Add 4 or 5 drops of water, it should all mix well. Now add 2 oz or 3 tablespoons of acceptable water and mix. You can use immediately (recommended) or refrigerate up to two weeks for later use.

This makes, roughly, a 500 - 550 ppm mix. That is good for Sarracenia and pretty much everything else. 400 ppm would also work, so guess low instead of high. The small end of a sea monkey feeding spoon works well to measure the Ga3. Use a well rounded scoop of the small end. Well rounded means a small pile on top, not crystals all up the handle. Email me if you want a sea monkey feeding spoon. They are $1.50, shipping included.

Soak seeds in this mix for 24 - 30 hrs to skip having to stratify seeds. I use small lids to soak my seeds in. Something like a film canister lid works well. Any type of small something to hold a few seeds and some liquid. You want to add enough Ga3 to cover the seeds. I like the small lids because it doesn't take much Ga3 to fill them up.




Visitors to this page
since April 20, 2005


Copyright © 2005 - 2007
World of Carnivores

All Rights Reserved