parzival Posted July 18, 2012 Thinking of giving this method a go, and wanted to get some advice on how best to go about it. I'm planning on using a 5W heating mat for temps. Also wondering whether it is wise to add a small amount of fungacide, and if so, what? thanks Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
IndianDreaming Posted July 18, 2012 I tried this just recently, I popped in a little bit of cinnamon. Looking good so far but I'd also love to hear from people who have tried this multiple times. What soil mix did you use? How much water did you add? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Sallubrious Posted July 18, 2012 What's the idea with the cinnamon? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
holymountain Posted July 18, 2012 it works! just fill a takeaway container with plain sand. river sand. coarse sand. i don't think it matters too much. the key is not to have any soil or organic material that can breed fungus or mold. use a spray bottle to dampen the sand add a couple of squirts of diluted seasol or fertiliser. you don't want puddles of water, just enough to have all the sand damp. you could add fungicide, it wouldn't hurt i don't think, but if you're using straight sand it shouldn't matter. whack it in the microwave for two lots of 5 minutes to sterilise i think...when it's cooled down, sprinkle your seeds in the sand, put the lids on and leave them alone. i've carted around takeaway containers from house to house, leaving them at my parents for a year or so outdoors through frosts and epic rain and sun and they've been fine. that said, indoors is probably the best and filtered sunlight is crucial to avoid roasting them. no need to water them or warm them. the sealed container creates the perfect environment and two or three years later they are still going strong and just about ready to be plucked out and put into pots. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Bert&Ernie Posted July 18, 2012 cinnamon is antifungal I think Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
IndianDreaming Posted July 18, 2012 Yep - cinnamon has worked quite well for me to prevent damping off fungus. I tested a 4" pot with cinnamon, a 4" pot without cinnamon, next to a 6" infected pot. All watered the same (heavily). The 6" pot had fungus gnats all over it and a very sick plant. The pot without the cinnamon had gnats in less than 2 weeks, the cinnamon pot has none - even 2 months later. YMMV but I'm popping a litte cinnamon in all my mixes now. Not an extreme amount of data to go on, but it's working for me. Also, Chamomile tea seemed to be of some help with the now infected pot. Poured 1 cup of weak tea into it - haven't seen any gnats near it for a month. So either the fungus is dead, or the gnats don't like it - hehe or they fell asleep and are really enjoying the tea... 4 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Bert&Ernie Posted July 18, 2012 what quantity of cinnamon do you use in your mixes like 5% or less? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
IndianDreaming Posted July 18, 2012 Yeah - pretty variable at the moment, I'm still experimenting. I think a little sprinkle will do... I've heard some people just sprinkle it on the soil surface, but i'm mixing it through. In a 9lt bucket of soil I threw in about 1/3 of a cup. After losing nearly *all* my ethno plants to damping off - some irreplacable - I'm damn well determined to never have damping off again. I've actually just put a whole tablespoon on top of a stevia plant in a 4" pot and watered it in, to see if there's an amount that it doesn't like. In 2 weeks if there's no adverse effects - i'll probly repot it in 50/50 cinnamon/soil to see if it karks it. I want to see if there's any negative effects of cinnamon overdose. I'll post my results if you like. The pots smell lovely! 3 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
IndianDreaming Posted July 18, 2012 Does anyone know where the orgininal Takeaway-Tek doc is? I've looked but didn't seem to find an 'original' source. Or is it like using coke bottle greenhouses, been around for yonks? 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
qualia Posted July 18, 2012 you mean this one? http://www.australianethnobotany.net/viewtopic.php?f=7&t=2665&sid=1c9c022458c3ec7ecbbe2a23dfefc59a Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
woof woof woof Posted July 27, 2012 it works! just fill a takeaway container with plain sand. river sand. coarse sand. i don't think it matters too much. the key is not to have any soil or organic material that can breed fungus or mold. use a spray bottle to dampen the sand add a couple of squirts of diluted seasol or fertiliser. you don't want puddles of water, just enough to have all the sand damp. you could add fungicide, it wouldn't hurt i don't think, but if you're using straight sand it shouldn't matter. whack it in the microwave for two lots of 5 minutes to sterilise i think...when it's cooled down, sprinkle your seeds in the sand, put the lids on and leave them alone. i've carted around takeaway containers from house to house, leaving them at my parents for a year or so outdoors through frosts and epic rain and sun and they've been fine. that said, indoors is probably the best and filtered sunlight is crucial to avoid roasting them. no need to water them or warm them. the sealed container creates the perfect environment and two or three years later they are still going strong and just about ready to be plucked out and put into pots. NO FERTILIZER in the germination stage!!!!!!!!! Breeds microorganisms,...and you will get algeal growth,....it's not even nesesary for good germination. Wait until after the seedlings are a month or so at least,.... or better yet,.. after they have been transplanted. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
