Where to Buy Chestnut Compound

[migraineur]

Hi

Can you guys tell me where one would buy chestnut compound from? Does Bunnings sell it?

I have lots some seedlings to fungus and I don't want to lose any more, especially my caespitosa.

[CβL]

I believe it's called 'Cheshunt' compound. A quick google search seems that it's discontinued too. :/

For my seedlings, I dusted with a bit of sulfur, and then let the soil dry out as much as possible, and all fungi died shortly after.

Edited January 31, 2013 by CβL

[trucha]

I think it was withdrawn due to the problems it can cause to aquatic life after going down drains?

From an online page:

"According to the Royal Horticultural Society, it is a mixture of ammonium carbonate and copper sulphate.
I think the relative proportions are probably a trade secret, but since most fungicide control compounds include copper sulphate and one other ingredient, you can likely assume that the copper sulphate is the most important part. Thus a weak mixture of copper sulphate would likely work OK as a replacement.

Bordeaux mixture uses copper sulphate and hydrated lime. Hydrated lime (calcium carbonate) is a kinder and more easily sourced ingredient than ammonium sulphate so I would try that before Cheshunt compound.

Copper sulphate can be sourced from equestrian supply shops because it is used as a foot bath for horses (again for its antifungal properties).

Be careful using it - it is poisonous to fish so NEVER put it down the drain or on land near a river.... so only mix up what you need and keep it away from children."

[naja naja]

hydrated lime is CaOH, CaCO3 is garden lime, both are pretty much insoluable in water. It is most likely changing the PH to stop the fungus reproductive cycle. Full cream milk works too diluted 100ml to 1L for small outbreaks of mildew on roses.

In WA copper suphate is also sold as mold and moss killer for paths and tablets for clearing your pond

Edited February 2, 2013 by naja naja

[migraineur]

What should I use then? I don't want to end up losing all of my seedlings. I have lophs and I don't want to lose my babies!

Should I remove the seedlings and put them in some new sterilised sand?

[trucha]

Its not possible to say what is the best solution without knowing more details.

If too young transplanting might cause more loss than it prevents. (In which case a fungicide might be the only choice.)

If they are old enough I'd transplant them into a soil that does not have very many organics in it but I would not water them after transplanting until I saw new growth occurring.

Sterile soil is not really a good idea unless there are pathogens you need to destroy. Soil organisms are part of what makes it all work.

I'd suggest using soil with no more than 15% total organics (10% would be fine), no fir needles, no tree bark, no wood mulch, no peat, no fine sand, basically little or nothing that a wild peyote would not encounter. It would be really good to add some crushed limestone, coral, marble or other calcium carbonate source.

A person will get much more vigorous growth with rich soil, abundant watering and miscellaneous extra nutrients but its usually with the price of adding problems.

I'm suspecting that the fungal growth you are fighting is a result of one of the above rather than the primary cause of your troubles.

Edited February 2, 2013 by trucha

[migraineur]

They are in 100% coarse sharp sand.

[trucha]

That might be part of the trouble.

They will want to have some access to nutrients in their soil and they will want to be neutral to basic in pH with available calcium.

It would be good to change their mix if they are old enough to transplant. You might be able to backfill but if you are having fungal problems that sharp sand seems likely to harbor it?

Thoroughly decomposed vegetable compost is ideal for the noninert part of the soil mix you create.

If they are not old enough to transplant a fungicide and backfilling might be the only option until a bit older?

What sort of fungal problems are you having?

[Optimystic]

yeah im growing about 15 containers of seeds atm and one I tried in rockwool... they are doing okay but its obvious that the ones in soil, even a 50% sand / 50% peat based seed and cutting mix, are doing much better..I think the peat helps a little with fungus at first.... theres one tiny green spot on the rockwood but i've always had trouble with rockwool , I think the ph is ideal for growths but its also not so bad for cacti, however the lack of nutes in the rockwool seems like it would be an issue in the long run so I think im gonna graft them and leave just one in each just to see how they might do over a while...

I think the best thats helped so far was airing them out once or twice daily since the beginning, on alot of triches and ariocarpus... out of 15 containers only one has any fungus and its proving harmless but I have tried to kill it by airing out.. it just stopped growing ... im also really fricken ocd about it and I sterilize my hands each time I mess with them @ hand soap and sanitizer lol ....

maybe air out more if you aren't doing that daily... I know with ariocarpus which are from the same region as lophs, don't care for humidity as much... but their age might determine how much drying they can take .. if its getting close to time to acclimate them then maybe that would help anyhow... a sprayer with a fine mist and clean filtered water has proven helpful to spray carefully between the seedlings as to not waterlog them

it should be easy to dry out sand and rehydrate but just make sure to watch them and don't let them get too dry for too long if they haven't begun to acclimate...

I am maybe gonna sprinkle some cinnamon on that spot... or maybe sulfur like CBL mentioned... I never would have thought of that for seedlings but sounds like it could be helpful when used carefully

Edited February 2, 2013 by Spine Collector