danthecpman Posted February 11, 2010 Report Share Posted February 11, 2010 Hi all I have not long obtained some drosera linearis seed and i was wanting to experiment with the medium. I was going to sow some on an alkaline medium and some on an acid medium to see which ones germinate/grow better. I was just wondering if anyone knows of anything that i could add to the peat to make it alkaline? Regards Dan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil Green Posted February 11, 2010 Report Share Posted February 11, 2010 Why not just use an alkaline medium ? The only advantage of peat, is it's PH. If you don't need that, then use something else like a regular John Innes compost (I think its No.1 which has least fertiliser), maybe with added sand. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jimscott Posted February 11, 2010 Report Share Posted February 11, 2010 Crushed coral should accomplish that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
osmosis Posted February 11, 2010 Report Share Posted February 11, 2010 I seem to remember there is such a thing as sedge peat that is already alkaline? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
danthecpman Posted February 11, 2010 Author Report Share Posted February 11, 2010 I seem to remember there is such a thing as sedge peat that is already alkaline? Hi Ye i was looking into sedge peat but wasn't entirely sure about its PH, Cheers Dan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ferreol Posted February 12, 2010 Report Share Posted February 12, 2010 Pulverized chalk will do that but be carefull, don't use the chalk for writing on blackboards as it is often gypsum. In France we can found some called "blanc de Meudon" or "Blanc d'Espagne" as it's white and it cames from Meudon, a subburb of Paris, or from Spain. It used to serve to put it on windows of shop when they definitely closed or to put on greenhouses. Maybe you can found something like that in England. You can also use some calcium hydroxide, traditionally called slaked lime, hydrated lime, slack lime, or pickling lime but I don't know how much you have to put in your peat. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mobile Posted February 12, 2010 Report Share Posted February 12, 2010 Pulverized chalk will do that but be carefull, don't use the chalk for writing on blackboards as it is often gypsum. Why can't gypsum be used? I've read somewhere that it can be added to Mexican Pinguicula mix. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ferreol Posted February 12, 2010 Report Share Posted February 12, 2010 Why can't gypsum be used? I've read somewhere that it can be added to Mexican Pinguicula mix. My english is too poor to explain correctly that but i will try to do it with my words. Gypsum is calcium sulfate and chalk calcium carbonate. If you put an acid on calcium carbonate it will be a chemical reaction, the carbonate will go out as gazeous CO2 and the acid is neutralized. If you put an acid on calcium sulfate, it won't be a reaction and you will have calcium sulfate and the acid. Gypsum is recommended for some mexican Pinguicula because they love calcium and calcium suflate has a better solubility in water than calcium carbonate. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jimscott Posted February 13, 2010 Report Share Posted February 13, 2010 I was considering using gypsum for P. gypsicola, but it didn't seem necessary, since the plants do fine with the mix that I have been using. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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