@Tragen353,
ITEMS YOU WILL NEED WHEN MAKING STS:
Brown Glass Bottle and Sprayer Top (Pint)
Trash Bag and Tape
Digital or Other .xx Accurate Gram Scale
Distilled or R/O Water
(2)500ml Brown Glass Bottles
2 Glass Mixing Containers (I used Pyrex 2-cup measures)
Dawn Ultra Dish Soap or other plain soap/surfactant
(2)60cc Syringes
Silver Nitrate
Sodium Thiosulfate (Anhydrous or Pentahydrate)
Painter's Mask
Gloves
Mixing the A and B "Stock" Solutions
STS is stored as two solutions, A & B. When kept sealed, cool and without exposure to light, they are very stable. Separately, they can be stored for months without issue. Once mixed their life span is about 1 month, but only if kept cool, sealed and in the dark. ;) This mix is diluted with r/o water before spraying on plants.
Stock Solution A
Fill the pyrex 2-cup measure to the 500ml line with r/o water
Measure .5 Grams of Silver Nitrate using the digital scale
Slowly pour the silver nitrate crystals in to the 500ml of r/o water while stirring
Stir until dissolved (15 seconds)
Pour the solution in to the 500ml brown glass bottle and cap it tightly
LABEL the bottle "STS PART A" in a clear and long lasting fashion
Thoroughly wash and rinse the pyrex measuring cup
Stock Solution B
Fill the pyrex 2-cup measure to the 500ml mark with r/o water
Measure 2.5 Grams of Sodium Thiosulfate Anhydrous OR 3.9Grams of Sodium Thiosulfate Pentahydrate
Add the Sodium Thiosulfate to the r/o water while stirring
Stir until completely dissolved (30-45 seconds)
Pour the Sodium Thiosulfate solution in to a 500ml brown glass bottle and cap it tightly
LABEL the bottle "STS PART B" in a clear and long lasting fashion
Throughly wash and rinse the pyrex measuring cup
I store these solutions in the 500ml brown glass bottles and mix fresh before diluting for spraying. It is best to keep them in the fridge. ;)
Mixing and Diluting the Stock Solutions Before Spraying
ALWAYS Mix Part A in to Part B! This means putting part B in a container first and then adding part A while stirring. The measurements listed here make 1 quart, which fits the size of the sprayer and bottles I posted above. This amount provides plenty of solution for a 2' tall plant, sprayed every 5 days for 30 days.
When stored in a dark cool place, the mixed solution is effective for approximately 1 month. The A and B solutions will be effective for at least 6 months.
For 1 Quart of Solution: which will fit the sprayer listed:
Use a 60cc syringe and suck up 50ml of Part B solution
Gently squirt the Part B solution in to the Pyrex measuring cup
Completely rinse the syringe or use a second clean syringe
Suck up 50cc of Part B Solution
While stirring the stock solution in the measuring cup rapidly (I use a small Stainless Steel Whisk), gently squirt the 50cc's of Part A solution in to the measuring cup. Go slowly, yet quickly enough to completely mix them within 30 seconds.
REMEMBER it's IMPORTANT to DILUTE!
Without dilution this solution will burn plants When the above directions are followed you will have 100ml of mixed stock solution in a pyrex measuring cup. Pour this solution into the 1 quart, brown glass bottle with the sprayer top and then fill the bottle the rest of the way with r/o or distilled water. (800+ml)
This dilution rate is very close to a 1:9, stock:water mixture. Add 6-10 drops of Dawn Ultra dish soap (or other soap/surfactant, some people use yucca extract), shake gently and spray until the soap mixture is being sprayed. Test it on a leaf. The mixture should stick to the leaf without beading up and rolling off.
If necessary, add additional drops of soap until the solution sticks/spreads well. You can also use Yucca extract as a spreader/surfactant, instead of the dish soap. (I cannot reccomend Tween-80 even though other have said it works. I personally cannot use it without having serious memory, mood and logic problems when exposed to the Polysorbate in Tween-80.)
Light Proof the Sprayer Bottle!
I know it's a brown glass bottle and a black plastic top, I still covered it further. Since I keep it in the fridge, there is definitely strong light when the door is open. ;) I put the sprayer in a black plastic trash bag and folded it in a few layers around the bottle, then taped it in place. It's not sexy, but it works. :) You can see it in the photo of the chemicals and bottles above.
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