Applying Silver Nitrate & Sodium Thiosulfate Mixture for Fem Pollen

xtsho said:

I use the same formula that you list except in larger amounts. I got the formula from a different site.

0.5 grams Silver Nitrate + 500ml H2O
2.5 grams sodium thiosulfate (anhydrous) + 500 ml H2O
Mix those and then mix together to form solution
Then 1 part solution to 9 parts water.

I got 1/4 lb of sodium thiosulfate on Amazon for $5.99 and 25 grams of silver nitrate for $28. That will last a long time but I think I'll start mixing smaller batches since I end up dumping what I don't use.
I like this formula over the collodial silver method because you don't have to spray everyday. One application and then 12/12.

You really need to spray this on until it's dripping off. I let it dry and spray a second time. Put in 12/12 and wait.
Be careful with the silver nitrate as it will stain. Especially make sure you don't get it on a white counter top unless you want purple stains.
Just put some newspaper down and spray over that.

I would spray the whole plant. What I do is grow a rooted clone out for a couple weeks and use that. Harvest the pollen and toss the rest of the plant.
Here is a picture of one that's had it's sex reversed using this method showing male pollen sacks after a couple weeks. It was really small but you only need a little pollen because it goes a long way.

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spek9 said:

Sorry to revive such an old post, but I'm finding conflicting information that I can't get a straight answer for, and I know you've used STS for some time.

I'm wondering if I mix the Sodium Thiosulphate with H2O and store it in an amber bottle, and the Silver Nitrate & H2O in another amber bottle, if these two mixtures would stay viable for any length of time (being separate), and then just mix the two chemical mixtures together at the appropriate amounts when I go to use it.

The idea is solely to prevent having to drag out my scale, funnels, mixing stuff etc each time I go to use some.

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xtsho said:

The solutions last longer by themselves rather than mixed together to form STS. But I don't know how long each stays viable. I always just mix up enough for about three sprays and use it within 2 weeks. Works every time.

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Hot Diggity Sog said:

I make a quart of each...enough to probably last a life time.
When I want to make a spray mix, a little from Part A and a little from Part B and water, and bingo...instant spray.

This is it:

Part A
1.9 grams Silver Nitrate
1 Gallon water

Part B
19 grams Sodium Thiosulfate Anhydrous
1 Gallon water

Everyone says to use distilled water, but I just use RO water and it's fine.

To make a spray
10 parts water
2 parts A
1 part B

If you want to make smaller stock, just divide down.
The spray itself won't last a long time so just mix what you need over 1 to 2 weeks.
But the stock solutions will last a very long time.

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TheChemist77 said:

Just wondering once I make the part A&B do they need to be stored in the fridgerator ? Or just a dark closet or something? Also once mixed should I keep that in fridge? I know once mixed the STS spray only stays good for feminizing for about 2 weeks…. Thanks for the response, I’ll just make a gallon of each and store sperately, then when I need to use I was thinking I could just measure like 2 shot glasses of A , 1 shot glass of B and 10 shot glasses of distilled water,mix, and put in spray bottle should be more than enough to feminize a few branches. And the seperate solutions stay good for years huh?

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Hot Diggity Sog said:

Mine are about 3 years old now and seem perfect still. I don't keep them in the fridge.

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TheChemist77 said:

Thanks! I used to buy Tiresias mist, then bought coildal silver, then bought silver and tried to make my own, coildal silver never worked the stuff I made no good, Tiresias mist worked but only used 1/4 of it then used it again and it had gone bad. Then bought STS payed $70 for 2 bags of each, I followed the directions and it worked great but it had me mix all A &B together and made like a quart, used a fraction of it the rest went bad..now I’ve bought ingredients and I’ll make it myself and save lots. Anyways I’m glad I ran across this thread. Wish I had seen it years ago. I’ve got a TH seeds chocolate chunk just waiting to be feminized. I’m even going to do some crosses with the pollen collected. Chocolate chunk is mainly indica, also have a pure afghan female, and a cheese candy, and island sweet skunk, both sativa dominant. Maybe using the chocolate chunk pollen on the sativa dominant plants will produce some good offspring?

ok best crosses or S1’s ? I’d love to hear from all of you STS users,,,, what’s best crosses???

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TheChemist77 said:

Thanks! I used to buy Tiresias mist, then bought coildal silver, then bought silver and tried to make my own, coildal silver never worked the stuff I made no good, Tiresias mist worked but only used 1/4 of it then used it again and it had gone bad. Then bought STS payed $70 for 2 bags of each, I followed the directions and it worked great but it had me mix all A &B together and made like a quart, used a fraction of it the rest went bad..now I’ve bought ingredients and I’ll make it myself and save lots. Anyways I’m glad I ran across this thread. Wish I had seen it years ago. I’ve got a TH seeds chocolate chunk just waiting to be feminized. I’m even going to do some crosses with the pollen collected. Chocolate chunk is mainly indica, also have a pure afghan female, and a cheese candy, and island sweet skunk, both sativa dominant. Maybe using the chocolate chunk pollen on the sativa dominant plants will produce some good offspring?

ok best crosses or S1’s ? I’d love to hear from all of you STS users,,,, what’s best crosses???

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Hot Diggity Sog said:

I'll comment on your specific question soon but first, I need to issue a warning on the shelf life of the stock solutions I posted.
I recently ran into a female that was very difficult to turn male. I thought I just had an outlier but then I had a 2nd very recently that just did not want to turn male. The only explanation is that my stock solutions have lost their "umph". I hate reading bad advice and I especially hate giving it so a heads-up to all...stock solutions do have a shelf life.

The short answer to your question about S1's. I don't have a lot of experience creating S1's but the little I do have suggests that creating an S1 is not at all going to give you seeds that are identical. Maybe if you're selfing something that is stable, sure. But if you try and S1 something that is an F1, don't bother. I've had much better success just picking out the best 2 from F1. Cross those. Pick out the best 2 from those. And so on. My 2 cents.

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xtsho said:

Well I pollinated the recipient plant last night. Now I'm going to collect the rest of the pollen and save it in the freezer to use in the future. Some plants reverse better than others. This one was one of the better ones. Pollens just spilling out. I just used a small paintbrush to go straight from donor to recipient. I pollinated the entire recipient plant except for one branch that I have already pollinated with some pollen from a PCK + Durban F3 X Panama + Ruderalis. Now I'll cut the tops off, collect the rest of the pollen, and into the freezer it goes.

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Hot Diggity Sog said:

I'll comment on your specific question soon but first, I need to issue a warning on the shelf life of the stock solutions I posted.
I recently ran into a female that was very difficult to turn male. I thought I just had an outlier but then I had a 2nd very recently that just did not want to turn male. The only explanation is that my stock solutions have lost their "umph". I hate reading bad advice and I especially hate giving it so a heads-up to all...stock solutions do have a shelf life.

The short answer to your question about S1's. I don't have a lot of experience creating S1's but the little I do have suggests that creating an S1 is not at all going to give you seeds that are identical. Maybe if you're selfing something that is stable, sure. But if you try and S1 something that is an F1, don't bother. I've had much better success just picking out the best 2 from F1. Cross those. Pick out the best 2 from those. And so on. My 2 cents.

Click to expand...