Copperas

[goldsilverpro]

My wife just bought a 4# bag of Copperas, for her hydrangeas with an iron deficiency, at the regular price of $3.59 at a garden supply - Suburban Lawn & Garden in Kansas City. The brand was Hi-Yield and the color was light green. I rarely use copperas (ferrous sulfate) to drop gold so I don't know if $.90/lb is a good price or not. Sounded pretty cheap, though, especially for that small quantity. Just thought I'd pass it on.

 

[Barren Realms 007]

These are the prices around here. So I would say a good deal.

4# $4.99 a bag
15# $15.99 a bag

 

[dtectr]

Thanks to mic for his advice & help on this:
I've begun using the same brand for a VERY clean first drop, hot or cold.
I dissolve approximately 88 ml of copperas in 355 ml. of warm water, stir thoroughly, let slake for a minute or two, stir again, then filter through three (3) moistened coffee filters. I stir my AR or Poor Man's AR solution & add about 30 ml at a time until I see a definite color shift. I continue stirring, watching the pile in the bottom of my container get bigger & bigger.

The bright yellow color of the spent solution threw me for a while, but after tests with fresh stannous & further reading here, I believe that is from the copperas. As it sets, it turns a slight golden brown, as does leftover copperas I let sit in the sun!

Just my brief but positive experiences - FWIW

 

[stihl88]

GSP, let your wife know that the PH level of the soil generally needs to be below 7.5 otherwise the (Fe) is restricted and cant be accessed by the plant. For example, If Lime has previously been used to raise the PH levels then this is known as lime induced chlorosis and because (Fe) is necessary for the manufacture of chlorophyll it is necessary to reduce the PH levels to a more stable 5.5 - 6.5 in order for the plant to take up the (Fe). Also, I think you can change the color of the Hydrangeas flowers by altering the PH levels.

 

[goldsilverpro]

GSP, let your wife know that the PH level of the soil generally needs to be below 7.5 otherwise the (Fe) is restricted and cant be accessed by the plant. For example, If Lime has previously been used to raise the PH levels then this is known as lime induced chlorosis and because (Fe) is necessary for the manufacture of chlorophyll it is necessary to reduce the PH levels to a more stable 5.5 - 6.5 in order for the plant to take up the (Fe). Also, I think you can change the color of the Hydrangeas flowers by altering the PH levels.

She also bought some aluminum sulfate to lower the pH. On the label it did mention that, when using this, pink or white hydrangeas will be blue.

The bright yellow color of the spent solution threw me for a while, but after tests with fresh stannous & further reading here, I believe that is from the copperas. As it sets, it turns a slight golden brown, as does leftover copperas I let sit in the sun!

I think the yellow indicates that it has been oxidized from ferrous to ferric.

 

[Harold_V]

The bright yellow color of the spent solution threw me for a while, but after tests with fresh stannous & further reading here, I believe that is from the copperas. As it sets, it turns a slight golden brown, as does leftover copperas I let sit in the sun!

I believe, if you'll check Hoke, she recommends a few drops of HCl be added when you dissolve copperas. It should prevent the slight brown color you see (rust, really) and helps clarify the solution. What I noticed when I'd add the HCl is the solution got somewhat more clear, and the color was a slightly more vivid pale green. Give it a go!

Harold

 

[dtectr]

The bright yellow color of the spent solution threw me for a while, but after tests with fresh stannous & further reading here, I believe that is from the copperas. As it sets, it turns a slight golden brown, as does leftover copperas I let sit in the sun!

I believe, if you'll check Hoke, she recommends a few drops of HCl be added when you dissolve copperas. It should prevent the slight brown color you see (rust, really) and helps clarify the solution. What I noticed when I'd add the HCl is the solution got somewhat more clear, and the color was a slightly more vivid pale green. Give it a go!

Harold

I will give that a shot. Thanks.
dtectr

 

[Barren Realms 007]

The bright yellow color of the spent solution threw me for a while, but after tests with fresh stannous & further reading here, I believe that is from the copperas. As it sets, it turns a slight golden brown, as does leftover copperas I let sit in the sun!

I believe, if you'll check Hoke, she recommends a few drops of HCl be added when you dissolve copperas. It should prevent the slight brown color you see (rust, really) and helps clarify the solution. What I noticed when I'd add the HCl is the solution got somewhat more clear, and the color was a slightly more vivid pale green. Give it a go!

Harold

I generaly add 1/4 to 1/2 cup per liter of solution I make up. It makes everything go into solution a lot better but you will still have some sediment in the bottom of your container that needs to be removed.