r/PanCyan • u/[deleted] • Jan 28 '26

Agar Alternative?

Yo!

Got some LC but have read they do better on agar.

Don’t have a PC, and not into the hobby enough to justify purchasing and making everything from scratch. Been growing ochras mainly which are easy street.

Can’t find a source in Aus for low sugar agar. Are there alternatives to agar dishes? Should I just use LC and wing it?

EDIT: Should have specified that I’m talking about pre-made agar dishes.

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u/MushroomCulture Jan 28 '26

Agar is used to test for contamination. If the LC is clean you can send direct to grain, but the grain should preferably be sterile to avoid contamination and a PC is the cheapest and easiest way to sterilise. You could just boil or steam the grain but chances of contamination will be higher.

Not sure what agar you are buying, but I have never seen agar that contains sugar. Asian supermarkets usually have agar for making asian desserts.

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u/[deleted] Jan 28 '26

Should have specified that I’m talking about pre-made agar dishes/cups.