Re: Seeds and Maturation
- Subject: Re: Seeds and Maturation
- From: J*@aol.com
- Date: Thu, 10 Oct 2002 01:06:24 EDT
Bill wrote:
<<another woman called, Maureen, suggested we stick the flower scapes into a
fresh potato, saying it works with her Iris flower stalks, to ripen these
seeds?>>
I haven't had any success with the 'scapes'n'spuds' technique. I've tried
yukon, russet, and red potatoes, but none seem to have enough internal
moisture to keep the scape from drying out. Perhaps it would be more
successful with potatoes rooted in water... (I asked Maureen if she uses
rooted potatoes and she said 'no.')
Bill also wrote:
<<Considering everything, hosta seed can be ripened via seed stalk soaking
quite effectively, on the short term basis, but then, those very late season
flowering hostas, like say longipes types, have never shown any seed
germination. longipes types, which require over a month to ripen their seeds
this way, have never shown me any germination at all from seed stalk ripening
routines? >>
I'll let you know if it works for me, Bill. I'm currently maturing about 15
scapes, most from longipes-derivative hostas, in sugar water. I haven't
added fungicide or bleach yet, but probably will at some point. This morning
I self-pollinated 5 flowers on a scape that was cut 4 days ago. Hopefully I
can keep this scape going long enough to see if viable seeds are produced.
John Christensen
Ann Arbor, Michigan, Zone 5
---------------------------------------------------------------------
To sign-off this list, send email to majordomo@hort.net with the
message text UNSUBSCRIBE HOSTA-OPEN
