Broken stems/pods
- Subject: Broken stems/pods
- From: h* &* b* p*
- Date: Fri, 27 Jul 2001 07:43:08 +1000
Donald Eaves said:
>>Pods with larger holes eaten into them had bits of facial tissue stuffed in the holes, then coated with the glue. Seemed to confine the damage and closed an entry hole for further insect invasion. The only seeds that seemed to be affected were those the worms had gotten anyway.<<
We have a similar problem/issue with our La. iris seed pods. In an effort to minimise damage to our special pods we usually cover them with either skin-coloured or black-coloured pantihose toes. These protect the developing pods from excess sun damage (remember, we have ozone-depleted sunshine down here in the Land of Oz!), discourage the bugs from taking a bite (they don't usually try to eat something which is either brown or black as it seems to translate as "dead" and therefore not tasty!) , will catch any seeds that fall out as the pod ripens and splits and will swell with the pods as they grow. It seems to work a treat!
For pods which are snapped off by the sheer weight of a mature La. iris seed pod, we usually cut them off and give them the "life support treatment".
We have tried this successfully over many seasons now, so can advise that it is a successful method for us.
Firstly, we make a clean cut at the base of the pod, then we place the pod in a small vase which contains 50% Seven-Up (or any other similar product) and 50% water.
Ideally the base of the pod should rest on the lip of the small vase so that the stem does not have to "carry" the pod's weight.
Ensure that the mixure of Seven-Up/Water is sufficiently high enough in the vase to ensure that the pod stem can drink it up easily, but never let the pod stem become exposed to air, nor bogged down in the mixure.
Leave the pod/vase in a place where it can get the same amount of natural light (but not necessarily direct sunlight) as the pods growing in the garden does (a window shelf, under a skylight etc.) Then wait.
When you are harvesting the rest of your pods, harvest the life support pod and plant the seed as per normal.
We have found that germination rates for the "life support pods" is almost identical to the garden grown ones. Our ELAINE'S WEDDING is a testament to the success of this procedure, as it was from a life support pod.
It is certainly a method worth trying as it will save you waiting another twelve months to "do" the cross again.
Cheers for now,
Heather Pryor
Sydney, Land of Oz.
irishaven@pip.com.au
Visit our website at: www.pip.com.au/~irishaven
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