Re: CULT: cloroxing for rot

LMann76543@aol.com wrote:
> 
> Not to change the subject from complaints about catalogs and AIS, but I
> didn't get an answer to my question about soaking seed pods to stop the rot
> process so now that everybody is back from convention (or convent as Walter
> Moores calls it), I will try again.
> 
> I have some seed pods that have had supporting stalks rot off.  On at least
> one, the rot started in the middle of the stalk, not at the base.  I have
> tried to salvage them by putting the cut stalks in a mixture of Sprite and
> sugar water, but they continued to rot.  I couldn't remember what
> concentration of clorox water everybody recommended for rot cure or how long
> might be a good length of time.  So I just mixed 'some' in a dishpan and
> submerged everybody and sloshed them around a bit and rinsed them off with
> cold water.  Two seem to be doing ok now, one is teetering, and two have lost
> enough pod that they remind me of the Terminator - lot of innerds showing.
> 
> I assume these last two are not going to have germinable seeds even though
> the seeds look full sized.  Most are white, but some have a brownish cover on
> them.
> 
> Any suggestions on concentration and duration of clorox soak?
> 
> Also, is it a good idea to do preventative soaking or Comet dusting of
> remaining stalks with pods in the garden?  This rainy spell is really
> something.  Every couple of days I dump 1 to 3 inches of rain out of the
> gauge.  At least it's still cool - highs in 60s or low 70s.  Hard to believe
> temps up the East coast.
> 
> Linda Mann lmann76543@aol.com east Tennessee USA
Linda, we normally have two or three hundred pods of seeds and they are
spread out throughout the fields making it difficult to harvest the
seeds as they ripen.  About 15 years ago we instituted the following
system that has worked fine.  We collect all the stems in mid-June and
put them in 5 gallon plastic buckets with about 2-3 inches of water.  I
use about a cup of clorox per bucket to minimize rot.  As the stems do
continue sometimes to rot, I simply cut off the rotted portion and put
them back in the buckets.  As the seeds dry and pods start to split, we
shell out the seeds into styrofoam cups and cover with paper napkins
held with rubber bands.  The seeds and their tag then dry in the cups
until October when they are numbered on the computer and lined out for
germination.  We keep the cans of seed pods on bloom stems in the shade
where they will stay dry.  If a pod rots right at the base where it
connects to the stem, we will let the pod dry out and hope the seeds
germinate.
Hope this helps.
Bill Maryott San Jose, CA
Other Mailing lists | Author Index | Date Index | Subject Index | Thread Index