CULT: Seed Pods
From: Sharon McAllister <73372.1745@compuserve.com>
O.K. folks, once again we seem to be talking about two different things.
Almost-ripe seed pods, whether broken off by accident or deliberately
harvested, will ripen and split given only the plain-water treatment. It's
easy. It works. 'Nuff said.
Immature seed pods, however, need some TLC if they're to be salvaged.
Plain water doesn't provide enough sustenance. I've heard that Sprite is
preferable -- but when I tried it my stalks rotted. Perhaps those
particular pods were simply too immature to save, but the
potato-as-surrogate-mom approach has worked well for me so I've stuck with
it.
1. Select a potato that is past its culinary prime and energetically
sending out sprouts. After bloom season, given my disinclination to cook
at that time, I usually have a wide selection of these <G>. Remember: No
Sprouts = Rot Prone.
2. Use the "eye" part of a potato peeler to bore a cylindrical hole
into the long axis of the potato, at least an inch deep and ending near the
center of the potato, as close to the size of the stalk as you can get.
Too small is better than too large, 'cause you can always cut out more.
The goal is a tight seal. When I was learning how to do this, I usually
had to sacrifice more than one potato to get a proper "fit".
3. Insert the stalk in the potato UNDER WATER to get a good seal.
Then remove the assembly and prop it up vertically. I usually use a large
glass to hold the potato upright.
4. Watch it! Add a drop or two of water to the junction every day to
maintain the seal. If the stalk shrinks enough to break the seal, or the
potato starts to rot -- trim the stalk and sacrifice another potato for the
cause.
I've found that this almost always works for pods that have reached
full-size, even though they are not mature enough to ripen in plain water.
It often works for under-sized pods. I'm optimistic if the pod is even 4
weeks old, but if it was an important cross I'll try the potato method even
if the odds are against success. I haven't found anything better and, IMO,
even a slim chance is better than none.
Sharon McAllister
73372.1745@compuserve.com
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