Re: Dormancy & P. grandifloria
Phil (cp@pwilson.demon.co.uk)
Thu, 5 Sep 1996 21:50:40 GMT
In your message dated Tuesday 3, September 1996 you wrote :
> This will be the first time I've ever taken a temperate Ping through its
> dormancy. Does anyone have any pointers for letting my P. grandifloria go
> dormant in its pot? (Our cool weather starts about October and my balcony
> barely gets to 0C or 32F in the winter.) Or should I follow Slack's
method
> of keeping the hibernacula in the refrigerator till next spring.
> Any and all suggestions welcome.
> Many thanks in advance,
> John Phillips Email: phillips@library.ucsf.edu
> Information Services
> UCSF Health Sciences Library Rm 202
> San Francisco, CA 94143-0840
> Ph:(415) 476-8383 FAX:(415) 476-7940
>
>
I doubt whether you would have too much trouble keeping the dormant
hibernacula through one of you winters. I assume your plant hasn't gone
dormant yet but surely will do so soon. Once dormant just keep the pot damp
and don't allow the plant to get too warm, i.e. keep it out of direct sun
etc.
The fridge method is not a bad idea but I have found that it is very
difficult to control fungal attacks which can destroy a plant in days or
less.
To add some insurance, once the plant has formed it's hibernacula you
should be able to see small green gemmae attached to the base of the bud,
usually just beneathe the soil level. Each one of these will form an
additional plant in the spring and you can easily detach them now and plant
them out.
Hope this helps.
--
Phil Wilson
(cp@pwilson.demon.co.uk)