Date: Thu, 18 Nov 1999 01:38:14 -0500 From: "Dave Evans" <dpevans@rci.rutgers.edu> To: cp@opus.hpl.hp.com Message-Id: <aabcdefg3916$foo@default> Subject: Re: dormancy questions
Dear David,
> While I've read that Sarr and VFT should be kept on the dry side during
> dormancy, I'm starting to question that advice. These cp's live in areas
> with wet winters so the advice of a drier dormancy doesn't make sense. I
> think people may have had problems during dormancy because of their
specific
> growing conditions, for instance, a stale medium, poor air circulation.
My
> Sarr and VFT remain outside in bogs and experience very wet winters. The
> seedlings I have indoors over winter are in pots that are always sitting
in
> water. I wouldn't worry too much about trying to keep your medium on the
> dry side over winter. At most, avoid having the water level close to
the
> rhizome.
You are right. I think the reason for this advice is simply to avoid
stagant conditions over winter. The temps are lower as well as the light
and this is a great time for diseases to attack. Keeping the soil drier, in
culture, is one surfire way of stopping disease causing organims from
becoming too numerous.
> The brevifolia I've grown have done well for about a year, produced
flowers
> and seeds and then promptly died. It's normal, although Barry proclaims
> <gr> to have a super duper brevifolia that lives longer.
Are you sure they died? D.cistiflora also appears to die as soon as
they flower, but are only dormant in their tuber like roots... I'm not
saying that it is easy to keep them alive over dormancy, but I have found
live roots in what appears to be a dead pot. Collect the seed though, it is
not an easy plant to keep for several years.
Dave Evans
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