a very sad day

[MJ Hatfield]

A very sad day! Perhaps my husband is right, I should be growing
pansies!

I dug up the dormant (without leaves) Arisaema last night and was
greatly disappointed in what I found. Nearly 1/3 could not be found, 1/3
were rotted and 1/3 were generally alright. (others are still growing)
The results were regardless of species or size of tuber, young 2 year
olds were as dead as mature ones.
2 large tubers of A.griffithii from B&T (4/97)
2   "      "      A.urishima from Autumn Glade (5/96)
1 A.urishima from Autumn Glade (2/97) OK
2   "      "      A.speciosum from Wayside (5/96)
1 A.speciosum from Wayside (5/96) OK
2 Pinellia pedatisecta from Ellen (5/97)
3 A.erubescens from '96 seed (second year)
1 A.erubescens from '96 seed OK
2 A.francetianum from '96 seed OK
1 large tuber of A.costatum from Will Ward (5/96)
Still growing:
2 large A.jacquemontii from Autumn Glade (5/97)
2   "   A.candidissimum from Ellen (5/97)
2   "   A.francetianum from Ellen (5/97)
2   "   A.erubescens from Autumn Glade (5/97)
1 A.erubescens from '96 seed
1 unknown from '96 seed
3 A.tortuosum from '96 seed
2 A.franchetianum from '96 seed
80% of the '96 seed are either in pots or the refridgerator
In this bed the 3 Colocasias are just emerging, the Am.konjac is just
starting to emerge and the 1 Sauromatum has been up and growing since
May.

Perhaps the bed is in too much shade, growing under a canopy of mature
oak trees but that is where the native Arisaemas are growing. But I
think the culprit was our long, cold and wet spring.

Any thoughts on the matter. I haven't given up. And I'm not growing
pansies.

MJ Hatfield
central Iowa, zone 4B/5A