Refrigerator time

[Paul Christian]

Hi All Phellow Phalloid Phanciers,

Can I ask a dumb question ?  (yes when anyone says that you know it WILL be
dumb) but why would anyone want to put an Arisaema in the fridge ?

I can understand that many spp. need a cool dormancy and thus, yes, I can
see it in California, but most of the posting come from cooler areas than
this (I think).

If planted shallowly some species will freeze through and die but has anyone
actually planted in the garden and left them through one or more winters,
and then been able to say "yes it did die of cold / wet".  (not forgetting
that not every death in winter means "not hardy").

I don't mean this to be a "smart alec" posting but a genuine question to
raise the subject of what is hardy and what is not.  Here, and probably
everywhere, A. amurense is totally hardy.  Given where it comes from no
surprise I am sure, BUT, in winter bulb mites can wreak havoc and kill them
away totally.  If I lift and dry, maybe powder with sulphur or dose with
Kelthane, then they don't die.  This does not happen in summer, just in
winter when the balance swings towards favouring the mites and fungal pests,
a winter problem but it is not a hardiness problem to my mind.

For the record I leave everything in the ground all the time.

Paul
Paul :-))
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Paul Christian   - Rare Plants
Internet Site    - http://rareplants.co.uk
e-mail           - paul at rareplants.co.uk
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