SV: contractile roots, rot

[Karlzita]

Jim and other AEG`rs

Even if i have little experiens with Arisaemas,i have enough with
Lilliespec.
First of all,bulbous plants have contractile roots more ore less.They can=`t
grow down by themselves like for instance rhizomes.These roots are allway=s
formed first each spring untill the bulb has come to its final
position,that can take one ore a few years,and down to about 60 cm deap.W=hy
they are formed first ,depends on that the soil has to be as wet as
possible,which is in spring.Now they can move stones and other things whi=ch
els had stoped it`s way down.They are only annual and die after having ma=de
there work.If you are moving such a bulb at that time,these flechy roots
will rot because they have lost there hold and can`t be used anymore.
About wounded Trilliumrhizomes and the use of pesticides.I realy liked Pa=ul
Christians worlds, a cow with seven legs.Why using a big hammer when it i=s
more then enough with a smal one.Never used any kind of poison during my
more then 20 years of gardening.Pauls metod using sulphurpowder sounds
good.Myself always used charcoalpowder that i get in the open fireplace.T=he
bulbs are benefit by the smal amount of pottasium in it to.Whatever of
these metods you use,they are safer for at least those who are coming aft=er
us,and don`t have unknown sideeffects.
The rotten part at the end of a rhizome i think is a naturel process.Both
the rhizome and the old roots die after a few years,at it old end.Its no
fungus nor virus.If the whole rhizome is being soft,depends on wrong
planting ore ore that it is not hard enough in your zone.  

Karl-Otto
karl-otto.zita at swipnet.se

----------
> Fr=E5n: McClements, Jim <JimMcClem at AOL.COM>
> Till: ARISAEMA-L at NIC.SURFNET.NL
> =C4mne: Re: contractile roots, rot
> Datum:  den 1 september 1997 03:49
> 
> AEG'rs
> 
> On 8-29 Louise Parsons asked:
> 
> >My question is twofold:  Do arisaema have
> >contractile roots which would pull them naturally deeper in the ground
over
> >time and is my observation correct that larger, more mature, tubers ar=e
less
> prone >to rot ?
> 
> There's no question in my mind that young arisaemas being grown in pots
pull
> themselves deeper. Whether this continues with older tubers, I don't
know.
> >From the description by some of the recent China explorers of how deep
some
> tubers are in the wild, it sounds as if it does. The only fly in the
ointment
> is that arisaema roots seem to be "annual", at least in young plants,
whereas
> I always envision contractile roots as being sturdier, older structures.
> 
> The question about rotting is one of those chicken and egg things. I
think
> that it's probably right that after an arisaema has been established in
the
> garden for a few years it's less prone to rot. But this may be more
because
> it's happy in its environment, rather than a function of size or age. T=he
> opposite may be true for freshly purchased tubers. My experience is tha=t
the
> large ones are MORE prone to rot than the small ones, which is
undoubtedly
> due to their being injured during the collection and transporting
process.
> 
> I'd certainly like to hear some other input on this.
> 
> Jim McClements