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hardy  Aroids)" <ARISAEMA-L at NIC.SURFNET.NL> Aroids)" <ARISAEMA-L at NIC.SURFNET.NL>
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From: "S.& R. Illingworth" <illingwr at AIR.ON.CA>
Subject: Re: The North Country
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Ray asked
>OK Canadians, How are your seed progressing?
>
We washed or soaked our seed by putting each seed lot in a small glass fi=led
with water. The water was changed daily. This went on for about a week
although if the seed swelled in size we planted it. Seed was planted in
Promix which was amended with Turface and grit and left at 60-70 F to
germinate fully. In checking this AM all seedlings with the exception of =A.
sazensoo, A. penninsulare and A. serratum are flourishing.  The seedlings=of
these three species are small ... about 1/3rd the size of of the other
arisaema. We don't do seed counts or figure out the percentages but we
consider the germination to be very good with the exception of sazensoo e=t
al which has been lower. These three have germinated later and in lower
numbers. A. amurense took the longest to pop up.  All seedlings are
underlights in a cool room. The most interesting seedlings are A.
heterophyllum with a compound leaf on the of the leaf stalk.

Our stored tubers are still in the root cellar with the exception of A.
sikokianum. As soon as I realized they were stirring I repotted everythin=g
and broke up all the community seed pots. We have had a continuing parade=of
blooming sikokianium on the kitchen counter.  With the exception of
sikokianium we are trying to keep everything else dormant. So far so good.

We are planning a raised bed this year for our small arisaema collection.
the bed will be raised only slightly, maybe 6 to 8 inches above the exist=ing
soil surface held in place with scavenged half rotted logs from the bush.
The idea is to improve the soil in the bed in the hope that the tubers gr=ow
on better than they would in pots and harvest them each fall for storage.
I'm sure there others are doing this already.  We will continue to try al=l
of these plants in the open garden but we are reluctant to risk everythin=g
to chance. What we have got to learn here is to be more willing to plant =the
tubers deeper than we have been.

Unlike Kristl and Lois Anne Addison in the Ottawa area our winter has bee=n
very easy (so far). Just enough snow to protect everything (we hope) and
warmer temperatures than normal. Lowest temp so far was -24C where we can
expect that as a high for several weeks each winter. This has been our
easiest winter ever. The snow is beating a hasty retreat but we will see
more of it before we can say spring is here.

Rob Illingworth
near  Thunder Bay