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From: Oleg Vasiliev <ovasiliev at GO.COM>
Subject: Re: Winter cold Period
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Hello Ray and All,

Last year we had discussion about winter storage of arisaema in fridge.

Now I have some more date about it, but I will start with result of testi=ng hardiness in my garden under Moscow, Russia (zone 3-4) in 1999-2000 wi=nter. I plant 4 arisaemas in the garden. All plants ware covered with 15c=m of sphagnum moss and two layers of plastic atop for better water protec=tion. In the spring 50% of A. candidissimum and A. ciliatum var liubaense=ware alive (two from four). I get very good result with A. franchetianum=(all 3 tubers survived) and A. sikokianum (1 was planted and was alive).=I keep all my Arisaema Triphyllum in the garden without protection or wi=th little mulch.

It's more likely that A. candidissimum and A. ciliatum ware lost due to e=xtremely wet soil rather then low temperature. This winter I took 23 diff=erent sp. for testing hardiness and plant them in very dry place with the=same cover as in 1999-2000. I let you know result late.

Now about keeping tubers in the fridge. I agree that arisaema should stay=dry during winter. I keep my plants in dry sphagnum moss in plastic bag =at 39F (+4C). When I use wet moss I had trouble with rotting and some tim=es with mould. Another disadvantage of wet storage - is new root grows in=March-April (when plants get enough cold treatment).

Last years I have only one problem with arisaemas - splitting of tubers a=nd subsequent rotting during the summer. I suspect that splitting (cracki=ng) of tubers in the garden may have some relation with dry winter storag=e or late planting. For some reason I can't plant my arisaema early in th=e spring (middle of April) when average temperature about 40F (5C). Usual=ly I start planting between 10-15 of May. As I know, in nature, arisaema =form new roots before upgrowth of leaf. In my case leaf and rot start gro=wth at the same time and I think young root can't supply plant with water=and tubers desiccated, reduce one's own size. Late in the summer root su=pply water to the tubers; they increase one's size and start splitting. I=found very good correlation between splitting and raining (watering) dur=ing summer. That is why I prefer to keep my plants from abundance of wate=r during summer too.
It's interesting that I have no problem with splitting of small tubers - =only old, second or third years of flowering plants like to splitting and=rot. In general I would say tall, fast awake arisaemas (like A. ciliatum=var liubaense) like to split and rot. Last summer I lost 7 from 9 A. cil=iatum during the summer. All ware in its second or third years of bloom. =Young A.ciliatum ware fine - no splitting, no rot.

It's also possible that splitting is result of short summer in Moscow. I =have to harvest most arisaemas between 15-20 of October, when they still =grow. Some part of tuber's shell may not mature and split next summer. To=solve this problem I keep tubers at room temperature till end of Novembe=r.

Does old arisaemas in nature have problem with splitting? If they have no=splitting problem - I would say I keep (growth) my plants in wrong envir=onment.

Oleg

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