Question about Grapsospadix (soil and rot)

[George R. Stilwell, Jr.]

>
>I've switched my plants to my bonsai soil mix, which is basically sifted
>pine bark and crushed red lava rock.  It holds moisture but does not stay
>wet, and the moisture content can be regulated be adjusting the bark/rock
>ratio.  The rhizome bunch seems to dislike being planted too deeply.  Some
>roots will even run around on the surface of the soil.  I also plan on
>doing a better job of drenching the soil with a fungicide called "Subdue"
>this next go-around, and I'm staying away from organic fertilizers too.
>
>Thoughts anyone?
>
>Russell

The mix makes sense, Russell, but the Subdue is questionable. I've used it
for years to prevent Phytophthora root rot in Rhododendrons with marginal
results. It seems to delay the death of the plant but not prevent it from
dying. The effect is almost nil if the plant is already infected.

What has worked for me is Messenger. A light spray on even severely
infected plants has caused them to revive beyond belief. I have no idea if
it would work on Arisaema, but it's worth a shot.

Unlike Subdue which acts to kill the invading organism. Messenger
stimulates a gene in the plant itself causing it's immune system to
activate strongly. It was discovered at Cornell University, is manufactured
and marketed by Eden Biochemical, and, until recently, was only available
in quantities suitable for treating hundreds of acres of cotton and such.
But now they package it for home use and you can order it directly from
their website.
http://www.edenbio.com/

Although my garden was used for early experiments with Messenger to see if
it was as effective on ornamentals as on cash crops, I have no connections
with Eden. I just have had excellent results with Messenger.

Ray