Re: Proud mama (arums)

From: W T McClure <W.T.McClure at durham.ac.uk> on 1997.01.14 at 17:13:45(125) I've been itching to ask a couple of questions but, as all other 'beginners' on the list can sympathise with, I've refrained from asking for fear of being branded a moron. However, i ask myself these questions over and over again because the subjects come up time and again. First, why is that when aroid tubers go dormant do growers generally stick them in a box or what have you? What's wrong with leaving them in the pot to grow again? Presumably, in the wild they don't get up and go into a cave to rest. Is it because the potting medium is exhausted of nutrients? The other question is how do you deal with sowing seeds that take up to a year or more to germinate? Do you vigilantly keep the seed compost moist at just the oh-so-right level for such an incredibly long time? Is it possible to germinate these seeds in the home or is equipment associated with glasshouse or conservatories necessary? I imagine that people who regularly sow aroids seeds must have a large number of seed pans scattered everywhere as well as growing plants. The attention and organisation involved in keeping track of these 'lifeless' seeds and their environment would seem to me mind-boggling. I guess love knows no bounds (barf!). I know that when I try to germinate seeds outside of early spring they almost always don't germinate and rot, or they germinate and rot anyway. +More Thanks for any info. Sincerely Wiliam Perez

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