Here it is -mid January and the temperature outside are dip down below 0º F , but this weather does n’t seem to be block up some of the tropical plants which are spending the colder month of the winter in the house , since even the greenhouse is too stale for them . This weekend we hosted the New England Primula Society for a lunch and glasshouse garden tour as they are design the national primrose exposition which they are hosting this twelvemonth at Tower Hill Botanic Garden in Boylston , MA in May . I was too busy to take exposure this twelvemonth but we had about 40 guests including folks from Blythewold Mansion , Gardens & Arboretum , author and garden house decorator Kris Fenderson and many cross - over NARGS friends like Ellen Hornig , Elizabeth Zander and plantswomen Amy Olmsted . ) .
I am always surprised at how far multitude drive here with many coming from New York State , Vermont , New Hampshire , Maine and Rhode Island . I try out to keep it comfortable on myself so that I could enjoy some of the meeting , which lasts most of the day start out at 11:00 am . I made grill high mallow sandwiches with fancy cheeses , a wood sorrel , lemon , and golden Beta vulgaris salad and Lycopersicon esculentum soup .
When we were clean up after our meeting Joe pointed out that one of our heavy Alocasia macrorrhizos ‘ Borneo Giant ’ plant which sit in the recession of the studio had ripe seed which somehow we missed – probably because the leaves are still gravid than we are , reach a stature of 10 animal foot or so . The seeds , which are berry - same and gloomy orange ( they should be red ) . Even though they are almost ripe , I am going to sow them as in the past , we ’ve even had fleeceable semen germinate .
If you brought an Alocasia indoors this autumn , you too may discover one of these ‘ pod ’s . Here is how I treat such seeds – but note , this is not a strict , scientific method , and I am not an aroid collector ( even though I do arise a few ) , but the seed on many aroids are treat similarly . When good , the ‘ pods ’ split open and curl downwards revealing the white , light greenish or bright , ruby-red fruit which look like ‘ Chuck Berry ’ but they are toxic so do not deplete them and it is recommend to care them with latex glove as the flesh can irritate bare peel .
The fruits must be cleaned before sowing , which is a simple project – smearing them across a few theme towels will do the deception . Some growers dowse the sporting source overnight , others rinse them off in a screen , but neither is necessary , and one could only seed them in good , professional territory mixture which is what I did . My ejaculate is not completely mature , as the yield is not late blood-red , but I have had seed germinate throughout the greenhouse in preceding years , so I am hopeful that this almost - ripe seed will germinate .
Most aroid seed if tropical , require warm temperatures in which to germinate well , and most aroid collector sites commend grunge temperatures no down in the mouth than 70º F and no in high spirits than 85º F. Because of this , I am keep my pot of seed indoors for a while . We keep many selections of Alocasia so I am singular if any of them have crossed with this plant ( I am not even sure if the flora are pollinated via beetle , dirt ball or wind ! I am being a bit lazy botanically , I admit . ) . I am rather certain that any offspring will not truly be Alocasia ‘ Borneo Giant ’ , perhaps I can mark them ex . ‘ Borneo Giant ’ ? Yes , that would be safest and the most right agency to judge these seeds .
My Alocasia seed is spread about in one of my clay pots ( I know , it ’s a bit dirty and plebeian ) . A layer of fresh filth is added to the top so that the seeded player are pose a depth of about 1/4 in .
The soil is tamped down with barely any fuss , as I have Alocasia source pour down up in pots all over the glasshouse , so I am expecting that at least a few seminal fluid will germinate for me .
I am so excited to tell you that I at last have this Nasturtium in my collection ! ! ! I do n’t utilize explaimation points that often , so I suppose that you’re able to tell apart that I am in truth frantic . I have been on a Leigh Hunt for it ever since I first read about it ( I wrote about ithere ) . As such things go , plant tribe are of a good and generous psyche , and thanks to a few people ( mainly Gail Read , the garden manager from Blythewold and Kathy Tracey atAvant Gardens – I hear , who passed it on to Gail for safe keeping in their greenhouse until Gail could get it up to me . Really – What a dedicated bunch of works people ! ) . Please do n’t ’ ask them for one , as I know they do n’t have any to partake in , but apparently Avant gardens does carry it from time to time , as doesAnnie ’s annual , but currently , they are not propagating it . I am so grateful and of course , delight . More on these rare nasturtiums soon ! First , I am off to make some cutting .
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