eric27

I was wondering if anyone has experience with cutting the pstems and treating the cut with a fungicide to prevent the dreaded black spot. And if so what kind??? This is really for winterizing purposes and leaving outside. My biggest problem has been losing big cut pstems to rot that makes its way all the way through the growing tip to the corm. The pstem is soild, but this kills the plant outright from the inside out. I'm prepping my basjoos and Mekongs now-only some of the basjoos need to be cut, something I always dread! But a few will not fit in my enclosure.

Richard

In your location, this is not a good time to wound the corm. Instead, do this during the active growing period when the plant is capable of healing.

The most earth-friendly fungicide available to consumers that actually controls tough diseases is "Liqui-Cop" sold under the Monterey Garden brand. This is not registered as "organic" for consumers, but it can be used on a licensed certified organic farm provided they follow directions explicitly. The directions on the bottle are excellent -- if not exhaustive.

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eric27

Thanks Richard! I'm not actually cutting the corm, just the ptem. There will be a lot of pstem left when I'm done, so I won't be anywhere near the corm. I'm not even digging them up. I had just heard in the pat that oem people treated the tops of the stems after cutting to avoid rot.

sandy0225

hey, do what I did this year, instead of cutting them, just bruise the stem real good and fold it over. What would it hurt to have the leaves lying there under the bags of leaves? Then it doesn't have a cut at least for whatever funk to get in there.
I'm doing an experiment, I planted a bordelon 1 foot deep, then I folded it over and protected it like a basjoo with bags of leaves just to see what happens. I'll have to say though, the only reason why i did it was because I forgot to put my pocketknife in my pocket and I was too lazy to walk all the way to the house to get it!!!(not because I thought it through)

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eric27

Thanks Sandy! That's not a bad I idea I may try that. BUT, what if they try to grow overwinter while they are bent? Will that cause a growth problem do you think? Some winters they do grow a bit when covered. Not a lot, but a bit. These are pretty big, one the leaf axis is about 10 ft, others about 8 or so.

sunfish

I've heard baking soda works pretty good as a fungicide,and could help dry the cut ?

Olafhenny

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eric27

Thanks everyone these all give me a lot to work with. It is one thing to lose them to a freeze-I can avoid that now very easily. But it's another to lose them to rot and the stem looks perfectly fine. THAT is frustrating! BUt these all give me some good ideas.

It looks like I might be able to get away with not fully covering the basjoo and Mekong until the end of the month again-or close to it. I usually always uncover them end of March early April otherwise it is way too warm inside and the heat and moisture build up lead to rot too.

Michael_Andrew

I cut my stems off at an angle so moisture is not trapped at the cut and dusted with sulfur. Worked good last year.

Olafhenny

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Richard

Not baking soda -- that's sodium bicarbonate. Instead you are looking for "sodium free" baking powder. It is made from potassium bicarbonate.

Historically, baking powder was potassium bicarbonate until manufacturers started saving money and using fine-ground baking soda instead.

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eric27

I cut some of mine last year at an angle too to keep them from cupping and water sitting in there. That seemed to help. I'll have to do that this year to all of them. I noticed in the past, as they try to grow, water sits inside the growing tip and helps contribute to rot.

eric27

By the way, where can I get sulfur for dusting the ends? Is there a certain kind to get? I have never used it before so I'm not sure if there is any reason not to use it. I know copper can be toxic. But sulfur I'm not aware of as much.

Michael_Andrew

I get sulfur at the local department store. Anyone that carries Bonide products should have it. Lowes and HD has sulfur dust.

Sulphur Safety

Says its basically non toxic but flammable.

Last year when I uncovered my Basjoos I couldn't figure what all the yellow was. Later I remembered dusting with the sulfur.