Re: Snails, Ceph Pollination

From: Paul Temple (Paultemple@ecologycal.demon.co.uk)
Date: Sun May 09 1999 - 13:48:02 PDT


Date: Sun, 09 May 1999 20:48:02 +0000
From: Paul Temple <Paultemple@ecologycal.demon.co.uk>
To: cp@opus.hpl.hp.com
Message-Id: <aabcdefg1597$foo@default>
Subject: Re: Snails, Ceph Pollination

First on snails, just about any commercial snail killer will work but
obey the advice - do not put pellets onto the soft parts of the plant.
(It makes no difference if pellets touch hard stems like Sarracenia
rhizomes.) However, the most important thing is to not treat the plants
just once. You'll need to treat plants probably once a week every week
for all summer and autumn to be even hopeful of a full cure. A more
interesting option is to use nematodes available mail order. These
wander around (they're microscopic so you won't notice) and find snails
which they then treat as potential lunch! This may not kill all the
snails but keeps them under control and is preferred by those who favour
vegetarian ethics.

As to Ceph pollination, (I'll skip the "expert grower" comment as in 20
years of growing CP I've learn I can kill anything!), I thought I'd
mention that you can pollinate one flower with pollen from another
flower of the same flower stem. Just tickle each open flower in
succession with a small paintbrush. I've never been able to
self-pollinate a single flower with its own pollen but that may just be
my lack of skill though it isn't uncommon to find individual flowers do
not self.

Not a full response to either question - just adding bits I thought important.

Regards

Paul



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