eclayne said:Great article Swayback! Very thorough and clear reading. I'll go star this article A.S.A.P. A few Mojito tubers developed rot, I was slow to remove the leaves and they were stacked too tightly I guess. They've been cleaned and have healed over though. I didn't apply a fungicide. Do you think a light misting and fungicide application would be helpful?
I'd stay away from misting, and defiantly apply a fungicide!
There are some exceptions...if the bulbs are drying up and dessecating is the only time I would even think if adding moisture to a storage situation!
If you must, just spritz a bit on the bulbs themselves, not on the surround packing material, let it dry a bit, and repack it.
I'm going to experiment with a few things this winter, one of which is soaking dessecated bulbs. I WOULD NOT advise trying this, I have no idea the long term effects!
I had a few bald bulbs, they were offsets, no leaves no roots, they just looked like little potatoes...they became soft very quickly, it was my fault for not carrying for them better!
After a few days of them declining, I deceided to soak them, I just filled a bowl with cold water and tossed em in!
In 24 hours they were all back to hard and firm status!
I let them dry fully and packed them in peat, one of 15 rotted at the tip before I could ever pack them! The other are fine now, 2 weeks later, not so sure about 2 months down the road...
A couple questions if you don't mind:
What size are the bulbs?
how do plan to store them?
Are they solid and firm?
Mojito doesn't store the best...or grow the best...it's sure a beauty though!
Removing the leaves quickly and cutting them just the right height...low...it's really important!
That tip rot sets in so easy this time of year!
Soft bulb growth due to late season growth is atleast partially to blame.
That little growth tip is so tender until the bulbs drys and hardens off that the slightest damage or rotten leaves around it, quickly progresses!
It's easily stopped, by just what you did!
Cut away the bad and let the good dry up and scab over.
Sulphur or copper based fungicides are so dry that caking it on a wound and dusting off the extra, can really speed thing along!
