Spring RHA Newsletter--the official online call for stuff

General Discussion
1

Please remember to pass along your suggestions for the spring issue’s symposium topic, Tricks of the Trade. We’re looking for things that you do that might save someone some labor, make marking crosses easier or more foolproof, improve recordkeeping, improve the take or increase the number of seeds in each hip, make storing pollen easier, or make separating (or sowing) seeds easier–or SOMETHING. One person has already confessed that she always keeps duct tape in her hybridizing tray. I’ll let you figure out why she might need duct tape.

Think about the things that you do, and pass them along. Chances are that something you do is different from what others do. I benefited a lot from suggestions of others when I was just starting, and I continue to learn from others. Please share and we’ll all do better and have more fun.

I’d like to get this issue out pretty soon so that we can get closer to our optimum schedule, and I’m ready to begin working on this issue this weekend, so please send along your suggestions. Your suggestions don’t even have to be in the form of an article–just some notes are good enough as long as I can figure out what you’re talking about.

And if you have something on another topic, I’ll welcome that too.

Peter

2

I have a tip using hydrogen peroxide.

I’ve always had problems with keeping seedlings alive (still do)-- Mainly due to mildew and fungal problems.

However,

last year I gave a VERY light spray of hydrogen peroxide in a small plastic sprayer that you can find in bargain bins at Target.

It is better than putting a whole drop of hyrdogen peroxide onto the seedling because I’ve noticed in some cases that the remedy is worse than the disease. Sometimes too much peroxide dries out the leaves and eventually kill the seedling.

Spraying far away with a fine mist, far enough to not form drops on the leaves, helps keep the fungal and mildew away… and the peroxide doesn’t damage them.

Less has been better in my case.

3

Just a suggestion from some of the posts: How about a “Wanted” and a “Free for the taking” column.

Thank you for always putting out a great newletter.