RE: [CH] Chimayo seed problem

Tony O'Brien (AOB@als.co.uk)
Fri, 25 Jun 1999 16:23:28 +0100 

Hi Dave & thanks for the offer, my address is :-

Tony O'Brien
5 Sturrock Way,
Hitchin,
Hertfordshire,
UK,
SG4 0EP.

some further info:-
-	Yes I've been germinating seeds on a windowsill with about a 75%
success rate, but I'll stop doing this in future as per your advice.
-	I don't think it's 'damping off' disease, since whatever it is harms
the leaves but not the stem. Even when the leaves are reduced to blackened
stumps the stem is still alive & erect until (I assume) it 'starves' & dies
a couple of days later. Also no wilting occurs in the leaves or stem during
this process, if anything the leaves seem to stiffen/thicken & deform
slightly before being destroyed.

ps.	Just to reiterate, all my other varieties are doing great, so I'm
generally really pleased with the seeds I've recieved.

Thanks again,
Tony.

-----Original Message-----
From: Dave Anderson [mailto:Chilehead@tough-love.com]
Sent: Friday, June 25, 1999 3:58 PM
To: AOB@als.co.uk
Cc: Chile-heads@globalgarden.com
Subject: Re: [CH] Chimayo seed problem


Hi Tony,

I didn't start Chimayo seeds this year because I had so many new 
varieties to try. I'm going away for the weekend, but will start some 
on Monday. Here are a some thoughts:

1. Send me your address and I'll be happy to send you more 
seeds. (Based on information about a poor crop this year from my 
supplier, I just received a lot of new Chimayo seeds.)

2. If, as you said in your last e-mail which I haven't responded to 
yet, you are germinating your seeds in a sunny window, stop the 
practice. Because of day-night temperature differences, a window 
sill is probably the worst place to try to start seeds. Put them on 
top of the fridge.

3. Usually, the culprit when seedlings die off before the true leaves 
form is "damping off" disease. The seedling wilts and keels over 
right at the soil line. Damping 0ff is a fungus which is at it's worst in 
high humidity conditions.

4. While Chimayo is only grown commercially in the Chimayo area 
of New Mexico, I certainly don't believe that it can only be grown 
there. People all over the world have purchased seed from me and 
grown it successfully.

> I've so far been unable to keep any of my Chimayo seeds (from Tough-Love)
> going beyond the sprout stage before they self-destruct. Specifically the
> two starter leaves pop up out of the soil, then after a day or so they
> turn black, shrivel up and the plant dies completely within another couple
> of days. I've been keeping a closer eye on my most recent attempt & have
> observed that the blackness starts off as small spots and that the
> shrivelling starts at the end of the leaves. nb. All of my other seed
> varieties from Tough-Love are being treated exactly the same as the
> Chimayo's (ie. compost, sunlight, water, etc.) and all are doing fine,
> hence my assumption that the problem is seed-specific.
> 
> Perhaps this particular variety needs extra care, or is there possibly
> something more sinister going on ?
> 
> Any thoughts would be much appreciated.
> Tony.
>