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Tim Perry · 01-09-2008, 04:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Beverly Erlebacher

In article ,
Tim Perry wrote:

;813239 Wrote:

You could also try refrigerating some cuttings of the fall-blooming
plant in hopes of forcing bloom at a time nearer that of the summer-
blooming plant, or vice versa.

Sounds like an interesting and fun project. Good luck!I had not thought of freezing cuttings, although the plants are
supposed to be hardy down to -15 C.

You'd be risking it in a deep freeze, which is supposed to be kept
at about -18C.

If neither plant forms its flower buds before
dormancy, it's probably not possible to get dormant cuttings to
bloom.

My thought was to make cuttings of the winter-blooming plant well
before bloom, refrigerate (not freeze) them, I had wondered if
grafting onto a different rootstock might cause a shift in the
blooming time,

I am unsure what species would provide good root stocks. [/i][/color]

Depending on the size of the plant, you may be able to manipulate
bloom time by controlling day length. It's actually night length
that plants are sensitive to. It's easiest for a small potted plant
that you can move in and out of a dark container.

I have discovered that the seed must be planted as soon as possible
after extraction from the fruit, viability drops off very steeply in
storage.

Your potential hybrid may or may not be pollinated by its siblings or
either or both parents. You might even get seedless fruit from some of these.

Have you tried growing medlars (Mespilus germanicus)? That's another
little grown pome fruit that should be hardy in Britain.

Here in Toronto, where I move my fig and bay trees into the cellar for
the winter, I can only appreciate your loquat experiments vicariously!

Thanks Beverley, I'll try to answer each point as best I can.

The Loquats bloom and set fruit in the autumn/winter, then go into
dormancy, so provided I catch them early enough I might delay blooming.

I had not realized the freezer was so cold until my wife showed me the
gauge reads -20 C. That would kill the cuttings, so the fridge it is.

I should be able to manage the day/night length side quite easily.

I understand that each recipient flower will have to be emasculated,
and protected within a small muslin bag to prevent pollination from
other sources.

I don't expect too many seed to be viable, if indeed I get any seed at all,
but I'll give it a try.

Clearly, this experiment will take some considerable length of time.