That is fascinating, and makes sense. Certainly worth a try. Thank you Mark! Ina Ina Crossley Auckland New Zealand zone 10a On 7/12/2013 9:23 p.m., Mark BROWN wrote: > Dear Ina and all, > as an avid galanthophile I have had 30 years of experience with dealing with Stagonospora of which all collections of amaryllidaceae are rife. > I have discovered that it is really only a problem when growing in a sterile medium. > Nature abhors a vacuum. > So whenever staggy rears it's ugly head I reintroduce mycelium rich leafmould around the roots. > Staggy is gone in the next season. > I notice that under confers, pines especially, the humusy layer is full of benficial mycorhiza. > More and more gardeners here are using this leaf litter which we call "gremil" here, when planting. > I have saved many a snowdrop using this method. Just replant with leafmould rich in those white threads and say goodbye to staggy. > I am testing commercial fungal innoculation powder but so far the results are not as encouraging. > Keep your soil sweet as the old gardeners used to say. I remember working with and old style gardener years ago who would not have dreamed of making composts without live leafmould. > > Mark > Haute Normandie, > France > > > > " Message du 06/12/13 22:43 >> De : "Ina Crossley" >> A : "Pacific Bulb Society" >> Copie à : >> Objet : [pbs] re Rainlilies which like it wet >> >> I find it interesting that the Rainlilies which like moisture, like >> Zephyranthes atamasco, I hav managed to kill off most seedlings with >> kindness as to moisture levels. I now grow mine like the restof them >> and so far all is good. >> The reverse side of this is that Stagonospora is a problem. I have not >> yet found a suitable fungicide. Was sold one yesterday but I see it is >> aimed at powdery mildew and black spot, whatever that is. As it cost >> $80for a bottle, have emailed the manufacturer for information." > _______________________________________________ > pbs mailing list > pbs@lists.ibiblio.org > http://pacificbulbsociety.org/list.php > http://pacificbulbsociety.org/pbswiki/ _______________________________________________ pbs mailing list pbs@lists.ibiblio.org http://pacificbulbsociety.org/list.php http://pacificbulbsociety.org/pbswiki/