Hi,
Could someone take a look at this pod and give an educated guess how close it is to ripe? Thanks!
Lo
Harvesting Pods
Oops! Forgot to post picture. lol
it could be ready next week
next month
next year
they are on their own time table
Is that an EP or Cream sickle pod? Do you know when it was pollinated? They generally take 3 to 4 months but in the cold weather they can hang on till next spring.
Feel it. Is it softening? Is the top there looking more yellow? Any splits starting? How does the peduncle look, yellowing at all?
You must watch close for they go fast in the end. Most will hold on to the branch but then they reverse and shrink up fast and the seeds mold inside. But I have had some pods that just disappear.
I will post some pods later for you to see.
See here. See my very special pod? I always look up at this when I walk by, looking for my only named pod I ever have had on it that just up and disappeared a few weeks ago. I had my eye on it too. Just gone.
Thanks, it is an Isabella x L'amour or Isabella x Butterfly, not sure which one. It's about 3 months old and starting to yellow at the end connected to the peduncle.
Bummer about your pod.I have one cross I made that took. L'amour x Creamsickle. I'm keeping an eye on it. If it fell off too soon would have to pout for a while. lol
very interesting, I had no idea Isabella made such pods. If it is yellowing, it is getting close!!
Most of mine start to split when ripe, see the splits forming on top?
I notice the stem yellowing first, then the bright green color seems to get dull, would guess yours' will be ready in month, possibly sooner if it is warm and dry . Watch it close from now on, they get ready in a hurry when they are at this stage. Good luck, hope you get something great!
This message was edited Nov 1, 2004 10:42 AM
You are right about it happening fast. Today it had yellowed considerably since the picture I took Saturday. Thanks!
I have 20+ seed pods in various stages on my Isabella plants. Here are some of the older ones which I first noticed in June or July, and they aren't ready yet. The pods on Pale Pink Suave and the Whiskers Cross seedlings look very much like these and have very small seeds:
I know that I won't this year, but next year do we have enough time in zone 5 to make seed pods?
I would imagine that if the brug is potted and you keep it actively growing over the winter months, you could harvest pods. There are hybridizers here, like Brugie, that harves pods every year. Hopefully she'll jump in and offer up some insight for you :) Gretchen
Gretchen, that is exactly how most of mine look. I have heard that they will continue to ripen if you take a cutting with the pod on it and stick it in water.
Kell that is a big ole fat pod you got there. It looks pretty good. Hope you get something great out of it.
I have to take my brugs in before pods are ripe. In most cases... the larger and more mature pods will hang on and ripen inside. The smaller pods will usually drop off. One thing I've learned... even if the pod drops and the seeds are white... plant them anyway. If they're developed enough they'll sprout. I've gotten plenty of plants from tiny, white seeds that looked like they didn't have a chance.
My pods are never ripe before I have to bring potted plants inside due to frost. I put plants in an unheated room, they do ripen before winter. I'm in zone 5.
Gloria and/or Sue -- have you ever had to cut one that had pods on it? Did they continue to ripen while developing new roots. I have four good sized pods on Pink Beauty and the plant is just too massive to try to dig up. I started an air-layer below the pods, but it hasn't had a chance to get going and now I fear an early old snap. Should I go ahead and cut it off, or leave it until I have roots, if I even get any... Thank you for your input!!!
No, I have never cut one and tried to root with pod on it. I have a cutting with a pod on it, some nice trader sent me. Has white nubbies forming in water, pod is only about 1' at this time, so don't know if it will survive, it may be awhile before I know. Will try to remember and post again.
Thanks Gloria! That gives me a shred of hope at least...that was some cutting you received!
Gretchen, I read somewhere that it is possible to ripen pods that way. Hope so because that is the way I am going. I'm trying to overwinter my plants in water. We will see what happens.
Lo
Gretchen, if you do try it, I would cut offf all the big leaves that will compete to survive with the pod. Let us know how it does!! I just love the shape of those pods in your pic. Have you ever seen such an ugly one as mine? I have some that are even uglier this yar! .
Kell-Have you ripened pods that way? I am wondering if they need extra light
For me to have pods ripen ion the plants in situ they would have to start growing at the beginning of the season. So I need to get my plants to bloom earlier and save some pollen from these last blooms I am getting now.
Lo
Kell -- I am planning to do that. Am going to do all the cuttings tomorrow. I will leave a few of the smaller leaves so that photosynthesis can still occur. I'll let y'all know what happens... Good luck with yours! And, Loretta -- good luck with yours too!