Snowdrop cultivation advice

[steve owen]

Eh bien, mes amis...

Back to eelworm. I now possess a helpful Horticultural Development Couhcil advice sheet that tells me to "cook" the affected bulbs in water with a dash of added formaldehyde at a temperature of 44.4 degrees C for 3 hours (they are very precise about the temperature; I imagine that since the 3 hours is the time for a narcissus bulb, a little galanthus bulb could receive a little less).
So, Q for the galacticos; how do I maintain the water at that temperature for that time? (Bright ideas please (apart from sitting there with a butane gas flame, a thermometer and a fire extinguisher).

[Diane Whitehead]

Thermos.

[art600]

 

[Michael J Campbell]

A heater/thermostat as used in a fish tank.

[Martin Baxendale]

Eh bien, mes amis...

Back to eelworm. I now possess a helpful Horticultural Development Couhcil advice sheet that tells me to "cook" the affected bulbs in water with a dash of added formaldehyde at a temperature of 44.4 degrees C for 3 hours (they are very precise about the temperature; I imagine that since the 3 hours is the time for a narcissus bulb, a little galanthus bulb could receive a little less).
So, Q for the galacticos; how do I maintain the water at that temperature for that time? (Bright ideas please (apart from sitting there with a butane gas flame, a thermometer and a fire extinguisher).

Sorry, but I can't see anything in this thread about eelworm prior to this, nor why you think you might have snowdrops infected with eelworm. Did you say in another thread something about having a bit of ground that might have eelworm? Do you think any of your snowdrops have eelworm?

[Anthony Darby]

A heater/thermostat as used in a fish tank.

Smart thinking!

[johnw]

Mark et al -- Your second last Stag picture. I have the same here on one Hippeastrum bulb  - hole in the bulb layer and a few reddish marks.  In no way has it affected the vigour of the one bulb in question. In fact the bulb is only 6-7 cm across and is putting up its 4th flower stalk.  The leaves are clean. The flower stalks are reddish on the bottom third but appears to be normal not Stag. Should I toss it to be safe?

johnw

[Alan_b]

So, Q for the galacticos; how do I maintain the water at that temperature for that time? (Bright ideas please (apart from sitting there with a butane gas flame, a thermometer and a fire extinguisher).

If you were in a laboratory you would use a thermocouple, a heater and a PID controller.  PID controllers are explained here http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PID_controller .  You can use one to maintain something at a fixed temperature or to vary the temperature in a controlled manner (e.g. ramp the temperature at x degrees per minute).  For example, you could use one of these http://www.virtualvillage.co.uk/items/item.aspx?itemid=4449701&utm_source=baseuk&utm_medium=shopping&CAWELAID=202600171 at £18.90 , a type K thermocouple and wire your heater (an old kettle might do) into it.  Well, you did ask.       

[Anthony Darby]

I can see you smiling Alan.

[Alan_b]

I can see you smiling Alan.

I am smiling, but on the other hand in my laboratory days a PID controller would set you back hundreds of pounds.  To look and find one at under £20 seems so amazing I am tempted to rush out an order for one and keep it until I find a use for it!  You would probably pay more for the aquarium controller and then find you could not set it above 40C!  My wife does pottery and I rigged up a PID controller to control the temperature of her kiln.  That one was salvaged from my old laboratory when it closed down.  It works very well and allows her to raise the kiln temperature at a controlled rate then hold the temperature steady.

[steve owen]

Thanks folks, several ideas to pursue. I hoped when posting my previous message that there would be threaders who knew their stuff in this area, and lo and behold I now know to go away and pursue fish tank thremostats, thermos flasks and PID things. V grateful. I shall hit Google.

Martin; yes, the eelworm bit tracks back to a separate thread titled "drench fungicides" dating from 2 January; when I tried to post again on this thread the system told me to go and open an new one.  My eelworm got at a Clump of Wendys Gold which was growing well (I make that point because I heard that if your drops were cultivated well and healthy, they didn't get eelworm). Any experience  or advice you have would be gratefully received.

[mark smyth]

John that is up to you.

[gote]

On the question. How do you know you have eelworms?
In Narcissus they tend to attack some layers but not others so a cut across shows brown rings.
They are visible in a relatively cheap microscope.
I got them in bulbs of Narcissus 'Apricot Distinction' bought from Holland in the days of inspection at the border.
Obviously the inspection and all red tape that was in effect in those days had no effect on the eelworms.
I never got as far as to try cooking them. I assembled the equipment but it was too nmuc bother.
Göte. 

[Maggi Young]

yes, the eelworm bit tracks back to a separate thread titled "drench fungicides" dating from 2 January; when I tried to post again on this thread the system told me to go and open an new one

Hmm, not sure why that happened... it should only give a message asking if you really want to post again to a thread that has been dormant for over a month   
Anyway, I have merged the two topics so all  comments are now gathered here.

[steve owen]

 
I should add that a Personal Messager has suggested that if I am intent on "cooking" showdrop bulbs, maybe a deep fat fryer with some chips.