bunchosia argentia- the bad and the tasty

[tabb...@gmail.com]

I've been moving plants in several times (too many plants, too old and
sedentary to move all at once). I moved the bunchosia argentia in
over a week ago (I think) after it was looking REAL HORRIBLE.
Unfortunately it is relatively large (for a plant that goes through
doorways...). So yesterday (when I was well enough to move even more
plants in before a predicted very hard frost) I checked on it. Much
to my dismay I saw that one of the stems to one of the developing
fruits got mashed up and the fruit (while not fully developed) was had
that odd look of semi-translucentness that bunchosia fruits sometimes
get. Not one to waste I decided to eat it and was plesantly
surprised. It was just as good as a fully developed fruit picked
slightly early. Even better, though it was small, it seemed to have
no seed so it was all nice and chewy. I wonder if this means the
other one doesn't have a seed either.

I need to figure out how to get the flowers to set fruit because most
of the bracts(?) just dropped their flowers rather than setting any
fruits.

[SheKong]

Dan, have you tried adding Potash when it's flowering? It assists in
fruit development. Ann

[llam...@bellsouth.net]

How does it compare to B armenica - for peanut butter and honey
flavor? Maybe the plant needs a little help with a paintbrush? With
the state of bee death, maybe you are not getting pollination? Kampong
has had plenty of fruits but it has its own hives.

I hope your saying "feeling well enough" does not mean you have been
sick.

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[tabb...@gmail.com]

Sorry for the delay- wasn't looking at the group for a few days.

I've never done a side by side sampling of Bunchosia species. All I
know is what I've tried which I beleive is B. argentia(sp?) from
several sources. I do have a suspicion that B. argentia(sp?) is
sometimes also its edible brothers and sisters. Some sites say it is
the most tasty one (others having bitterness...) but I can't say. I'd
love to do some side by side compairsons.

I was sick. I have persistent sinus problems that flare up from time
to time. No big deal they just make me feel bad and unable to do
much.

I should put some triple phosphate down on the plant. Potash would do
the same thing.

As for the paintbrush- I was thinking of that myself but these plants
have such odd genitalia I'm really stymed on how to fertilize them.
The Bunchosia flowers are pretty weird looking to me- I can't tell who
has got the pollen and who wants it. Probably I should hunt down a
magnifying glass and a razorblade and take apart a flower to see what
is where.

I actually don't understand all the hubub on this bee death stuff.
Granted it is bad but I'd have niaevely thought that it would mainly
be a loosing deal on the honey end- not on the crop end. I'd think an
orchard (or farm) could employ yellow jackets (they polinate things
well, they are just a nusance if you're having a picknick- and you
won't get any honey from them), likewise there are solitary bees....
I do hear of people using mason bees (a solitary one). Obviously
colony colapse is a problem that should be looked into- I'm just
surprised that (in the mean time) polenation can't be handled by
"other parties"