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Seattle, Washington

Its almost September. So is it unusual for the vines to start looking a bit sad at this time of the year?
Thanks, Barb

8/30/2003 3:10:00 PM

Liverpool , England

Yoooo Barb,
Vines age faster the more sun they get. Look at the old folk..they have had years of sun..now they getting wrinkley.The vines are the same. All part of grwing older.

Alun

8/30/2003 8:04:43 PM

Ohio

Does the root system under leaves that are no longer functional still take up nutrients and transfer them?

9/1/2003 11:41:50 AM

Montoursville, PA

Now I will talk like a professor. The total is unto the total what the total is.

I think it is like this. The leaf may be dead yet the stem holds water. The water holds the basis of life carbon. The stem and the leaf arise from the vine and are not attached to the root.

The root, the hair root and the mycorrhiza attached to them continually supply water and nutirents for distribution by the vine.

When the life of the plant is pulling towards the leaf and the fruit the whole plant delivers whatever it is that it has in storage. The movement mixes and adds process sending growth materials to the leaf and the fruit. The leaf and the fruit take what they need from the available resourse and hold it. At about 4PM daily there is a reversing action in the plant. The water and unused nutrients now move back towards the stems vines and roots where the process of building for tomorrows movements takes plane.
It is during this time period you can physically see the sweat disappear from the surface of your plant and fruit.

I know of no name for the attempted process of adding nutrients, or minerals through the skin of the fruit. If it can be done it would be most likely be beneficial only after the reversal late in the growing day.It is my feeling that any towel or other wicking devise on the fruit during the sweating period may be increasing evaporation and consequently possibly increasing the sweating. This removes already plant processed water holding nutrients and minerals. I feel this makes the towel a healthy towel and may create an un-natural mycro climate between the towel and the fruit that may or may not help the fruit. The act of covering a sweating fruit is not benefiting the natural plant process.

The total is unto the total what the total is!

9/1/2003 12:59:06 PM

Ohio

Thank you for the explanation in laymans terms!

9/1/2003 1:45:55 PM