Post date: Jul 31, 2008 9:36:23 PM
Ali has been pollinating the dates since February and pollination is now in full swing. Ali is at the Germplasm most Saturday mornings about 7:30AM.
A horticulture class from Prescott College was at the Germplasm last Friday to learn about date cultivation. The students did some much needed trimming and dug wells around palms. Thank you so much class instructor Rebekah Doyle Guss and students!
Another identifying tag was discovered at Column 16, Row G; the original paper moving tag marked Zahidi. And Sawsan’s family found a plaque for Column 9, Row D; Medjool X (Dayri x DN) 9416-00.
The palms on the last two rows on the east side were looking thirsty and a broken irrigation pipe was discovered and repaired. Please report any irrigation damage to me so we can repair it as soon as possible.
RESEARCH NEWS - Noticed the bags and pink ribbon on certain palms? Former zoo horticulturist and botanist, Lyle McGill has pollinated a few female flower clusters with specific male pollen that he obtained from the USDA. All he is after is the seed inside the fruit. He will not be pollinating all flowers on any palm, just one to a few clusters. He will keep his work marked so other volunteers can readily identify it. If you have questions regarding this project please contact Scott Frische at scottandroxanna@yahoo.com.
After two years of emails, phone calls and meetings we’re close to taking possession of the little house at the Germplasm. The Arboretum has received the estimate for steel doors, sheet rock repair and shutters and bars for the windows. The one key to the house will be kept in an electronic key system at the main FACMAN building near the entrance to Polytechnic. Five lead volunteers will have access to the key, and a form will need to be filled out and on file at Polytechnic with your information. The building has the potential to be a wonderful date palm educational resource for the community. We can finally store our date bags, tools and pack the dates in this secure building.
We’re hoping the building will be finished by August so we can schedule a fall date harvest festival to sell the fresh dates, date palm offshoots and offer an opportunity to tell the Arboretum date palm story. This could help fund the Germplasm signage, fence and gate.
The date harvest is one component of the Arboretum’s Campus Harvest program. This program along with Grounds Services/Arboretum’s Compost Project has recently received the 2010 Sustainability Award from President Crow. The date harvest is run entirely by Arboretum Volunteers so congratulations to you all. http://asunews.asu.edu/20100408_grounds
Looking forward to bagging delicious dates with everyone when it hits 110 in the shade!