Scottish Rock Garden Club Forum

Bulbs => Ian Young's Bulb Log - Feedback Forum => Topic started by: David Nicholson on October 07, 2009, 03:22:35 PM

Title: Bulb Log 40- 7 October 2009
Post by: David Nicholson on October 07, 2009, 03:22:35 PM
Great stuff as usual Ian. A naive question-how do you "mark" growing bulbs that you might want to pick out for some reason at re-potting time? I've tried tying bits of thread around them and that failed, and of course trying to memorise where they were in the pot failed miserably too.
Title: Re: Bulb Log 40- 7 October 2009
Post by: Gerry Webster on October 07, 2009, 09:28:30 PM
Ian - a couple of comments re your interesting remarks on S. greuteriana.

1. Your observation on the length & arrangement of stamens is not true of my plants - a clone of probable wild origin. Nor does it seem to be true of all the plants pictured on the forum under this name whether of definite wild origin or unknown. The plant you describe as the “true greuteriana” seems very similar to that pictured on the R.V. Rogers website:

http://www.rvroger.co.uk/index.php?linksource=stockgroup&webpage=sternbergia&listgroupfile=bulbs&parentpagefile=latesummerbulbs&season=BLSU&caller=Header

but it’s not clear why one should regard this as any more “true” than any of the other forms around.

In short, I’m sorry, but I don’t find this part of your argument compelling.

2. On the other hand, your observation that  one form of Sternbergia stays open at night is extremely interesting &, if confirmed by other growers, could be very significant. I either cannot rememember, or have never noticed, whether my own plants behave in this way & it is now too late in the season to check. Perhaps next year all we Sternbergia fans could make a concerted effort to observe the behaviour of our plants. 

Meanwhile, many thanks for your contribution to this discussion.
Title: Re: Bulb Log 40- 7 October 2009
Post by: Ian Y on October 08, 2009, 10:30:00 AM
Quote
A naive question-how do you "mark" growing bulbs that you might want to pick out for some reason at re-potting time? I've tried tying bits of thread around them and that failed, and of course trying to memorise where they were in the pot failed miserably too.

Good question David, I too have tried all these methods none of which give 100% success except where there are very few bulbs in the pot.

There are only two ways to achieve the separation or cloning out of mixed pots of seedlings.

1) Carefully re-pot them when they are in full flower and can be identified - this method is limited to the flowering size bulbs any immature bulbs should be kept together until they flower when you can repeat the process.

2) Plant all the bulbs individually in their own pot.


Gerry
I think we are still some way from understanding the actual relationship between Sternbergia lutea -sicula and greuteriana.

As I said in the bulb log my study is extremely limited as I can only make observations from the plants that I grow and have seen in cultivation.
The plant that I presume to be Sternbergia greuteriana in my collection is very different to other plants that I have received under that name.
While I can see some evidence for them all to be part of a polymorphic species, in my collection, this plant stands out as a step to far for me.

A wide ranging study of plants in the wild along with extensive DNA sampling may eventually give us the answer.
In the meantime I will continue my battle to get these lovely bulbs to flower for me in our cool Northern climate.
Title: Re: Bulb Log 40- 7 October 2009
Post by: Anthony Darby on October 08, 2009, 11:35:58 AM
Thanks for the web site Gerry. :) Wish I'd seen it before as it has Narcissus elegans on it.
Title: Re: Bulb Log 40- 7 October 2009
Post by: jnovis on October 14, 2009, 10:04:32 PM
If its any help, my Sternbergia sicula is in flower now and definitely closes up at night.Notice that the leaves are showing as well as the flowers .(http://)
SimplePortal 2.3.5 © 2008-2012, SimplePortal