Another good read this week - 24/4/13
I am interested in the South American bulbs which you are going to grow outside. I thought it would be too cold for them or do you protect them in some way. I have limited greenhouse/cold frame space but have a weakness for South African and American plants which caused me huge problems in the winter
I have grown many of the Ipheion unprotected outside for many years without porblems. I will try Tristagma and Tecophilaea in a sand bed this coming year. I suspect I will have more success with the Tristagma than the Tecophilaea.
I find that we do not have sufficient light levels to keep many of the South African species compact and happy so I do not try many of them although others from this forum do succeed with them.
Really informative regarding Erythronium sibericum Ian.
I find the flowers form underground when in the garden & never look their best. I will now try growing them in a pot so I can give them the warmer temperature needed to lengthen the stems.
Where else can one go for such valuable 'education'?
Thanks again Ian.
PS love the variation in your seedlings.
This morning I was nearly late for work because of spending too much time in the garden admiring my trilliums
Mike, these are second generation garden seedlings that are selecting themselves to our garden conditions and all are flowering properly on a stem . The first one we got as a bulb behaved just as you describe trying to open underground - taking them under glass just as the first tip breaks the ground will encourage the stem to grow.
We have around 100 in or just coming into flower in the garden just now. Wait to you see next weeks Bulb log - because I am off to the Czech Conference I am having to prepare logs in advance so have just written next weeks which shows some more E. sibericum.
Another fine log Ian, and wonderful plants. Those Crocus pelistericus and scardicus are superb, as are the asphodelus and muscari, but that Fritillaria pinardii form is just exquisite I think
Because of mixed results in pots under glass and encouraged by your experience, increasingly I’m trying frits and my more precious crocus in the garden.
Ashley I am sure you will find, like I do, many of the plants grow better in the garden that we can grow them in pots - embarrassingly.
Thank you all for your kind comments.