Primulas- February 2009

[Giles]

Primula moupinensis,(with a bit more flower now).
Primula nana.
(and yes, still snow on the ground here after 2 weeks).

[Lesley Cox]

A lovely chrystalline background Giles.
I potted up 30 P. wollastonii yesterday, some pots with two smaller seedlings in, so about 40 altogether. They are definitely looking like the real thing now, like seedlings of P. reidii but a bit bigger. I can't thank you enough.

[David Nicholson]

Lovely healthy plants Giles, you've certainly got the 'touch' with Section Petiolares.

[johngennard]

While doing the Heps.I couldn't resist these for the foliage alone.It is almost as good as the flowers.

P.aureata
P.gracilipes
P.moupinense
P.X TANTALLON

[Maggi Young]

What a treat to see those primulas with all that farina.... aren't they smart?

[Luc Gilgemyn]

Wonderful stuff John !!!   

[Giles]

Dear John,
I see I have competition!!! ....and your aureata look alot better than mine do!
I fear I may preciptate WW3 here, but I've got a couple of P.sonchifolia plants spare if anyone wants them.
I could bring them to an AGS show, or post within the UK, they are still reasonably dormant so should travel well.

ps. great news about the primulas, Lesley!

[Lesley Cox]

Superb plants John. What a treat for us to see them. Thank you.

[David Shaw]

Great looking plants. I wish I could keep them alive

[Martinr]

John, how do you do it? All my attempts to grow asiatics of this part of the Primula family are lucky to last a few weeks. I've always fooled myself that the climate in the East Midlands is too warm and dry. Tell all!

[johngennard]

I too have struggled for years with only temporary success with Netta Dennis but it only lasted for two seasons before they all succumbed to my mismanagement.I even installed a North facing shaded area a'la John Dennis and whereas John applied mist on a timer I went one better and installed a humidifier but to no avail.However,I couldn't resist these wonderful plants and continued to persevere and this time last year I sowed some 3yr.old seed from the fridge more in hope than expectation and it germinated like mustard and cress.From experience the next stage was the tricky part so I tried something different.I pricked out into some old polystyrene cells that I had into a peat based compost(my own mix)and placed on capillary matting in the alpine house and they never looked back and after potting I again kept them on capillary matting.In fact they have been kept on capillary matting and under glass since sowing.I am now keeping my fingers crossed that I have found the secret but only time will tell.In addition to the posted pictures I have also raised a
batch of 40 Bhutanica but hve had less success with irregularis.I now grow many alpines on capillary matting and they seem to thrive.Don't give up and good luck in your endeavours.

[Martinr]

Thanks John. Time to try again 

[Luc Gilgemyn]

Quoting Maggi : "There's always a clue"
Thanks John ! Very informative !

[Giles]

Dear John,
Your efforts make me something of a fraud by comparison.
I just stand my pots in a propagator (large seed tray with a plastic lid) at the foot of a north facing wall which receives no sun at all.
Maybe I've just been lucky so far!
Giles

[Tony Willis]

John and Giles beautiful plants,never mind feeling a fraud Giles,having lived in Nottingham for fourteen years ,and having killed numerous petiolarids  and saying these things were ungrowable there, I just feel humiliated. They are beautiful