Muscari 2019

[Yann]

Muscari kerkis, it's still a bit dark today. I've ordered a packet of sun hope there won't be any delay in the delivery 

[Gail]

I've ordered a packet of sun hope there won't be any delay in the delivery 

Brilliant idea - which supplier do you recommend? I could really do with some... (and a switch to turn the wind down)

[Deb A]

My first post so please forgive me if I’m in the wrong thread!
But I think I’m definitely in the right place to get good advice at SRGC

I am developing a collection of Muscari (and Pseudomuscari and Bellevalia because I very quickly became obsessed by them all
This is the first year that I have germinated seeds, both ones which I have collected and ones which I have purchased. I have been pleasantly surprised by my success so far, but now I have all these lovely seedlings how should I look after them? 
Has anyone got any top tips or good advice, should I feed?  With what?  Do I let them dry out like the adult bulbs? Should I keep them in same pot for the next year of growth?  Any advice greatfully accepted thank you

[Maggi Young]

Hello Deb, and welcome!

My "other half"  Ian Young  (- aka the  Bulb Despot, who writes the weekly  Bulb Log  Diary - ISSN 2514 6114 -  on the  SRGC Website) is in charge of  seedling care  here in our Aberdeen garden -  he prefers to keep seedlings growing for a s long as possible when they are young to build them up. He feeds  them in growth with  Sulphate of  Potash powder.
If the babies are  kept  slightly  cool and watered and fed they will tend to keep growing  longer than an mature bulb will be in growth and this gives them extra time to  get bigger  each year and usually leads to  flowers  a bit  sooner than you might think. We also prefer to  grow  the  babies on  en masse   - re-potting the whole potful without splitting  into a larger pot rather than  pricking out  the little plants. Pricking out any plant, be it a bulb or  whatever, is often the most  dangerous time for  the babies - they  can suffer  leaf and /or root damage and  infections can enter  more easily.  The potting on en masse  has  proven to be a  very successful  method for many of us.
 
 You can search  the  Bulb Log  Index about  feeding, also from the  main Bulb Log  page, where all editions of it are available http://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/index.php?log=bulb     A
lso a  Google  search of  whatever you are looking for, accompanied  by Bulb Log and  SRGC  can get  very useful  results quickly!
 I hope others will chime in with their  methods.

[Tomte]

Maggi,
what about the dormant period? Do you usually keep first year bulbs a little cooler at dormancy as well? With some I am afraid whether they can handle total dryness when they are so small. My Nothoscordum dialystemon for example likes a good dry rest, but the plentiful bulbils it makes never seem to come up. So I am inclined to treat baby bulbs a little less harsh than I would the adults..

[Tomte]

Oh, and back to Muscari..
Muscari anatolicum is flowering here, a pretty stout stem it has. And reddish, too.

[Maggi Young]

Maggi,
what about the dormant period? Do you usually keep first year bulbs a little cooler at dormancy as well? With some I am afraid whether they can handle total dryness when they are so small. My Nothoscrdum dialystemon for example likes a good dry rest, but the plentiful bulbils it makes never seem to come up. So I am inclined to treat baby bulbs a little less harsh than i would the adults..

Yes we would keep the  young ones cooler - and often then they grow  almost the whole  year, they always  get some water when growing of  course.  Yes, it is harder for  little ones to  cope with  severe drying out and heat than mature bulbs - the  young ones  may not have the  strength to  cope with that. But here in Aberdeen, we do not often have to worry too much about  great heat! 

[Tomte]

I see.
I, on the other hand, really can't keep them growing longer than June, I guess. Even on the north side of our balcony (it is nearly a 360° balcony) it gets pretty hot at some point. Keeping them not that warm when they went dormant should not be such an issue, though.

[ashley]

Bellevalia dubia
Chionodoxa sardensis
Muscari kerkis

[David Nicholson]

Muscari latifolium

[Deb A]

Maggi thank you so much for the top tips for my seedlings

[Roma]

I had a selection of named Muscari in a large pot for a couple of years and last year tipped it out and planted the large number of bulbs in the garden.  I have forgotten where they all are but was pleased to see this one appear among the Scilla bifolia.

Muscari 'Pink Sunrise'

 

   

[YT]

Muscari armeniacum, a pink form, JJA688.012.

[YT]

Muscari comutatum, a white form

[Yann]

as usual Tatsuo that's marvelous 

Muscari spreitzenhoferi, last year it didn't bloom at all and i try a new soil mixture, it was the good equation.