Scottish Rock Garden Club Forum
Bulbs => Bulbs General => Topic started by: mark smyth on December 06, 2007, 12:40:46 AM
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Next year I think, as does Ian, we should have a small experiement with flowering times of autumn flowering Crocus. It too late to do a spring experiment but we could do one in 2009. I or anyone else can buy c100 corms and distribute them to people up and down the country from David in Inverness to David in Devon. We could also take in Europe. Some will come to me and some to Paddy. We will have to plant the bulbs in the same mix on the same day as everyone else and treat them the same.
Are you in?
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Mark
Very good idea. I am yours for this experience. It needs too the same shine exposition, protected or no from the wind...
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'David in Inverness' is interested in giving it a go.
As Dominique says, the conditions of the experiment will need to be tightened up a bit but there is plenty of time to argue over details yet.
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I will gladly ensure a Belgian participation !
:D
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I'm in
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Do you need someone in Germany, too?
Put me on the list!
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good to have you all on board
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Sounds like a good idea, but I could get different results in different parts of my garden. This means aspect would have to be an important criterion.
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I think the bulbs would have to be in pots under glass in full sun, to minimize the influence of variations in aspect, garden drainage and local weather (eg one region could have an unusually dry season, and another an unusually wet and cloudy one, etc). You might even need to issue a set pot size and watering regime (eg so many cc of water after potting, then the same a month later) and whether to stand the pot on sand, in sand, on an impermeable surface etc.
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Yes all that would be taken in
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It sounds very interesting, but what would you like to see if all the conditions are the same? And really can you make exactly the same soil mix? ???
The content of the water is different too from a place to another.
Or is there something that I have missed?
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I think the first phase of a trial like this is that we all start with the same clone of bulb, plant it on the same day and each grow it in our own way using our normal methods.
The results would show how much variation there could be of when the bulb flowers under the differing regimes.
To me the whole point is to see just how much influence the various local conditions have.
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and the progress of flowers northward - I hope
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I agree - Planting them in the open garden seems more interesting than under glass I think.
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Mark,
I think it is a good idea! I would like take part but I grow all my bulbs in the open.
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I agree with Franz
Göte
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We could grow two bulbs each, one in a pot and one in the open. Those who just grow 'in the open' would plant both bulbs outside. Am I starting to get a bit too involved now?
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two bulbs each! I was thinking at least 5
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I think David's right - it'd be best to grow some of the bulbs under glass and some in a sunny spot in the garden, to get results for both methods of growing, since most alpine gardeners and bulb growers use both methods of cultivation. The under-glass bulbs would also give an interesting 'control' to compare with the outdoor bulbs, since the conditions under glass would be most homogenous across the different growers (assuming everyone uses a fairly similar free-draining compost and doesn't over-water or under-water).
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Count me in too - it will be an interesting bit of fun. I think we have to agree a fairly precise compost mix. This year I am using grit from a new source, very sharp and coarser than usual, it drains and dries much quicker than the one I have used for the last few years. This would have a considerable impact on such an experiment. (One watering in September uner glass would not suffice!)
Mark - I think the flowering might move southward - temperature plays its part in the process. .....Aaah so this means we could choose monitor that aspect of growing conditions too!
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Sounds a very interesting project; also a good common interest for us on the forum. Well done, Mark, a good idea there.
(I bet mine will flower first! Place your bets now - we could run a book on it!)
Paddy
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first to flower pays for the bulbs!
If we also plants some spring flowering bulbs eg Muscari we could continue the experiment
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It's a good project. Why not try to get one of the bulb companies, who regularly get free publicity on the Forum, to sponsor the project by donating the bulbs?
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Already done but the supplier will be, hopefully, Jan Pennings. He is the man who the growers bring their bulbs to before they are sent out to various bulb companies according to Brian Duncan
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nice experiment!could be fun to read all your findings.is there a prize for the winner?(joke).
I do not dare to part on this trial,I am not an expert with crocus. :-[
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I'd love to join in here, Mark, but do you need experts doing this, or can novices take part? I know very little about colchicums, never grown them....
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Who's an expert anyway? It's open to all
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Sounds like a bit of fun and we might all learn something so count me in
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If the thing is open for growers in "the open" I would be interested to see how they would do in Portugal. Extra funny if I compare with some planted in Sweden as an alternative to have under glass. Are they going to be in pots or in the ground? If it is the latter there will be even more variations to take into consideration. :)
A very nice idea. 8)
Joakim
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well,you convinced me,I`d be happy to join in. :)
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People I forgot about this topic until just now while dozing in front of the TV. I asked for corms but I got no reply.
Maybe we should buy out own corm/bulbs as it will be quickest. Like I have already said we should use a Crocus e.g. tomm 'Ruby Giant' and maybe a Muscari e.g. latifolius. Both are readily available in garden centres in small packets. growing medium needs to be the same across the experiment maybe using Ian's mix of grit and horticultural sand. I dont think we need fertiliser.
Should we set a planting date for Saturday September 20th? Everyone should be off on a Saturday
Still up for it?
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I`m in for it! ;D
not difficult to get the bulbs in here but the growing medium needs to be specified,as the place to putt them and/or pots.