Crocus January 2008

[Tony Willis]

Thomas I think there are several crocus species on Falakro but they seem to be in different areas and I had quite good information where the alexandri was.

I am hopefully going again in a few weeks and this time hope it is in flower.

gargaricus multiplies by producing lots of rice grain cormlets,these may be on stolons I do not know. I tried to look yesterday  but it was disturbing the plants too much so I left well alone. By repotting time any stolons would have rotted and you are just left with the tiny bulbs to sift out of the compost.I usually repot the larger corms and then tip the old stuff back into a pot for a year to let any I have missed get large enough to spot.

[Thomas Huber]

You might be right, Tony, I havn't been on Mt. Falakro myself, but I'm sure there are many interesting places around!
Good luck for your trip - and please try to make some photos for showing here!

[Anthony Darby]

I have Crocus michelsonii 'Turkmenian Night' flowering now, but weeks behind 'God's Look' so no cross pollination this year.

[Luc Gilgemyn]

Anthony, where's the picture  

[Guff]

Collect some pollen and stick some in the freezer. Use either tin foil or wax paper, make a packet for the pollen. When your going to use the frozen pollen let it get up to room temp, before using.

I did try this past spring using frozen pollen, that I saved from some tommies. I did get seed pods, but can't say 100%, that the seeds were from the frozen pollen.

I do know Daylily pollen last over a year if frozen. I save pollen every year, from my more expensive ones and use the following summer.

[Anthony Darby]

Anthony, where's the picture  

Luc, I didn't think to bring it into the kitchen. Maybe tomorrow. I did photograph and post last year. Just spent half an hour moving roof tiles which had been stacked up against two troughs and a barrel.

[Anthony Darby]

Here's one I did bring out of the greenhouse tonight. I know what it isn't!

[tonyg]

It is not cvijicii  but I think you know what it is!

[Anthony Darby]

Crocus angustifolius?

[mark smyth]

How many of us have bought it and how many will own up?

I've emailed him about the mix up and here is his honest answer
"Many thanks for your feedback on C.cviijcii.  I agree with your assessment that they are a selection of C.angustifolius.  We had some doubts due to the price but our supplier, a well known horticulturalist, assured us they were correct. I am sure you agree that at 5 for £2.00 they were still an excellent buy.  If they had been cviijcii they would have been the bargain of the decade!!."

[Thomas Huber]

Mark I have them from Holland, 1 Euro/4 corms - I'm not sure if I have to be angry or happy

[Anthony Darby]

Mmmm! I smell a rat! How many people would have bought angustifolius?

[ian mcenery]

Mark was that really what the supplier said about the inceorrect cvijicii. If so what he is really saying in short is that we should be grateful and it's a good deal. Apart from the fact that in commerce the bulb supplied is often much cheaper I don't find it a good deal if I don't get what is advertised   

[mark smyth]

Your last line Ian has me thinking every year about snowdrops that die. Shouldnt we be entitled to our money back if the snowdrop fails to appear the following spring?

[Thomas Huber]

You could try that Mark, but generally I would say, that it is hard to verify, that it
was the mistake of the nursery, not yours. While this is completely different, if
wrong plants were sent!