Primula-February to April 2008

[Lesley Cox]

Mark, I would not be inclined to lift that Primula warschenewskiana from a trough for the show.

I'd disagree Maggi, though Mark should read that taking into account different climates etc. But I find P. warsh... very relocatable, especially a small plant like that and it shouldn't come to any harm if well watered when potted and again when replanted. He'd need to wipe away any soil or compost carefully when it goes into the pot, before watering, to groom it and perhaps soak up surplace water on the flowers with a tissue or paper towel, to stop them going off but otherwise, I think it would make a nice show entry.

[Lesley Cox]

I see that David's advising against lifting too Mark. If you decide to lift it and then lose it, I'll guarantee to replace it for you. I'd still go for it.

Re `Dark Rosaline,' love the foliage, loathe the flowers.

[David Nicholson]

Yes it is Chris, I don't think I have ever seen that shade of blue on a Primula before.

[Lesley Cox]

I should read all the posts before leaping in to reply to one of them.

Paul, there is a series of very old primroses with the grex forename of "Garryade." The best known is x Garryade 'Guinivere' which has flesh pink flowers but the distinguishing feature of the series if their dark, reddish foliage, like that of Mark's plant, above. For this reason, I wouldn't be surprised if `Dark Rosaline' is a seedling from x Garryade `Guinivere' or another in the same group. The others seem to be scarce as hen's teeth nowadays.

[mark smyth]

In the autumn I'll lift come resting buds, pot them and plunge them in a new bed I'm planning. That way they wont come to harm

[Armin]

David, Hans, Mark,

great stuff with extraordinary colors you showed us
Very exiting!

[Lesley Cox]

I know I've lost seedlings (mature size, not young ones) I had from my cross of 'Garryard's Variety' with P. x juliae (or is it x juliana, I never can recall) that had been doing fine through summer up until then.  Every pot has had the plant virtually melt in it and there's nothing left.  most disappointing as I was looking forward to seeing more of them flowering and hopefully crossing amongst the seedlings.  Oh well, will attempt the cross again this year if the parents are still alive.  A lot of things are VERY disturbed this year because of the strange weather.

Paul, Primula juliae and P x Juliana but that should be called x Pruhinoica nowadays I think. The Juliana grex is, I think, juliae x vulgaris (or vice versa) and includes `Wanda,' Jill,' 'Ideal,' 'Iris Mainwaring,' Snow White' and others, all super plants which we are gradually losing, in NZ at any rate. There is a hose-in-hose form of `Wanda.'

[Paul T]

Lesley,

The one I am thinking of is a small bright pinky purple thing that does very well here.  I'm guessing it is probably P. juliae then.

David,

I managed to germinate 3 of the seeds of 'Blue Wave' that you sent me, and one has survived to what is looking like almost maturity.  I have to work out how to germinate Primulas more successfully.  I can grow veris and vulgaris from seed easily enough, but I struggle with others.  I think I might have to do some searching about for information, but most stuff I have seen is for cooler climates than mine.  Maybe I'll post a thread in the cultivation or seed area one day.    Was disappointed to only have one of yours survive (but that of course is better than NONE of yours surviving) but given you sent me a reasonable amount of seed only having 3 germinate was extremely irritating and I feel like I've wasted your time and effort in sending it to me.  At the same time I was sent some other auricula seed by Ann, but had no luck with them at all.  Not a good success rate, to put it mildly!! 

[David Nicholson]

Paul, if it's any consolation I have problems with both Primula and Auricula seed as well for example of the roughly 20 seeds I sowed from Primula Blue Wave in January 2007, 18 germinated, but I only have 6 plants now growing on, the other 12 seedlings bit the dust well before the potting-on stage.

Normally I leave the seedlings in the seed pot until they are big enough to handle, then prick them out into a small seed tray and grow them on a bit, and then pot them individually. At each stage I loose a few more. I think the main problem, in my case, is trying to keep them cool and shaded through the Summer months. Most of the good Auricula growers seem to sow their seeds fresh in June with a view to being able to get flowering plants to evaluate for quality in the following May. I think if I tried that I would contionue to have problems keeping tiny seedlings through the Summer.

In the past I have sown Primula seed on the surface of loam based seed compost with added grit and sand, and topped them with a layer of grit, but the seed I sowed in January this year I sowed thinly, mixed with dry sand, directly onto the grit topping and let the rain take the seed down. I have had pretty good germination and I intend to try to leave them in their seedpots for the rest of the year and, if they are still with me, pot them on in early Spring next year. Of course I still have to find somewhere to keep them over the Summer!

I would be interested to hear what other Primula growers do.

[Lesley Cox]

While I sow most seeds on the compost surface then cover with a layer of grit from 2mm up to 5mm for larger seeds or even 10mm for very large seeds like paeonies, for primulas I put the grit on the compost and sow onto the grit, then lightly water them in. For the largest seeds such as P. florindae, I might add a thin sprinkling of grit over the seeds. I generally have very good germination of all kinds of primulas but yes, it's important to keep them cool and damp, right from day one following germination.

[Iturraran]

Lesley,

EXCELLENT advice, Lesley!... That's exactly the way I was taught while being a student gardener at Wisley Garden's Rock Department (in those days my boss was Allan Robinson, and Julia Corden was second after him).

[Lesley Cox]

Paul, here's a pic of Primula juliae (rather chewed autumn foliage) with a pic of x Juliana (x Pruhinoica) 'Jill' to compare. Most of these and especially P. juliae lose much of their foliage for winter, leaving knobbly rhizome-like growths. P. juliae is also creeping, and will make a mat or a lovely crevice plant in a cool place. It's only about 3cms in height.





Just while I think about it, Primula x Garryade 'Guinivere' which we spoke about a couple of days ago. Note the dark-coloured foliage.

[Lesley Cox]

I should have mentioned that it's all those long-stemmed leaves that will die away on P. juliae and in the early spring a lot of little congested foliage will grow, with the rosy-purple flowers atop them. After flowering, the leaves elongate.

[David Nicholson]

Here's a picture of Primula Rose Window, one of three plants Lesley was kind enough to send me in 2007. I posted a pic of one of the plants flowering on 17 December and that plant is now putting up another couple of flowering stems, this one is in full flower, and the third is in bud. Lovely little plants that Lesley grew as seedlings from Primula x pubescens 'Rufas'.

[mark smyth]

Very nice!