Primula-February to April 2008

[Maggi Young]

Lovely, David. I just find it extraordinary that those plants could have travelled so many thousands of miles!

[Lesley Cox]

They're rather washed out David. They should have more colour perhaps as your season warms a little. Usually a good clean pink though sometimes it takes on a purplish tinge in some weather conditions. Mine are also out now, for their autumn flowering, a bonus which is given every year.

[Maggi Young]

Might the difference be that David has  had these under glass , Lesley, while yours are outdoors? That would account for a paler shade to the flowers....

[David Nicholson]

They're rather washed out David. They should have more colour perhaps as your season warms a little. Usually a good clean pink though sometimes it takes on a purplish tinge in some weather conditions. Mine are also out now, for their autumn flowering, a bonus which is given every year.

Lesley, could you get a pic of yours for comparison purposes? The colour of mine is pretty true eye to camera, maybe Maggi is right about mine being under glass!

[Lesley Cox]

Yes possibly sun burnt?

Sun burnt? in this weather? You're joking!

How are yours Anthony?

Here's a pic from last spring.

[Maggi Young]

Well, I am usually right, am I not?...... she said, with her customary modesty

The difference that growing under glass can make to colours is amazing... even plants which have been grown in the open ground but  lifted and kept even for a short while under glass can look quite "other".....rhododendrons are particularly prone to this sort of colour fade.

Yes, Lesley's is outside..... I rest my case 

[David Nicholson]

Mmm! Big difference isn't there. I'd like to see Anthony's plants as well.

[mark smyth]

Here's a better photo of 'Dark Rosaline'

[Lesley Cox]

I've never had it under glass or any kind of weather protection but even so, I have had the occasional stem of flowers open very pale like David's and usually they colour up within a day or two. You're right Maggi, about glass cover changing the colour of some things. I have the white `Linda Pope' (is it 'White Lady' now?) and outside as it is, there is the very faintest tinge of lavender to the flowers, around the edges. Not enough to say it's not white, but enough to say it's not PURE white. If I keep it in my tunnel over winter (which I did two years ago, hoping to bring on the flowers early enought for the NZAGS spring show), the flowers are pure white.

[Lesley Cox]

I like that one better Mark, the flowers look less virusy, and should look good with the dark foliage.

[mark smyth]

Lesley it will probably look better once planted out.

I have a large plant in a small pot so will be pulling it apart ina few weeks. Anyone interested?

[mark smyth]

A few week ago I mentioned taking Primula luteola out of one of my troughs. I did so today and the job was very easy, too easy. Despite treating the trough for vive weevils the roots of this plant were destroyed. I now know why it wasnt looking happy. On Sunday I will treat all my troughs again

[Paul T]

Thank you all for the advice re sowing.  Very helpful.  For reference David my one remaining auricula from your seed is still in it's original sowing pot, as the three were evenly spaced when they germinated so I left them.... now just the one by itself in the pot and looking fine.  Not even vaguely game to touch it now!! 

Lesley,

Mine are definitely x juliana as they do not have leaves with petioles like your juliae.  Thanks for the handy pics.  I assume that x juliana comes in different colours?  Mine is a much brighter pink-purple than yours and I have seen a couple of others elsewhere here in Canberra that are different colours again.

Mark,

I wonder how many got the Teal'c reference.  You're one up on me, as I wouldn't have known how to spell it, despite being an avid viewer and having the majority on DVD. 

[David Nicholson]

I've never had it under glass or any kind of weather protection but even so, I have had the occasional stem of flowers open very pale like David's and usually they colour up within a day or two. You're right Maggi, about glass cover changing the colour of some things. I have the white `Linda Pope' (is it 'White Lady' now?) and outside as it is, there is the very faintest tinge of lavender to the flowers, around the edges. Not enough to say it's not white, but enough to say it's not PURE white. If I keep it in my tunnel over winter (which I did two years ago, hoping to bring on the flowers early enought for the NZAGS spring show), the flowers are pure white.

Lesley, here's my White Linda Pope/White Lady from 2007 under glass and you can see the lavander/bluish tinge on the petal edges. It has sulked this year and refuses to flower.

[ChrisB]

Three Primulas coming into flower in my greenhouse:  First, P. aur. 'Lemon Drop' - just bought this baby from Timpany last week, she's a beauty!  Second, P. a. 'Three Way Stripe' (where do they find these names?) not quite open, but close now, its taken over a week to get this far!  and finally, one that Sue G. gave me last year, P. a. 'Karen Caudrey'