South African Bulbs/Geophytes 2018

[ian mcdonald]

Thanks Arnold, it looks to be an interesting list of suppliers.

[SJW]

Are there any suppliers of bulbs in the UK.

There's also Rogers Nursery which took over Rupert Bowlby's collection. Pricey though. http://www.rvroger.co.uk/index.php?linksource=listgroup&listgroupfile=bulbs

The South African Bulb Group may also be of interest: http://www.sabg.tk/links.html

[ian mcdonald]

Thanks Steve, as you say, a bit pricey.

[Jeremy Spon]

Ian, are you looking for Veltheimia bracteata specifically, or South African bulbs in general? If the latter, or indeed if you have an interest in them generally, I can strongly recommend the Southern African Bulb Group. Two excellent meetings in Winchester each year, lots of bulbs for sale by members, and there is also a very good annual bulb and seed exchange. Great way to make contact with other growers.

[ian mcdonald]

Hello Jeremy, I have not grown any South African bulbs at all but may try some easier species. They would need to be suitable for an un-heated greenhouse.

[Steve Garvie]

Ian, there are a number of South African bulbs which will grow well in an unheated greenhouse.
Daubenya aurea would be an ideal candidate as it comes from high in the Roggeveld Mountains in suitable habitats between Sutherland and Middelpos in the Northern Cape. Daubenya aurea is reasonably frost tolerant and is often covered by snow in its natural environment. It occurs in both red and yellow populations. These and other South African bulbs are often for sale on ebay but are best purchased from cultivated Northern Hemisphere stock.

My plants look a bit tatty due to the recent bad weather (they were exposed to wind-blown snow through a side vent that I hadn’t completely closed prior to the coming of “The Beast from the East”).

[ian mcdonald]

Nice plants Steve.

[fermi de Sousa]

Steve,
I wish my plants looked as tatty
 
Here is a rather drawn Nerine angulata I got in 2001 but was only repotted in 2015 - it has been grown in shade and is leaning towards the light!
cheers
fermi

[PaulFlowers]

Why is it that with exactly the same conditions, some of the ferraria spend the winter with one or two thin leaves only but others become huge, lobed and flower?

I think these have to be some of my favourite south african bulbs - Ferraria crispa variations.

[Chris Johnson]

Very nice Paul.

Where in the UK are you?

[PaulFlowers]

Im in not so sunny and still rather snowy Falkirk, quite high above sea level but the ferraria are all indoors under LED lights

[Chris Johnson]

Light levels is quite an issue this far north, trying to grow South African species. Not tried lights yet.

[ArnoldT]

PAUL:

 Light level are such a challenge here in the northern hemisphere.

Can you outline your set up using the LED's.

I just installed some T-5's fluorescent bulbs.

Thanks,

[Jeremy Spon]

The question of getting Ferrarias to flower came up at the last Southern African Bulb Group meeting in October last year, and the consensus was that they are best left undisturbed, i.e. don't repot regularly, and don't remove the old corms which remain attached to the new ones, and which don't wither away like other Iridaceae. I can't say for sure this works, but I'm going to try it - I've never yet flowered any Ferraria, which is very frustrating!

[Paul Cumbleton]

Gladiolus usyiae is currently flowering well as is Gladiolus watermeyeri. Seems to be a good year for my Gladioli, all of which have flowered or are about to flower very well. One G. uysiae has produced a flower of aberrant form, almost regular in shape. I guess this is a one-off which is unlikely to recur but I will label it and watch and see what happens next year.

Paul