Crocus February - 2009

[BULBISSIME]

Ashley,

I'll start some experiences and I promise you 20th flowers oncocyclus stems for 2010 

[ashley]

 

[Graeme Strachan]

Graeme
I know the secret how to make your crocus produce semi-double or sometomes double flowers. If you treat your crocus corms to higher temperatures (around 25-30C) during summer rest period, next season most of them will produce semidouble blooms. For this effet, I usually place my corms on a sunny window seal and cover them with newspaper to protect from sun. That's it

Boyed - Interesting - maybe my corms were subject to heat in storage or in transit.

Graeme, I would like to see a photo of your double from the side, but from what I can see
this is 'Goldilocks' (not EP Bowles) which I've also seen often with double flowers.

Thomas - It could be that I was sent the wrong corms by mistake from Peter Nyssen.
It was dark when I read your request for a side shot, but I have done my best. My neighbours were evidently asking questions about my sanity as I crept about my front garden taking flash photos. I hope the photos below will confirm to you that they are either EP Bowles or Goldilocks.

             Thanks

                Graeme

******"THE DOUBLE EP BOWLES PHOTOS WERE SUBSEQUENTLY FOUND TO BE GOLDILOCKS"****** Graeme

[Lesley Cox]

They look like 'Goldilocks' to me, but....

[Janis Ruksans]

Graeme, it is not E.P. Bowles.

Regarding temperatures. High temperature regimes are usual practice in Holland used by everyone grower. Many of modern multiflowering tulips need it to form several flower buds on stem. So - when you buy original Dutch tulip it is multiflowering in first year but next season returns to normal single-head stem. And you are baying again new one as suppose that yours degenerated. Of course - in some multiflowering habit is more genetically based and don't need special treatment - wild species with several flowers on stem and some older multiflowering cultivars.

Another treatment is used for fast increasing of bulbs. First researches were made in Japan in 50-60 of last century. After first experiments were received fast increasing but lost flower. Now technology improved so that planting one large treated bulb Dutches harvests up to 5 large bulbs and receive flower, too. BUT regime must be followed very precisely up to one day and half degree level, by the way - not usable in Latvia as our summer is too short and harvesting/planting times different.

When I grew Dutch tulips I looked for new varieties all the time and my Dutch friend Jan Pennings usually got for me few bulbs of almost everyone novelty for which I looked and I was very surprised about enormously high bulb increasing rate in first season. Later it returned to average level. Secret was very simple - as I got varieties "not yet in commerce" I got treated bulbs. Commercial variety stocks are divided in two parts - for sell didn't receive any special treatment (treatment cost money), for growing in nursery all are treated.

Not all varieties respond to same treatment. Some of my hybrids Jan Pennings from initial 10-20 bulbs id 10 years increased in acres, some returned as not growable. They didn't reacted to special treatment and so were commercially unprofitable regardless of flowers beauty and other qualities.
Janis

[Boyed]

I mean no disrespect, but why would anyone want double crocus or tulips
In my opinion their aesthetic value is entirely due to an elegant simplicity of form.  Whatever next - double junos

Ashley,
Good said. I totally agree with you. Simple form for tulips and crocus is just perfect and that's why I loved them. Double clones and cultivars are far worse in my opinion and I can't even compare them by beauty. Relating tulips, I just grow some double and other non-simple types just to show the variability to my visitors. I use termal treatment mainly for the purposes to increase propagation rate.

Gerry, I mean soil temperature.

[Thomas Huber]

They look like 'Goldilocks' to me, but....

Nothing more to add, Lesley 

[Graeme Strachan]

Thomas, Lesley and Janis,
                                   Thank you for the identification of my crocus pictures - So it appears that I was sent the wrong bulbs - Goldilocks instead of EP Bowles. Non the less I'm pleased with the doubles which have grown.
However,....how do experts know? Is there a definitive identification book showing photos of the genus Crocus (and their variations) that I can consult so I don't have to bother you good people again?
I consulted "The Crocus" by Brian Mathew which I borrowed from the Scottish Rock Garden Club, but it didn't help.

             Graeme
                         

[Diane Clement]

Is there a definitive identification book showing photos of the genus Crocus (and their variations) that I can consult so I don't have to bother you good people again? 

This is the best identification site on species   

http://www.thealpinehouse.fsnet.co.uk/crocus%20pages/

And this is the best page on hybrids 

http://www.srgc.org.uk/discus/messages/5012/8868.html?1129846074

[Maggi Young]

I could not have put that better myself, Diane, thank you!

Just a comment that I know that the folks now runnig Myddleton House, former home of E.A. Bowles, were searching to find "true" Crocus chrysanthus 'E.A.Bowles' without much success.

 I have also read that there maybe a variety called E.P. Bowles, which is the name being used by Graeme, and this  MAY be a very similar type, or merely another imposter for E.A.Bowles, under a mistaken name.......it's a minefield of confusion, this plant naming business, isn't it? I begin to see why "they" insist that all cattle and sheep etc are ear-tagged!

[tonyg]

Thanks Diane - ONE day I will update Crocus Pages.  I no longer have the relevant software/login details, its been so long   Perhaps I should join force with Hubi and create an all-crocus international site?   

[Maggi Young]

Thanks Diane - ONE day I will update Crocus Pages.  I no longer have the relevant software/login details, its been so long   Perhaps I should join force with Hubi and create an all-crocus international site?   

I don't think there would be much argument against such a project here in the main site of the SRGC, Tony, Thomas? 

[David Nicholson]

Thanks Diane - ONE day I will update Crocus Pages.  I no longer have the relevant software/login details, its been so long   Perhaps I should join force with Hubi and create an all-crocus international site?   

Brilliant idea.

[tonyg]

Thanks Diane - ONE day I will update Crocus Pages.  I no longer have the relevant software/login details, its been so long   Perhaps I should join force with Hubi and create an all-crocus international site?   

I don't think there would be much argument against such a project here in the main site of the SRGC, Tony, Thomas? 

Maggi are you suggesting that the Main Site would provide hosting space for such an enterprise? 

[Maggi Young]

I would respectfully suggest that the volume of traffic and vibrancy of the  SRGC site would make this the perfect home, Tony.
And the Forum is already the spiritual home of the Croconuts, is it not?