Fall bloom

John Lonsdale john@johnlonsdale.net
Wed, 10 Sep 2003 15:18:03 PDT
Russell Stafford mentioned "Regarding John Lonsdale's comments, as a
purveyor of colchicums it has been my impression that it is heat, not cool,
that accelerates colchicum bloom.  We always cool them down to slow them
down (nothing more dispiriting than several hundred colchicums blooming in
their trays rather than in customers' gardens).  The Colchicum bivonae
'Apollo' I mentioned as being in bloom is well established in a pot, which
means it probably stays warmer than those in the ground.  Of course, it
would also sense changes in ambient temperature more readily."

I think we are talking about two different things here.  My comments were
meant to imply that a sustained drop in temperature below some undefined
threshold is the trigger to initiate blooming.  Once that threshold has been
crossed then, absolutely (as is the case with all biological processes),
higher temperatures will accelerate the blooming cycle and the flowers will
go over faster.  Cooling them will delay this.

J.

Dr John T Lonsdale,
407 Edgewood Drive,
Exton, Pennsylvania 19341,  USA

Home:  610 594 9232
Cell:  610 476 0428
Fax:   801 327 1266

Visit "Edgewood" - The Lonsdale Garden at http://www.edgewoodgardens.net/

USDA Zone 6b
 




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