I found that the main factor is the heat (& water), and not the light. I grow some South African bulbs from seed. For Amaryllis belladonna seedlings the first growing cycle is longer than a year for now. The same with Brunsvigia orientalis. But the 3 year old B. orientalis' leaves just started yellowing, but stopped after I moved it to a cooler shady place. Brunsvigia bosmaniae seedlings are different, got dormant a month ago. Didn't matter if I placed them to shade. I stopped watering it finally. (as the seeds not viable for long, I always have to sow them in the spring. this must be the reason of the longer first growing cycle. after this period they go dormant normally) I leave two flowering size Amaryllis bulb outside during the whole year. They came up in September, frozen back wintertime (it was -18ºC for several days) now it developing its leaves again. I don't know if it will produce flowers later. Lachenalia viridiflora, orchioides var glaucina, mutabilis & aloides can not stand the hot weather. Firstly the leaves become soft and then starts yellowing and liquefaction from their tips. Lachenalia reflexa and contaminata are a little bit better, wilt during the day but looks healthy in the mornings. 3 year old Daubenya aurea lost the upper half of its leaf because of heat, then I moved it to a cool shade, near the garden pond, and now it looks vigorous with its half leaf. (Lachenalias and Daubenyas germinate only in cold weather in the second half of the autumn for me. around October November) Barna Hungary zone 7 On 1 May 2010, at 22:32, Ken wrote: > I've been wondering about the effect of longer daylight hours on some of the winter growing amaryllids ... A.belladonna & Brunsvigia sp. It seems if I grow them, potted, in full sun, the leaves (here in San Diego, anyway) always begin to dry out and turn brown within a few weeks after the spring equinox, regardless of whether they continue to receive water or not. I have conducted a bit of an experiment on some of the plants ... beginning in early March, I've moved some of them into a shady location. Generally on the bottom tiers of my plant shelving, on the East side of the house, which is usually out of any direct sun by Noon. These plants ... juveniles ... as I can no longer call them seedlings ... tend to keep their foliage an additional 6-10 weeks. Last year, I kept many of them going (and hopefully growing) until June. I suppose heat may also be a factor, but it tends to remain fairly mild (nights about 60, days about 70) well > thru June here near the coast. I do cut back a bit on water, but do not let them dry out completely. > Has anybody else noted a similar experience? Any concerns about possible danger to the bulbs in doing this? > > Ken > San Diego > _______________________________________________ > pbs mailing list > pbs@lists.ibiblio.org > http://pacificbulbsociety.org/list.php > http://pacificbulbsociety.org/pbswiki/