Flop-overs

Michael Mace michaelcmace@gmail.com
Wed, 12 Mar 2014 17:38:26 PDT
John wrote:

>They are not in full sun throughout the day (some morning indirect
sunlight, full sun rest of the day), so that might be causing excessive,
weak growth?

No, that should be more than enough sun to give them strong growth. If
anything, I wonder if they might be getting too much heat. That could damage
the roots and make the plants wilt. How big are the pots, and how often are
you watering them? Are the sides of the pots in the sun?

If you have a water-retentive soil in 8-inch (20-cm) plastic pots, they
should be watered in your climate at least once a week, maybe twice if the
weather is dry and the humidity low. And the sides of the pots should be
shaded. The direct sun on the pot sides could easily cook the pots,
especially if they're dark-colored.

If you're using clay pots, they'll need even more water.

Bob Werra, who's the dean of Moraea-growers in the US, told me that he
thinks they do better in part shade at his home, and he gardens in Ukiah,
about 500 miles north of you. I grow mine under strips of garden lattice, so
they have broken sun at midday.

(If anyone's reading this in the UK, your conditions are completely
different. You probably do want to use clay pots and bake them in the sun so
the plants will get warm enough.)

Mike
San Jose, CA





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