Bulbs staying dormant

David Fenwick crocosmia@blueyonder.co.uk
Wed, 04 Jun 2003 08:15:31 PDT
>>>>some gladiolus don't flower until there has been a fire.

Diane,
I know it sounds silly, but when the bulbs are dormant (no leaves) place a
few banana skins on top of the pot, or if outside, around them.

Bananas release ethylene as they ripen and this can have the same effect as
smoke and burning in the wild. You can also try apples, as when they ripen
they give off more ethylene than bananas.

Best Wishes,
Dave (Plymouth, UK)

Websites:
http://www.theafricangarden.com/
http://www.crocosmiaheritage.com/

Address:
David Fenwick
NCCPG National Collection of Crocosmia with Chasmanthe and Tulbaghia
The African Garden
96 Wasdale Gardens
Estover
Plymouth
Devon
England
PL6 8TW

----- Original Message -----
From: "Diane Whitehead" <voltaire@islandnet.com>
To: "Pacific Bulb Society" <pbs@lists.ibiblio.org>
Sent: Wednesday, June 04, 2003 3:41 PM
Subject: Re: [pbs] Bulbs staying dormant


> Dave McDonald of the Botanical Society of South Africa, who recently
> gave a lecture tour in western North America, mentioned that some
> gladiolus don't flower until there has been a fire.  Sometimes that
> has been for 15 years.  I asked whether it was some chemical from the
> smoke or ash that triggered flowering, but he said it was more likely
> lack of competition that did it.  I didn't ask whether these
> non-flowering gladiolus were putting up leaves every year.
>
> So - are your pots of plants completely open to the sky, or are they
> overshadowed?
>
> --
> Diane Whitehead  Victoria, British Columbia, Canada
> maritime zone 8
> cool mediterranean climate (dry summer, rainy winter - 68 cm annually)
> sandy soil
> _______________________________________________
> pbs mailing list
> pbs@lists.ibiblio.org
> http://www.pacificbulbsociety.org/list.php


---
Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free.
Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com/).
Version: 6.0.484 / Virus Database: 282 - Release Date: 27/05/03


More information about the pbs mailing list