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#1
General Discussion / Re: Plants in the News
Last post by David Pilling - Yesterday at 05:45:03 PM
How to watch the 2024 RHS Chelsea Flower Show on TV and BBC iPlayer


The RHS Chelsea Flower Show is back on our screens from Sunday 19 May

The nation's favourite gardening social event of the year, the RHS Chelsea Flower Show, is returning to the BBC from Sunday 19 May.

This year's themes are: the greenest Chelsea ever, proving that great design and sustainability can go hand in hand, using water wisely, the joy of gardens and how to attract a younger, more diverse audience to gardening.


https://www.bbc.co.uk/mediacentre/articles/2024/rhs-chelsea-flower-show-how-to-watch

#2
General Discussion / Re: Plants in the News
Last post by David Pilling - Yesterday at 05:41:56 PM
RHS warning after hungry caterpillars 'taking over South East' and decimating Guildford hedges


The Royal Horticultural Society has issued a warning after invasive, hungry caterpillars are reportedly taking over parts of Surrey and the South East.


https://www.getsurrey.co.uk/news/surrey-news/rhs-warning-after-hungry-caterpillars-29182894
#3
General Discussion / Re: Bulbs EX - Right time to d...
Last post by petershaw - Yesterday at 06:33:26 AM
It's complicated...

Of course it is :)  

The foliage on many has dried up and I have them in 4" pots in a shaded dry place on the floor under the benches.

These are all in their second year so I will pop them open and see how they look.

The seedlings from this years exchange are still green so they are being watched closely and watered lightly occasionally.

Rather than flooding the BX with unwanted bulbs, I will divide and ask if there is interest, since a lot of them came to me as unwanted seed in the SX.
#4
General Discussion / Re: Plants in the News
Last post by Carlos - Yesterday at 01:19:54 AM
Hi

Amaryllis euryphylla has been finally formally transferred to Hippeastrum, so now we can use the name Hippeastrum euryphyllum.

The paper is called 'Hippeastrum euryphyllum (Amaryllidaceae), a microendemic species from
northeastern Argentina: new combination, description, taxonomic identity and
distribution'.

Hippeastrum euryphyllum (Ravena) W.A. Medina & Roitman, comb. nov.

Basionym: Amaryllis euryphylla Ravena (2003: 11). Type:—ARGENTINA. Corrientes, Dpto. San Martín, Tres Cerros, Cerro Capará, 29 January 1976 (fl.), A. Krapovickas & C.L. Cristóbal 29005 (holotype: CTES [CTES0000200!]).

Behind a paywall as well, but I could make a couple of screenshots.

Screenshot_20240518-101805_Drive.jpgScreenshot_20240518-101836_Drive.jpg



#5
General Discussion / Re: Bulbs EX - Right time to d...
Last post by Uli - Yesterday at 12:13:11 AM
In my hot and dry Portuguese summers I move the pots with dormant bulbs to a shady place, otherwise the black plastic pots become too hot. At some stage I empty all the pots and put the bulbs into paper bags.
But I try to keep the storage of the dormant bulbs in paper bags as short as possible. Some bulbs do not at all like to be stored out of the substrate, dry in a paper bag. These are replanting immediately and only the surplus is stored in a bag. I very rarely use plastic bags to store bulbs because they ,,breathe" and produce a surprising amount of moisture which may lead to rot.
Young seedling bulbs can be lost in their first dormancy if kept brutally dry so they get a light hand watering with a fine rose every 4 weeks or so. If kept too wet during dormancy they may also rot. Pot size matters: the bigger the pot the more stable the conditions are in the substrate. Clumps of mature bulbs are grown in 6, 8 or 10 liter pots depending on number of bulbs and size of the plants. My standard seedling pots are square 8 X 8 X 8,5cm. Anything smaller has proved unsuccessful.
Especially species winter growing gladiolus are prone to loss in their first dormancy.
#6
General Discussion / Re: Bulbs EX - Right time to d...
Last post by Robert_Parks - May 17, 2024, 06:49:40 PM
Quote from: petershaw on May 17, 2024, 06:16:35 AMI have a lot of pots with lots of young bulbs, most winter growers. They have just recently gone dormant (some are still "growing").

I had hoped to share many of them via the Bulb Ex but I am wondering if this is the right time to divide them? I thought I understood they should be kept undisturbed until mid summer, but I am open to clarification.
I second that. The ones that have dropped leaves generally have mature bulbs, rooty things go to a warm shelf for a time. Generally if the tops are totally dry and done they are OK with lifting. It's a little frustrating with the Lachenalias I am attempting to turf out of the collection, as they skip leaves and flowers but still grow roots (in the absence of a hot summer).

Robert
hoping for a sunny day so I can see the rose colored Tritonia squalida.
#7
General Discussion / Re: Plants in the News
Last post by David Pilling - May 17, 2024, 06:02:11 PM
Regular gardening could help you sleep, study says

A Chinese study of American gardeners found that their chances of a poor night's sleep were almost half that of non-gardeners.

https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/regular-gardening-could-help-you-sleep-study-says-8rqfrh72z

(behind a paywall)
#8
General Plants and Gardening / Re: Carlina acaulis Seed Germi...
Last post by Bern - May 17, 2024, 04:22:27 PM
Success!!! Here is a photo of my Carlina acaulis seedlings. The cold stratification apparently was the key to success. I planted about 10 seeds and 6 germinated. After a particularly cold and rainy night, 3 perished and 3 survived. When these guys get a bit bigger, I will repot them into larger and deeper containers. I'll then get to see if they will grow in the heat and humidity here in the summer.  I will protect them from torrential summer rain by moving them under the patio. The good thing is that I learned how to get them to germinate and it only took 2 seasons. 

Carlina_acaulis_Seedlings_5_17_24.jpg
#9
General Discussion / Re: Bulbs EX - Right time to d...
Last post by Carlos - May 17, 2024, 07:20:03 AM
That depends on how hot it is and when did you water (or when did they get rain) for the last time.

I am lifting bulbs whose pots seem fairly dry and there's still some moisture from the last rain two weeks ago. Most have no leaves and roots but some have no leaves but keep living roots, in this case I cover them again.

#10
General Discussion / Bulbs EX - Right time to divid...
Last post by petershaw - May 17, 2024, 06:16:35 AM
I have a lot of pots with lots of young bulbs, most winter growers. They have just recently gone dormant (some are still "growing").

I had hoped to share many of them via the Bulb Ex but I am wondering if this is the right time to divide them? I thought I understood they should be kept undisturbed until mid summer, but I am open to clarification.

Peter