Lachenalia

Brian Whyer brian.whyer@which.net
Fri, 18 Apr 2003 02:55:38 PDT
Hi
> There are some from summer rainfall areas and I suppose they
> could have hybridized some, but my guess would be that since you are
in a
> cold climate and most Lachenalias mush in the cold these have been
held to
> plant at the wrong time.
Jamie is seeing the same thing as here in the UK. Lachenalias appear in
the general garden centres as dry bulbs after the Christmas display
changeover, and some are still on sale, although the better GC's sell
them with the spring bulbs in the autumn. As growing flowering plants I
expect to see then on sale as soon as sheltered outside display allows,
say a few weeks time, although the long term forecast is for some frosts
in late May so watch this space. Last year they reappeared several times
in the garden centres so they (the Dutch) must be batching them to
prolong sales.

I grow a dozen or more Lachenalias, mainly from Kirstenbosch or Nargs
seed but some bought in. All for me under frost free conditions start
into growth in the late autumn and are going over now, especially as we
hit nearly 33C in the greenhouse and on the south facing paving
yesterday, and dormancy has very much started. Note Sunday forecast is
about 10C with rain and maybe snow on the hills, but the rain will be
very welcome. My rainwater winter store of ~160 gallons(UK) is already
>50% depleted due to the dry weather.

I can imagine species such as L. bulbifera becoming real weeds under
ideal conditions, with seeds and the numerous bulbils each bulbs
produces to increase them, much like allium triquetrum and allium
unifolium in a garden near me. Has anyone killed these last 2 with weed
killers? It may be the only way out. One patch I thought I cleared last
spring is now greener than the lawn, even though I removed all the
flower heads alongside.

Brian Whyer, zone 8'ish, Buckinghamshire, UK
(Very much trillium season now, and camassia starting)


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