Dear all:
Please note that we are all speaking of Tecophilaea
cyanocrocus, the alpine species. Rodger, Jane and Mary Sue’s comments are
self explanatory. There is a second species, the coastal T. violiflora that
demand warm conditions much like a Cape bulb, but incomparably less
attractive than cyanocrocus.
As for mushroom compost it is normally made of a mix of FRESH
horse manure and urine with chopped wheat straw (although may be local
substitutes for these ingredients) corrected for a high pH with substantial
quantities of lime. Here you have the salts (urine), the high pH (lime) and
the deadly bacteriae (manure). Since the dawn of bulb growing time we have
been warned to avoid using manure for bulbs, and only very old manure in
cold climates is not fulminant to them.
Fines are the reason for disaster in mixes, wether in perlite,
granite, sands, gravel, pumice, you name it. Best results are obtained when
mixes are sieved to exclude them. Plant roots have the chemical properties
to obtain nutrients from ingredients (like granite) that may contain them
and which ingredients could eventually assume a soluble form.
And Hamish, now I am convinced that most people in this forum
does not read all the postings, hence the endless repetition of threads and
of questions that were made perhaps the previous week. This I mention in
relation to the fact that not long ago I explained that the solution to
drainage problems lies in making good sized drainage holes in the
containers’ sides close to the bottom. Now that Rodger moved his T.
cyanocrocus to an 8 litre container they will explode into growth but unless
he makes better drainage holes, the drainage will be slower and the core of
the mix will remain wetter for long. In other words, the bigger the
containers the better the results but drainge must be gradually more
substantial as the pot size grow bigger. Nothing beats growing in the soil
like John Lonsdale does but there are many cases in which we just can not do
it and have to make do with containers, in which case the bonsai effect can
not be overlooked.
As for Amaryllis belladonna it is normal that the upper half of
the bulb protrudes as in so many S. African amaryllids, Mary Sue. Being
exposed they get the good baking necessary to produce the flower buds.
If covered they will stay cooler than desirable. And out of smoke perception
if fire is produced.
All the best
Alberto
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