>If you plant a mature bulb at the wrong depth then
> it is pretty well stuck
I bet that is true for the mature bulb itself. I think, however, they
may be able to use their energy to "get" where they need to be
without moving. Yes, I was at the Oregon Country Fair (a place
where hallucinagenic drugs are supposedly common) all weekend.
But no, I'm not talking about warping time and space for an "out of
body" experience. I think some bulb "movements" are made using
processes other than contractile roots. It may not be correct to call
some of these "pulling down". As usual, I am speculating. I think
some bulbs can fatten a root at a lower level to "create" a bulb
deeper. Freeze damage at the surface might necessitate (or at
least encourage) this. I know Glad's form on top of old bulbs and
"rise" to the surface. I'd guess some kinds of bulbs form at the
bottom of the old bulb and tend to sink lower each generation? I bet
there are other ways to "get down" also :-).
Why they sink lower has interested me as well. Camassia seem
to dive down in pots aggressively. Since they are a wetlander, I was
thinking they were trying to get wetter (rather than protect
themselves from freezing)?
Kelly O'Neill Wet Rock Gardens Flower Farm
U-Pick and more at the farm (open 9 to 6, Sun, Wed and Fri -
from March thru Halloween):
2877 N 19th Street
Springfield, Oregon 97477
To contact us: * Business Office for mail or by appointment only:
gardens@wetrock.com * 1950 Yolanda AVE
http://www.wetrock.com/ * Springfield, Oregon 97477
(541) 746-4444 *