Hi Jim, We have put Imperiallis in our catalogue for two years, but I have found that whatever I do (wrap them in tissue; keep them in loose, dry cool storeage not touching; bury them in brand new,moist, potting mix) they all have developed brown spots which have spread gradually, gone black and turned into rotten areas-which I assume is what you mean when you say 'necrotised'. A bit like melanomas! After a couple of weeks, even those which have not been so badly affected have begun to go grey and shrivelled; most unhealthy-looking and unattractive, though many have had signs of shoots in their centres. The ones in potting mix grew roots readily enough, but somehow a small thrip-like attacked them, apparently attracted by the rotting spots. I suspect the origin of the spots to be bruising during their travel to us. Those we have on-sold, with the proviso that refunds will be honoured should they fail- seem to have had mixed success. We have been asked to refund about half. But whether the rest have thrived or people have just too busy (or lazy!) to get back to us, is unknown. I have been told they hate being lifted, and need replanting asap, on their sides so water does not lodge in their crown. My hunch is that they require tremendously delicate handling, they can't handle much rainfall (around 30ins/900mm p.a. max), they must never get waterlogged and they need to be planted deep enough to stay cool in dry, hot periods. What is the real secret, I wonder? Cheers, Juliet. ----- Original Message ----- From: "Jim McKenney" <jimmckenney@jimmckenney.com> To: "'Pacific Bulb Society'" <pbs@lists.ibiblio.org> Sent: Thursday, July 10, 2008 10:23 AM Subject: Re: [pbs] storage of summer dormant bulbs Juliet in Northland, New Zealand wrote: " I have found it almost impossible to keep Frit. imperiallis out of the ground for more than a week or so, even stored at a temp. controlled 15C. However, the small frits (accompetalla, camschatcensis, pontica etc) will keep well for a couple of months or so at 15C in a plastic bag with a tiny amount of just-dampened spagnum moss with them." Juliet, I'm intrigued: what happened to the bulbs of Fritillaria imperialis when you store them? Do the rapidly dry out? Do they rot? Is it some other problem? I've tried several different treatments for this species during the last few years. For instance, last year I grew them in large pots and as the plants matured I allowed the pots to dry very carefully. They were then stored outside in such a way that no water could reach them. As they entered dormancy, I peeked at them to check the general condition and bulb size. The bulbs were huge and seemed to be in the peak of health. By mid-summer every one had rotted and dried up (I'm not sure which came first, but I found only dried husks of bulbs). Once, years ago, I dug the bulbs and stored them in the open air of a little used room in our basement. Even these bulbs rotted: they eventually developed necrotic spots which went on to envelop the entire bulb. This year I've given another trial to a method I once used long ago: as soon as two bulbs were dug, they were slowly dried. Once I was sure all moisture was gone, each bulb was individually wrapped in newspaper to form a sort of cocoon. One of these bulbs is in fine condition now, about a month and a half after being dug. The other bulb, which produced offsets, is partially rotted. The offsets seem sound. Six bulbs of Fritillaria persica (including two 'Ivory Bells') given the same treatment this year all seem sound. Earlier this year I visited a gardening friend who has a clump of Fritillaria persica: I asked him if he dug them annually. No, he had never dug them and they had been there for years. Noticing that the site where these grew was sloped, I suggested that maybe the slope was enough to provide sufficient drainage. He laughed; and then he told me that the reason there was a slope there is because the mound on which the frits grew contained the remains of an old concrete driveway broken up and buried a few years ago! For the most part, the small frits have given no trouble. In past years I've summered them in the pots in which they grew; other than a few which evidently got too dry, this works well. This year I'm doing a census, so all are coming out of their pots so I can have a close look and do a count. Jim McKenney jimmckenney@jimmckenney.com Montgomery County, Maryland, USA, 39.03871º North, 77.09829º West, USDA zone 7, where Zephyranthes grandiflora is blooming. My Virtual Maryland Garden http://www.jimmckenney.com/ BLOG! http://mcwort.blogspot.com/ Webmaster Potomac Valley Chapter, NARGS Editor PVC Bulletin http://www.pvcnargs.org/ Webmaster Potomac Lily Society http://www.potomaclilysociety.org/ _______________________________________________ pbs mailing list pbs@lists.ibiblio.org http://www.pacificbulbsociety.org/list.php http://pacificbulbsociety.org/pbswiki/