When to start watering/blooming now

Leo A. Martin leo@possi.org
Sat, 19 Oct 2013 12:04:13 PDT
I was reminded of regional differences last week. I visited a PBS friend in Berkeley,
California. His winter bulbs were months ahead of mine: many blooming, many in full
growth, most of the others sprouting. Here in Phoenix, Arizona, only a few larger
amaryllids kept in the house over the summer are coming into growth.

Amaryllis beladonna and Rhodophiala bifida, in multiple spots in the garden, and
Gethyllis sp. in a container, did not bloom this year. The first two received some
supplemental watering but less than usual. All my Oxalis are still dormant. Our days are
still routinely in the upper 80s F / 30+C and nights are in the 50s F / 10+C. I have
been afraid to water because a lot of plants suffer sunburn this time of year as the
sun's angle lowers but days remain quite warm.

One stand of Lycoris radiata, a more recent planting with few offsets, bloomed; the
older and much more crowded stand, receiving the same sun exposure but at the other end
of the house, did not bloom. The blooming stand received much less hose water this
summer but the same rain. I read Lycoris r. crowding does not affect bloom. What do you
think?

Leo Martin
Phoenix Arizona USA




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