One potential mechanism for the bulblets benefiting the main bulb might be
that simply having them there prevents the main bulb from putting as much
energy into producing more bulblets. Remove them, and the bulb will invest
in replacing them. To be clear, I am just theorizing. I have no evidence
that bulbs actually do this, nor any knowledge of the theory ever having
been tested.
On Wed, Sep 19, 2018 at 11:11 AM Jane McGary <janemcgary@earthlink.net>
wrote:
> A leading theory on the tendency of some Fritillaria species to produce
> many tiny bulblets ("rice grains") is that it's an adaptation to
> predation by digging animals. When the main bulb is dug and eaten, the
> little bulblets are spread throughout the disturbed soil and can grow on
> in a well-tilled, nutrient-rich medium. This theory also is mentioned in
> connection with such genera as Brodiaea and Camassia, which are dug and
> eaten by bears, and were also important foods for indigenous people.
> There is no benefit that I've ever noticed from leaving the bulblets
> attached to the parent bulb. They do produce a mass of small leaves, but
> whether the photosynthesis from these leaves nourishes the main bulb at
> all is unclear.
>
> Jane McGary, Portland, Oregon, USA
>
>
> On 9/19/2018 3:23 AM, Brian Whyer via pbs wrote:
> > I always remember my early days of bulb growing when with "frits" you
> were told to pour the bulblets round the parent bulbs when repotting,
> suggesting the parent(s) would benefit from this. I have never seen any
> reasoning behind this; but vaguely assumed that with an annual growth
> replacement bulb, the decaying bulblets will feed the larger bulb(s).
> Whether there is anything more scientific than this I don't know.
> Extra availability of nutrients should override this and you should get at
> least the same number of bulblets at the end of the season. Although this
> is, I presume, less relevant with annual root growth and annual repotting;
> mycrorhizal links between the roots systems may play a part in this too.
> Extra roots "dropping" improve drainage too I guess, if this is beneficial
> or a potential problem.
> > Does anyone have a more scientific understanding of this?
> > Brian Whyer, south east UK.
> > Still suffering from the long hot summer, and now strong drying winds
> from second hand hurricanes. Only the Colchicums, which have no roots yet,
> seem to not worry and are exceptional this year. (until they get blown over)
> >
>
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