Andrew I'm far from a dry Mediterranean climate. Just 3 miles from mid-town Manhattan. I have grown the Nerines in pots in a just frost free greenhouse. I need to provide some better care. I will follow the recommendations on potting mix. They put up leaves reliably every year and have flowered in the past. Arnold -----Original Message----- From: Andrew via pbs <pbs@lists.pacificbulbsociety.net> To: Society Pacific Bulb <pbs@lists.pacificbulbsociety.net> Cc: Andrew <andrew@avonia.com> Sent: Tue, Nov 15, 2022 7:41 pm Subject: Re: [pbs] Nerine sarniensis Mary Sue and Arnold, I also have species from the Zinkowski collection. That’s going back twenty odd years as Mary Sue knows well! I was told not to plant them out and not to plant them in pots larger than four inches and rarely to fertilizer them and that, mostly of potassium. The pots were to be outdoor all year here but in shade when they are dormant with water once a month during that time. This climate, of course, is much drier than where Mary Sue lives and warmer all year. So, Arnold, you will have to read between the lines. A couple of years ago I gave a number to a friend in Vista, about twenty five miles north of here. The climate is similar to mine but with hotter daytime temperatures in summer and more rain in winter (although still very dry). I told him to plant them outdoors as I know what he can do with almost all of the large South African amaryllids. Naturally they thrived, blooming within a year and thereafter. Now he wants more! They are all planted in full sun in light sandy loam. So, I am going to consign mine to the ground after they go dormant and wish I had not kept them in pots. The nerines themselves are wonderful, tidy, free flowering bulbs. However several species of Lachenalia have gone wild in the nerine pots and must be pulled out each year. They have limited the nerines blooming as their bulbs will swamp a pot within a year. If you are in a dry mediterranean climate Arnold, I would recommend planting them out. Otherwise leave them in pots. A light, fast draining mix is what they would need. Use of pumice or diatomaceous rocks (about 1 cm across) to which you add a small proportion of loam (no more than 10%). I avoid using perlite as it blows about if it gets free. You might grow them under glass where the care and patience of the Rothschild’s in so doing may well be required in England with its cloudy, cool weather, although that may no longer apply. Mary Sue’s simpler treatment under glass works well in her cool climate and might work for you if your summers are not too hot. If they are hotter, place the pots outdoors in shade with some water every few weeks. Pots just dry out. Bring them indoors in September Andrew San Diego > On Nov 14, 2022, at 10:15 AM, Mary Sue Ittner via pbs <pbs@lists.pacificbulbsociety.net> wrote: > > I keep my Nerines in the greenhouse year round. I found when I had them outside in winter that they got the orange blotch (but that was when we used to have more rain in winter). They may also appreciate the extra warmth in summer and fall as our nights can be cool. Also perhaps being in the greenhouse leads to wider fluctuation in temperature to stimulate flowering. What made all the difference for me was watering them when they are dormant. When I didn't do that, they almost never flowered. So maybe their perennial roots shrivel if kept dry in dormancy. I remember being warned not to plant them in the ground. I tried a few anyway and found that was a good recommendation, even in a Mediterranean climate. Sir Peter thought a lot of fertilization led to virus. I'm not sure if that is true, but I've been lax. I've also been lax in repotting as I understood that would set them back. Not all mine flower ever year, but enough to bring me pleasure. There is one (that I don't think has sarniensis in its heritage) that always flowers. > > There is a lot of information about cultivation on the wiki. You might want to review it. But we all have different microclimates so what works for some might not work for others. > https://pacificbulbsociety.org/pbswiki/index.php/… > > Mary Sue > > On 11/14/2022 9:00 AM, Arnold Trachtenberg via pbs wrote: >> Hi Mary Sue >> I also have a couple of Nerines from the Zinkowski distribution. >> They haven't done so well. >> Could you outline how you grow them. >> The Exbury video looks like there are planted in pumice or perlite. >> Thanks, >> Arnold >> -----Original Message----- >> From: Mary Sue Ittner via pbs<pbs@lists.pacificbulbsociety.net> >> to:///pbs@lists.pacificbulbsociety.net <pbs@lists.pacificbulbsociety.net> >> Cc: Mary Sue Ittner<msittner@mcn.org> >> Sent: Mon, Nov 14, 2022 11:46 am >> Subject: [pbs] Nerine sarniensis >> >> The IBSA newsletter included a link to a video about Sir Nicholas >> Rothschild’s collection of Nerine sarniensis in Exbury Gardens in >> England. It's short ( about 6 minutes). >> >> http://youtu.be/V5AWV-3WzEc/ >> >> My Nerine sarniensis plants (from the Zinkowski rescue and my own >> seedlings) have produced a lot of seed. I'll be sending it soon to Lisa >> if people want it or to Robert if it is now too cold to send to Lisa. >> Perhaps you could email lisamailto:///scsnursery1@gmail.com if you are >> interested. >> >> Mary Sue >> >> _______________________________________________ >> pbs mailing list >> pbs@lists.pacificbulbsociety.net >> http://lists.pacificbulbsociety.net/cgi-bin/… >> Unsubscribe:<mailto:pbs-unsubscribe@lists.pacificbulbsociety.net> >> PBS Forum https://… >> _______________________________________________ >> pbs mailing list >> pbs@lists.pacificbulbsociety.net >> http://lists.pacificbulbsociety.net/cgi-bin/… >> Unsubscribe:<mailto:pbs-unsubscribe@lists.pacificbulbsociety.net> >> PBS Forum https://… > _______________________________________________ > pbs mailing list > pbs@lists.pacificbulbsociety.net > http://lists.pacificbulbsociety.net/cgi-bin/… > Unsubscribe: <mailto:pbs-unsubscribe@lists.pacificbulbsociety.net> > PBS Forum https://… _______________________________________________ pbs mailing list pbs@lists.pacificbulbsociety.net http://lists.pacificbulbsociety.net/cgi-bin/… Unsubscribe: <mailto:pbs-unsubscribe@lists.pacificbulbsociety.net> PBS Forum https://… _______________________________________________ pbs mailing list pbs@lists.pacificbulbsociety.net http://lists.pacificbulbsociety.net/cgi-bin/… Unsubscribe: <mailto:pbs-unsubscribe@lists.pacificbulbsociety.net> PBS Forum https://…