Bulb Log 50

[Mavers]

Hi Ian, I hope this doesn't sound too perverse............but it is so encouraging to see you have some grey mould on one or two of your bulbs the same as I have,

...........and liverworts,

...........and snails.

 



 

[Maggi Young]

.....and the rest, Mike!  It's real life here - and Ian shows the downs and the ups!

[Leon]

hope this doesn't sound too perverse.....

Very Perverse.

[Mavers]

That's the beauty of the Bulb Log Maggi!

Hi Leon

[winwen]

May I paraphrase an old saying:
"Mould happens!"
Nevertheless: On the filaments of Ians Narcissus-plants even the mould develops a strange kind of beauty.

[Ian Y]

Yes I agree there is beauty to be found in everything, I remember showing pictures of  narcissus flowers in an advanced state of decay and mould previously in the bulb log,probably more than once, because I saw beauty in them.

In a way I am glad that we have such biodiversity in then garden even though some aspects of it can be frustrating.

[Ian Y]

Just found this one,

[Maggi Young]

http://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/logdir/2014Dec101418207903BULB_LOG_5014.pdf



 Ipheion 'Froyle Mill'

[Richard Green]

Ian, do you find that your Tropaeolums survive frosts and deep-freezing in your greenhouse.  Maybe it because they are in large pots, or in the plunge and you have soil-warming cables.

I brought my T. tricolor and azureum into the house last week when frost was forecast, as my greenhouse is entirely unheated.  They are my first tubers so perhaps I am being too over-protective?

[Ian Y]

Richard,
I have found both species to be relatively frost hardy provided the compost is not too wet when the freeze occurs. They have not all have been on plunges with warming cables for protection and still they survive .
I planted some T tricolorum out in summer 2013 and they came therough last winter which was pretty mild compared to our normal winters it will be interesting to see how many years they may survive.
I would think that like so many plants they prefer a cooler temperatures inside than you would find comfortable so a cool room would be best.
T. Tricolorum increases quite quickly as new tubers form along the roots unfortunately T azureum does not increase in this way so seed is valuable.

[Richard Green]

Thanks Ian, you are right, I have kept them indoors for a week, and they have gone mad and are sprouting out all over the place like a bad hair day - even in the coldest room.  So they have now gone back outside to the polytunnel, and we shall see how they survive the frosts expected over Christmas.