February 2024 in the Southern Hemisphere

[fermi de Sousa]

February is usually the peak of summer with the hottest weather and the most risk of bushfires.
Following the rather damp January we're having a mild start but expecting 39C tomorrow!
This Eucomis vandermerwei ex 'Octopus' was grown from seed from the AGS Seedex 2010 and flowered for the first time in 2013.
It started flowering last month,
cheers
fermi

[Jeffnz]

Our weather this side of the Tasman has been variable despite being told to expect an El Niño summer, day temperatures have ranged from low 20's to low 30' with intervals of very welcome rain, not a lot but sufficient to avoid regular watering. Our seasonal weather patterns have definitely changed, winters not as cold being the most obvious change, the aphid populations are more than happy with this.

[fermi de Sousa]

Summer is the time for eucomis - I only grow a few due to the need to over-winter them under cover.
This is the first flowering of Eucomis bicolor which I got a couple of years ago from our annual "Bunfight" - the Plant Exchange of the AGS Victorian Group.
Here is the progression over a couple of weeks,
cheers
fermi

[fermi de Sousa]

Continuing the eucomis theme, here's Eucomis zambesianus - looking a bit floppy because of being grown in shade,
cheers
fermi

[Carolyn]

Summer is the time for eucomis - I only grow a few due to the need to over-winter them under cover.
This is the first flowering of Eucomis bicolor which I got a couple of years ago from our annual "Bunfight" - the Plant Exchange of the AGS Victorian Group.
Here is the progression over a couple of weeks,
cheers
fermi

I’m surprised to hear you say that you need to over-winter eucomis under cover. Here in the wet and chilly SW coast of Scotland, I have had Eucomis bicolor/comosa etc out in the garden all year for many years. The hardiest has been Eucomis ‘Sparkling Burgundy’, which survived the very cold winter in 2010 (down to -10C for a couple of weeks). The one which definitely needs protection for me is E vandermerwei, I lost that one.

[fermi de Sousa]

I’m surprised to hear you say that you need to over-winter eucomis under cover. Here in the wet and chilly SW coast of Scotland, I have had Eucomis bicolor/comosa etc out in the garden all year for many years. The hardiest has been Eucomis ‘Sparkling Burgundy’, which survived the very cold winter in 2010 (down to -10C for a couple of weeks). The one which definitely needs protection for me is E vandermerwei, I lost that one.

Hi Carolyn,
E. vandermeyerwei and Z. zambesiacus are the ones I've been covering in winter. I've only recently got E. bicolor and haven't tried in the the ground as I only have one! Despite our mild winters (compared to yours) some things don't cope being in the ground - I've lost most of my Weldenias which were potted but in contact with the ground. It might not be just the winter wet as I suspect some bugs/slugs/critters have a taste for some bulbs and that's why they are not seen again in spring.
cheers
fermi