Pleione maculata question

[JPB]

I simply cannot recall if I kept my maculata's dry or (slightly) moist last year. They flowered well then. Now the leaves are shed and flowering buds are visible. Watering or not? Should I keep them in my living room (15C night; 20C day) or in my greenhouse (10C night; 15C day)?

Thanks, Hans

[LarsB]

Hi Hans,

I'm probably not the right person to answer your question since i've only had my maculata for a year, but i seems to recall what i did last year: I kept it at your greenhouse temperatures until well after the flowers had died off and it had started to grow. I did keep it fairly dry until i was sure the new roots had started growing. I've discussed the temperature issue with a couple of other growers and they recomended room temperature all year round as the safe bet, but the weather data from Bakers book suggest indicates lower temperatures in winter as well as very little rain. The only reason i give a little water from below is that my humidity is nowhere near the humidity they have in the wild.

[Eric Locke]

Hi Hans

I find Maculata is best not to dry out completely at any time .
If you re-pot after flowering you will find the new roots already starting to grow fast,which is why I give them some moisture . I do grow mine warm all year round with temperatures never going under about 15 deg c. I have some now with leaves well formed ,with others still flowering and leaves dropping.

Eric

[JPB]

Lars/Eric, since your replies are so helpful, can you refresh my mind also for P. praecox and P. saxicola?

Hans

[Eric Locke]

Hans - After flowering my Praecox is kept in a frost-free greenhouse, I re-pot and move them to a cool spot indoors sometime in early January . In this position the temperature usually keeps between about 8 and 15  deg c . I leave these (with occasional watering at first) until early June when they are put back in the greenhouse again .
Saxicola- I have been leaving these in the greenhouse all year, but they have not been doing as well as they should and might try the Praecox method on these too this year.

Eric

[JPB]

Thanks again!

Hans

[LarsB]

My praecox is in the greenhouse now and until the frost comes. Then it is going in to join the Disas with temperatures arounf 10 degrees celcius. Saxicola is with the Disas now while it is flowering and then it will go into the greenhouse or garage where it is frostfree but not much more, naturally depending on the weather. It will join praecox in the new year.

[Eric Locke]

Hans

Just a tip for potting Maculata I forgot to mention
Never even part bury Maculata like most other species/hybrids as these are very prone to infection if you do so. Just place the bulb on the surface of the compost and hold in place with a little wood moss.

Eric

[JPB]

Eric, I did put my saxicola's outside during summer in a shaded but diffuse-lighted spot. I worked perfectly. Even flower buds were formed. They are in the greenhouse now (minimum 5C) and I keep them slightly moist. I hope they make it through winter...

Cheers, Hans