Crocus April 2008

[mark smyth]

I'm very concerned about my Crocus dying back early for the second year in a row. I accidentally kicked over my pot of korolkowii white form. The leaves are yellow but still quite firm. The old corm hasnt fully formed the corm for next year. The old one is maybe a third the size of the new one. Is this now wasted or can the goodness still enter the new corm?

Tony G/Ian Y is it too late to give them their last feed?

[tonyg]

Yellow leaves means dormancy mode has been entered.  I would not water much or feed.  Mine are behaving in the same way but I am just happy to have got this far into spring.  The autumn taxa should be fine but I am happier if the spring ones keep their leaves a bit longer.  Hot here this weekend - and we were camping with friends - amazing luck when just a week ago we were shivering!

[Armin]

Hi,
I have recognised the same on C. chrysanthus Jannine. I pulled out one and the roots were rotten but a new corm is build 1/3rd the size of normal... Probably too wet or burned by to much fertilizer is my analyse.

But in spite of backstrokes I found the first time seed capsules on C. chrysanthus Milea and C.imperati.
Both grow in my lawn.
This is making me a bit happy as in my area 80% of the bee population died during the winter due to a new virus infection and Varoa mites infestation. This is the 2nd. consecutive year which is desaster for apiarists and fruit growers.