Winter Narcissus

[mark smyth]

The first Narcissus are now open in my garden - lagoi OP/asturiensis and Bowles Early

[David Nicholson]

Plenty in good growth in the garden but none flowering yet, probably finding it difficult growing in sludge! Couple from the greenhouse today and there could have been more if the snails hadn't been at them (for all sorts of reasons visits to the greenhouse have been few and far between since Christmas really)

Narcissus jeanmondii and N. assoanus both from Brian Duncan

[annew]

Oh Lesley... Do you still use labels and pencils? I'm already using microchip tags and a mobile pad as a reading device

A super accurate GPS woulds be useful in the garden too...

[Matt T]

...and N. assoanus...

Incredible David! My own assoanus have only just started to push the tips of their leaves above the surface! 

[ian mcenery]

Oh Lesley... Do you still use labels and pencils? I'm already using microchip tags and a mobile pad as a reading device

That's very interesting Tatsuo can you show how this works?

[annew]

I think maybe only in his dreams! 

[Gerry Webster]

Narcissus jeanmondii and N. assoanus both from Brian Duncan

David - how do you manage to flower N. assoanus in Devon? Particularly since you've often said you can't flower Sternbergia.

[David Nicholson]

Well Gerry and Matt, certainly this year wilful neglect seems to have done the trick and it has flowered some five weeks earlier than last year.

[YT]

That's very interesting Tatsuo can you show how this works?

Dear Ian, you must be a so good-natured person

I think maybe only in his dreams! 

Everything lies open to YOU, Anne

Back to the reality, there are 2 flat disks here. Narcissus cantabricus var. petunioides and a seedling of Narcissus romieuxii

[ian mcenery]

You must be a so good-natured person, Ian

ii

Well I don't think it will be long before someone does it would mean an end to unreadable or lost labels. After all you are in Japan home of electronics 

[annew]

Tatsuo, your narcissus are so TINY!! How do you keep them so compact?

[Gerdk]

Tatsuo, your narcissus are so TINY!! How do you keep them so compact?

Fantastic!
I would like to join here - How did you manage it ? Is there another influence besides lightlevel and temperature?

Gerd

[YT]

Tatsuo, your narcissus are so TINY!! How do you keep them so compact?

Fantastic!
I would like to join here - How did you manage it ? Is there another influence besides lightlevel and temperature?
Gerd

Well... I grow my plants on outside bench without any protections as I said before.

The average air humidity during winter here is 50 - 60%, but it can usually be dropped down to less than 20% during windy and sunny daytime. From November to March, we have more than 20 sunny days per month...

The major contents of pot soil are AKADAMA, KANUMA and PUMICE. This is very basic and popular soil formula for alpine plants in Japan. I add crushed dolomite and charcoal to the mixture a little. The soil pH is 6.0 - 6.5.

I usually feed solution with 0.1% requid organic fertiliser made from fermented strained lees of suger cane (N:P:K=2:3:3), 0.02% monobasic potassium phosphate and 0.2% glucose every ten days.

That's all. I'm not keeping anything secret to you, Anne and Gerd

[annew]

From November to March, we have more than 20 sunny days per month...

Ahah!! That's where I'm going wrong!

[Gerdk]

Ahah!! That's where I'm going wrong!

Me too!

 - and thank you Tatsuo for your detailed explanations!

Gerd