South African Bulbs 2014

[johnstephen29]

Hi Paul I'll have to keep my eyes peeled on your shop

[ArnoldT]

Lachenalia viridiflora

A bit stretched out due to our low light levels.

[Maggi Young]

A magical colour!

[Paul Cumbleton]

Does anyone water their winter-growing South African bulbs with hard (alkaline) tap water and if so does it work OK? I usually use rain water, but I would like to know if that is really necessary (I suspect it isn't).

Thanks
Paul

[jshields]

Watering with hard alkaline well water is my way.  When we got to where I had to decide  whether to spend several thousand dollars setting up a rain water collection system or not, after just paying alot more money for the greenhouse itself, I elected to go with the well water.  It works, at least for most things.  It is a pretty big greenhouse -- 2700 sq ft.  I grow mainly Clivia, Hippeastrum, and rain lilies in it.  They all seem to survive and bloom in spite of the lousy water quality.

Jim

[SJW]

Does anyone water their winter-growing South African bulbs with hard (alkaline) tap water and if so does it work OK? I usually use rain water, but I would like to know if that is really necessary (I suspect it isn't).

Thanks
Paul

Can't say I've noticed any difference between using rain or tap water, Paul, although our water isn't particularly hard. I have to say, the local tap water is excellent, in fact, I think water quality was one of the factors in our area becoming a centre for the textiles industry (for washing the raw wool).

[johnstephen29]

Hi Paul I used hard tap water for my plants in the house including massonia, Clivia and haemanthus,  I haven't noticed a difference, all seem ok.

[Darren]

Does anyone water their winter-growing South African bulbs with hard (alkaline) tap water and if so does it work OK? I usually use rain water, but I would like to know if that is really necessary (I suspect it isn't).

Thanks
Paul

Can't speak from experience really Paul, as our tap water is not hard. I do use it (via a hose) for the first big watering in September but then do spot watering with rain water.

I suspect it won't hurt most of the SA bulbs but in my collection I do wonder about Babiana pygmaea and Geissorhiza radians - both of which show a tendency to be chlorotic or grow poorly unless I use some ericaceous compost in their mix. It might simply be that they respond positively to the extra humus and better water retention rather than pH though. The Geissorhiza is native to seasonally wet/marshy areas so this makes sense.

It may also depend on repotting frequency and if calcium salts build up in your substrate. Perhaps a good flush through with rainwater a couple of times a season would be a good idea?

[YT]

Massonia pygmaea, today

[WimB]

Massonia pygmaea, today

A real stunner, Tatsuo!

[Maggi Young]

There has been some  comment heard that the McMasters are no longer selling S.A. seed - this is not the case.........

 Cameron McMaster has posted this message to Pacific Bulb Society members :
Source of South African bulb seed
Cameron McMaster

Hi

With reference to the correspondence regarding sources of South African bulb seed, we are still very active in this field.

Our new list will be available in January - please contact us for the new list. In the meantime here is list of fresh seed collected on my walks in the veld so far this spring.

Boophone disticha
Cyrthanthus smithii

Babiana patula
Babiana hirsuta
Gladiolus brevifolius
Gladiolus debilis
Gladiolus maculatus,
Gladiolus abbreviatus
Gladiolus floribundus
Gladiolus gracilis
Gladiolus liliaceus
Gladiolus patersoniae
Gladiolus virescens
Freesia alba
Freesia laxa
Freezia leichlinii
Freesia fucata
Hesperantha falcata
Ixia longituba
Melasphaerula ramosa
Moraea elegans
Moraea tripetala
Geissorhiza inflexa
Lapeirousia pyramidalis
Lapeirousia corymbosa
Romulea dichotoma
Lachenalia orchidioides
Lachenalia punctata
Lachenalia ensifolia
Lachenalia pusilla,
Massonia pygmaea, depressa, echinata, pustulata and
Daubenya zeyheri
Eucomis autumnalis
Eucomis comosa
Tulbaghia capensis, comminsii and dregeana and galpinii
Pauridia (Spiloxene) ovata

Kind regards

Cameron and Rhoda McMaster
African Bulbs
PO Box 26, Napier 7270
Tel: 028 423 3651
Fax: 086 679 33 86
Mobile: 082 774 2075
Email: africanbulbs@haznet.co.za
Website: http://www.africanbulbs.com/

[Mike Ireland]

Help required, I have Massonia pusulata & echinata which have now finished flowering, from this point I am always a little unsure as to how much water
the plants will need & when to stop watering.  They are on a west facing window sill.  Suggestions very welcome.

[Paul Cumbleton]

Hi Mike,
These plants keep on actively growing right through the winter so will need watering through to the end of Spring or early summer. Then stop watering, when they show the first signs of yellowing leaves. They will then die down for a summer dormancy. Keep completely dry through the summer and start watering again in September.

As to how much to water now, it obviously will depend on your compost, the temperature etc, but as a general guide, they like a good amount of moisture right through the growing season and should not be allowed to completely dry out between waterings.

Paul

[Mike Ireland]

Thanks for that information Paul, I would have started to reduce watering a little too soon.

Mike

[SJW]

Lachenalia viridiflora, really wishing there was a bit more light about...