Crocus crossing

[Guff]

Starting to see flowers on my grass bank.



Special bed



Uklin Strain



Michaels Purple

[Guff]

Grass bank



better picture of Uklin Strain



Tommasinianus Alba



Tommasinianus Pictus



Tatra Shades

[Jeffnz]

A stunning big welcome to spring.

[Leena]

Really wonderful crocuses, I like most the dark tipped ones, but all are nice.
When you have so much of them, do they cross-pollinate each other and do they self-seed?

[Guff]

Leena, thanks.

Uklin Strain, had one seed pod ever. No clue why I even had the one.
Tommasinianus Pictus, no seeds
Tatra Shades, no seeds
Michaels Purple, no seeds

I do collect the pollen and put them all into a cup and mix. Pollinating some select tommy's, and all the Dutch Giants I have each year. My Heuffelianus type seedling hybrid from past years are big flowers and flower the same time as Dutch Giants. I rather have later flowering crocus, due to weather here.

[Guff]

Today was 45, with full sun and it wasn't warm enough for them to open. According to the weather app, it will be two weeks before it's sunny and in the 50's. Thinking by then most of these will be eaten, or past their time and flop.

[Leena]

Wonderful view.
I've never had seeds from my C.tommasinianus, either. Last autumn I planted more and different ones, if that was the problem.
Or maybe it is still too cold when they flower here (not yet).

[MarcR]

Lena,

Most members of the genus Crocus prefer to multiply vegetatively [by bulb offset] and set seed sparsely, if at all.

[Jeffnz]

Marc
Daffs are the same, never understand why.

[Guff]

That didn't take long.



Going to finish up the last section on the grass bank this Summer. Few years ago I screened this bed, so the plan is to screen it again. Last year there were alot of Dutch Giants hybrids in this bed as well.

[MarcR]

Guff,

Just curious.  Where in New York are you? That grass bank doesn't look like New York City except for parts of Stattan Island.

[Tristan_He]

Wonderful view.
I've never had seeds from my C.tommasinianus, either. Last autumn I planted more and different ones, if that was the problem.
Or maybe it is still too cold when they flower here (not yet).

Do you get seed on your other Crocus Leena? C. tommasinianus generally seeds prolifically in gardens here, but then you have a slightly colder climate than us! 

[MarcR]

Guff,

My experience with K Van B is thaty they ship stuff that is true to type but poor in quality.

[Jeffnz]

Guff
By screening do you mean digging up the bed and then sieving to catch the bulbs?

[Guff]

Jeff, yes. I should have enough to finish the bank.

Special bed update



Love this one. Probably going to have to get my camera out. Taking pictures with iphone isn't the greatest, too hard to get in focus closeups.