South African Bulbs 2015

[Oron Peri]

Despite the heavy hail we had a couple of weeks ago Lachenalia aloides has recovered well.

[SJW]

I did toy with posting this on the 'Moans' thread but as I have a question about a SAF bulb I'll leave it here.

My seeds from Gordon Summerfield, ordered in November (!), finally arrived today. It wasn't Gordon's fault. Forumists who've been dealing with South Africa will know they've been having a series of postal strikes - and apparently another strike is due as they want back pay for the time they were on strike earlier! So Gordon at some expense had to use a courier service to ensure seed orders were fulfilled which was very considerate of him. Unfortunately the courier company seemed to be staffed by cretins as they claimed that they had tried to deliver to me but I had refused to accept the package  Of course, the problem was that they had messed up the postcode so it went to the wrong address ( I also noticed that my phone number on the waybill was also incorrect!). Anyway, it has now been sorted although the strike could be ruinous for some seed companies. Gordon emailed to say:

One of the growers that we supply seed to has said they are on the edge of going out of business, as so many of their packages sent via the Post Office took many months last year and the contents were all ruined.   Being a large business that sells large quantities they just cannot afford the courier fees.

So, one of my seed packets is Romulea hantamensis and I wondered if any forumists have experience of this species? I ask because the PBS reports that it is tricky to germinate, possibly requiring stratification. Anyone grown this from seed and if so did they give it a period of winter cold or just the usual regime for SAF winter growers of a temperature differential until germination? Thanks.

[ArnoldT]

Lachenalia aloides quadricolor

[fermi de Sousa]

Lachenalia aloides quadricolor

Hi Arnold,
Was this grown for seed? I know it is very variable but the best selections keep the four distinct bands of colour and it is not always consistent. I think the form "Pearsonii" is one that has pure yellow flowers developing from reddish buds like yours does,
cheers
fermi

[ArnoldT]

Fermi:

I have two sources one from Croft Nursery in SA and the other from a BX distribution from the PBS.  ( both as bulbs)

I had a look at Duncan's book and mine looks like it has two different flower forms on the same stem.

Grew in low light levels.

[Johan K.]

Lachenalia pendula

[johnw]

Really like the pendula Arnold.  Looking at my Quadricolor last year I wondered if the variation were climatic, instability or bulbs were simply reverting as they multiple like wildfire, some even to plain yellow.  Started with one bulb from Transpacific back in the 90's.

Guess I should check this year's crop.

johnw - +3c

[Diane Whitehead]

Steve,

I  sowed Romulea hantamensis seeds from Silverhill in 2011, gave the pot varying temperatures
which did not result in germination.  In 2014 I dumped the pot contents in the garden in one
of the spots reserved for non-performers.  Always give them a chance, not that many take
advantage.

[Darren]

I did toy with posting this on the 'Moans' thread but as I have a question about a SAF bulb I'll leave it here.

My seeds from Gordon Summerfield, ordered in November (!), finally arrived today. It wasn't Gordon's fault. Forumists who've been dealing with South Africa will know they've been having a series of postal strikes - and apparently another strike is due as they want back pay for the time they were on strike earlier! So Gordon at some expense had to use a courier service to ensure seed orders were fulfilled which was very considerate of him. Unfortunately the courier company seemed to be staffed by cretins as they claimed that they had tried to deliver to me but I had refused to accept the package  Of course, the problem was that they had messed up the postcode so it went to the wrong address ( I also noticed that my phone number on the waybill was also incorrect!). Anyway, it has now been sorted although the strike could be ruinous for some seed companies. Gordon emailed to say:

One of the growers that we supply seed to has said they are on the edge of going out of business, as so many of their packages sent via the Post Office took many months last year and the contents were all ruined.   Being a large business that sells large quantities they just cannot afford the courier fees.

So, one of my seed packets is Romulea hantamensis and I wondered if any forumists have experience of this species? I ask because the PBS reports that it is tricky to germinate, possibly requiring stratification. Anyone grown this from seed and if so did they give it a period of winter cold or just the usual regime for SAF winter growers of a temperature differential until germination? Thanks.

I've had seed from Gordon arrive in January before. It matters little as even November is really too late to be sowing them here, plus they have just been harvested and many of them need a post-harvest warm dry ripening before sowing anyway therefore I'd put them in a drawer in the house until August and sow them then. I can understand your frustration though.

I've had seed of R. hantamensis several times and given it both normal SA bulb treatment and tried leaving it outside for the winter. Neither was successful.

[SJW]

Diane/Darren - many thanks for sharing your experiences of R. hantamensis. Doesn't sound very encouraging but I suspected as much when ordering the seed - we're an optimistic lot when it comes to plants, aren't we?! Anyway, I'll give it a go and hope for the best. If I do get any to germinate I'll bear you both in mind  .

[SJW]

I've had seed from Gordon arrive in January before. It matters little as even November is really too late to be sowing them here, plus they have just been harvested and many of them need a post-harvest warm dry ripening before sowing anyway therefore I'd put them in a drawer in the house until August and sow them then. I can understand your frustration though.

Hi Darren - I agree with you up to a point, particularly on the post-harvest ripening requirements, but I have successfully sown these winter growers at different times with some success. My previous order from Gordon did arrive in November and as the seed allocation was fairly generous and I'm an impatient b*gg*r, I sowed half the packet and put the rest away until the following August. Kept the pots in the house, moving them to a cooler room every night and had really good germination. Of course, it meant the young bulbs were smaller than usual when they were going into dormancy but by growing them on for as long as possible and not letting them bake over summer they all reappeared in the autumn and it meant I saved a year. It would be a bit of a hassle for large quantities but I was happy to take a punt on a single tray of seed pots. Didn't work for Wurmbea recurva, Gladiolus meluisculus, Lachenalia arbuthnotiae and L. pusilla but these species didn't germinate from the August sowing either!

[Jon Evans]

I have been told in the past that Romulea hantamensis is one of the subjects that benefits from smoke treatment for germination.  I have no personal experience either way, but thought you might find it a useful suggestion.

[SJW]

I have been told in the past that Romulea hantamensis is one of the subjects that benefits from smoke treatment for germination.  I have no personal experience either way, but thought you might find it a useful suggestion.

Yes, that might be worth a try although - and excuse my ignorance of the region - I'm not sure whether fire is a frequent occurence in the Hantamberg area or indeed whether montane species are particularly dependent on fire/smoke for germination.

[Pete Clarke]

Is this Lachenalia reflexa? Certainly looks similar to Arnold's posting a few weeks back.
I grew this from a seed exchange and was expecting a nice blue Cyanella hyacinthoides, so rather disappointing.

[Darren]

Yes it is Pete. A well grown specimen too.