South African Bulbs/Geophytes 2018

[ArnoldT]

Freesia elimensis

[PaulFlowers]

This week, when its been so miserable outside, my winter garden has been wonderful. These are all moraea. It's great to see variations on a theme. Some of these came from Cameron Mcmaster. A wonderful legacy to make so many people happy

[YT]

Lachenalia viridiflora

[Rimmer de Vries]

Tatsuo
That overall image is a great photo of a wonderfully grown potful.
we are all envious of your growing skills.
How mich sun does it get and how cold is it grown?

Rimmer

[Rimmer de Vries]

Massonia jasminiflora

[YT]

Tatsuo
That overall age is a great photo of a wonderfully grown potful.
we are all envious of your growing skills.
How mich sun does it get and how cold is it grown?

Rimmer

You overestimate me too much, Rimmer. But thank you in anyway.
I grow it on sunny outside bench without any protection and special treatments.
Probably the climate here fits to L. viridiflora.

Average Weather in Shizuoka Japan
https://weatherspark.com/y/143722/Average-Weather-in-Shizuoka-Japan-Year-Round

Last winter was terribly cold and the daily lowest temperature dropped down to -5˚C several times, but this L. viridiflora didn't get damage.

[ArnoldT]

Rimmer:

I've had the same reaction to Tatsuo's growing prowess.

I think the attached info will explain at least part of it.

He gets more sunlight during the growth cycle of SA bulbs then we do.

Not because of day length but less cloud cover.

I've attached a screen grab of hours of sunlight for Shizuoka and a link showing a comparison for chance of clearer skies, growing conditions

Here's the link for the comparison of the two locations.

https://weatherspark.com/compare/y/143722~23912/Comparison-of-the-Average-Weather-in-Shizuoka-and-New-York-City

I'm 10 miles from mid-town Manhattan.

Arnold

[Rimmer de Vries]

Hi Tatsuo
 your "terrible cold" of -5ºC (23ºF) is rather mild compared to continental central part of USA!
but i see in your linked chart that you have a lot of clear winter days, where we have predominately overcast days in winter.

https://weatherspark.com/compare/y/143722~23912~14698/Comparison-of-the-Average-Weather-in-Shizuoka-New-York-City-and-Bowling-Green

this chart does not reflect that we get a few days/ nights at or below zero ºF (-18ºC) in January- feb. and we are rated average zone 6B (-10ºF/ -23ºC).

perhaps we need to keep our plant outside longer for more sun radiation and wind to keep them short and stout. the glass cover and inside growing makes for leggy weak plants even with bright light and fans.

[Rimmer de Vries]

Daubenya zeyheri is beginning to bloom
Last 3 snaps outside in sun

[Maggi Young]

Daubenya zeyheri is beginning to bloom

And don't they look like seasonal decorations?   Could be  on a  Christmas tree!

[Rimmer de Vries]

A pot of 4 year old seedlings of Daubenya zeyheri from McMaster seeds
Some have red and some have orange filaments

And a yellow Cyrtanthus mackenii

[PaulFlowers]

Lovely to see the Lachenalia all smiling

[Rimmer de Vries]

 Androcymbium dregei
Flowers the size of a dubbeltje

[Maggi Young]

Androcymbium dregei
Flowers the size of a dubbeltje

....... 15mm !

[ArnoldT]

Massonia longipes as ID'ed by Rimmer.