Bulb log 2018

[Ian Y]

I am surprised that your Eranthis seeds manage to survive on the surface and germinate.
I have birds that practically plough the ground, with both feet moving backwards so they
can eat any seeds below the surface litter.

Perhaps your birds have daintier eating habits.

Diane, we have lots of birds foraging for seeds,also mice, but they never seem to touch the Eranthis seeds.

[Ian Y]

Hallo Ian Young, I have read Your interesting blog with the frost-conditions-pictures. We have here this very often in winter, but this year it is very warm, only some nights with -2°C. I am every time so surprised, to see, how dowdlayed snowdrops after frosts stands up with much of energy!
Thank You for so many blogs, I am memeber of the SRGC since november 2017 and read with great interest the bolgs of the former years! Greetings from germany Harald Alex

Thank you Harald Alex, it is always interesting to compare growing conditions in other gardens and countries as we all seek to achieve the same goal of good growth.
I am sure you will enjoy being a member of the SRGC and among other things your joining helps support these pages.

[Ian Y]

Snowdrops start to flower in the garden while Narcissus are under glass in this Bulb Log.


http://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/logdir/2018Jan311517398203BULB_LOG_0518.pdf

[John85]

About the sandbeds in the greenhouse :
Ian you say that 15 cm is a minimum.1m would be quite expensive.What would be a good compromise,knowing that the sand would not be on a kind of table but on the top of a raised bed of "normal" soil.
Would a layer of gravel between both be advisable?
Your sand seems quite gritty.Is that the best?What would be ideal?
What kind of manure do you use (a lot of K I guess but not only) and how much?

[Ian Y]

About the sandbeds in the greenhouse :
Ian you say that 15 cm is a minimum.1m would be quite expensive.What would be a good compromise,knowing that the sand would not be on a kind of table but on the top of a raised bed of "normal" soil.
Would a layer of gravel between both be advisable?
Your sand seems quite gritty.Is that the best?What would be ideal?
What kind of manure do you use (a lot of K I guess but not only) and how much?

John

I would say 30cms of sand sitting on the soil would be good, no gravel between the layers.
Yes it is a gritty sand that is best, it is better draining and holds air as well.
Yes plenty K after flowering, I scatter alight dressing of NPK 7-7-7 in Autumn before the first watering then when I water in the winter using cans I add a quarter to half strength liquid tomatoe fertiliser.

[Ian Y]

The wave of Snowdrops and Narcissus flowers rolls on in this week's Bulb Log.


http://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/logdir/2018Feb071518003380BULB_LOG_0618.pdf

[Diane Whitehead]

Lovely upward view of the snowdrops, Ian.

Do you dig yourself a hole to crouch in, set the camera on the ground
and hope it focusses itself, or pick the flowers and put the vase up high
so you can be comfortable?

[Ian Y]

Diane
I set the camera on the ground switched to manual controls including focus , my procedure is explained  in the Bulb Log beside the Cyclamen picture.

[Diane Whitehead]

OK.  So you're not lying flat on the ground - just the camera is, and
you take lots of photos to get one that is good.  Isn't it wonderful
to be able to do that now instead of being parsimonious with film.

It would be interesting to see you doing it on YouTube. 

[Ian Y]

OK.  So you're not lying flat on the ground - just the camera is, and
you take lots of photos to get one that is good.  Isn't it wonderful
to be able to do that now instead of being parsimonious with film.

It would be interesting to see you doing it on YouTube.

I am kneeling down and pretty low to the ground, I get the exposure and focus pretty quickly it is the framing that takes a few shots although I am learning all the time.
Yes when I was taught photography I was told to remember that every time you pushed the shutter button it cost you money- al that is changed now.
Mmm a YouTube that's a thought but I would need extra hands, or a tripod!

[Maggi Young]

I'm game to try to help!

[Rick R.]

My camera has a tilting view screen, so I can hold the camera on the ground pointing upward and still see how the photo will look.  A fully articulating view screen would work even better.  Of course, the camera's manual mode allows the most control for how one wants his picture to look, but may I offer a simpler method for simpler people (like me):

Any camera with a manual mode will also have an adjustment called "exposure compensation".  Here you can instruct your camera to let in more (or less) light by varying amounts, than it normally would.  It is usually used in automatic or semi-automatic modes.   In the case of Galanthus with the camera pointing up at the sky, you take a normal pic and the Galanthus flower itself turns out too dark.  Adjust your exposure compensation to +1, +1.7 or +2 to let in more light.  (Try them all, it doesn't cost anything!)  The detail of the flower can then be seen. 

This is an excellent easy trick with lots of applications.  When snow blankets the ground, the camera auto mode will often show the snow with a gray tint, and dark objects will have little detail and just look black.  Fix this with exposure compensation and let in more light.  My winter snow landscape pics are always taken with at least a +1 EV (exposure value).

Another example, same pic with different exposure compensations:




 Some cameras have Exposure compensation bracketing. This will automatically take a series of photos at differing exposure values (EV) each time you snap one picture.  Even less fuss!

[Ian Y]

Rick, thanks for sharing that information, I also use the exposure compensation a lot when on automatic settings, especially when photographing white flowers.

By learning and being familiar with your camera settings/ functions and experimenting with them will result in more creative and better photographs.

A fully tilting screen would be an advantage in these situations.

[Ian Y]

Flowers continue to appear, despite the changing weather, but will they open - find out in the Bulb Log.



http://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/logdir/2018Feb141518606975BULB_LOG_0718.pdf

[David Nicholson]

Nice to see your Leucojum in flower Ian. Last April I bought small pots of L. vernum and L. v. carpathicum from Beth Chatto's nursery which I later planted in the garden, both are just showing noses. A couple of weeks ago I bought a 2 Ltr pot of L. vernum from a local Garden Centre (a surprising purchase opportunity?) and these have also been planted in the garden and are showing about 2" noses.