February 2018 in the Southern Hemisphere

[Jupiter]

An early Cyclamen flowering in my nursery, a silver leaf hederifolium selection by Marcus.

[Lesley Cox]

My own Silene acaulis succumbed to dryness a couple of weeks ago - we've had no rain since November and temps in he high 30s as also did one of 2 forms of Androsace sempervivoides. They were watered but it just wasn't going in. However I have small nursery plants of both. The white silene was also a bit burnt in a trough but has recovered mostly, now we've had some rain. Still very touch and go though. The rabbit scrapings show how shallow the rain penetration was, only 5 or 6 centimetres. we need a lot more yet.

[Lesley Cox]

My January Journal arrived yesterday. As always, a wonderful production with stunning photos and lots of great reading. No matter how good the Forum or even Facebook, the photo in the Journal are just so much better and there's nothing so good as something to take to bed or spend an hour with on a sunny sofa on the porch.

[Mini bulb lover]

Well, the Australian Government has finally done it - only commercially packaged seed allowed in from 25 January 2018 (or seed with a Phytosanitary certificate). 

https://bicon.agriculture.gov.au/BiconWeb4.0/ViewElement/Element/Alert?elementPk=815125

Very sad news. We won't go down without a fight though.

[Lesley Cox]

Indeed, you must fight this. I can't say I know how but it is an outrageous action to enforce this. A commercial packet or a phyto certificate ensures nothing at all. It's all words and doesn't mean any seed will be cleaner or safer. The only consequence is to isolate Aussie gardeners. I won't be able to send seeds to my friends. I can't package in such a way as to make it seem a commercial parcel. I haven't machinery etc. and a phyto certificate is very costly even once let alone perhaps several times in a year or so.

I really hope you and the greater horticultural community in Australia can solve this problem before it becomes entrenched.

Having said that, I can only hope that the NZ govt does not follow suit now or later. It's far from impossible. By and large our regulations while frustrating and nonsensical to some degree, are workable and in the main our officials do try to be as helpful as they can within the law. But the law can be changed without notice and at the whim of officials with their own agendas.

[Carolyn]

Well, the Australian Government has finally done it - only commercially packaged seed allowed in from 25 January 2018 (or seed with a Phytosanitary certificate). 

https://bicon.agriculture.gov.au/BiconWeb4.0/ViewElement/Element/Alert?elementPk=815125

Very sad news. We won't go down without a fight though.

I have passed this info on to the rest of the Seedex team.  Do keep in touch if you hear anything else.

[Maggi Young]

I would hope that the neatly labelled packets of SRGC Seed Exchange seed would now  be acceptable to the  Australian authorities - a clear  reason to illustrate what a great idea it was to institute this  improvement  in service to all members.

[Mini bulb lover]

The SRGC Seed Exchange envelopes are great. Last December the Australian department that monitors agricultural imports made a change that a “supplier’s declaration” was also required which the SRGC Seed Exchange team graciously provided. Now they state that they will only accept the declaration from commercial suppliers.

I think this change seems to be less about bio security and more about reducing their workload. As a first step we’ve recommended that AGS Victorian Group members (and anyone else affected) contact their local federal member of parliament to ask for this change to be reversed. The committee will soon meet to determine future action.

I would also suggest that, as stakeholders, the SRGC and AGS send letters to the minister for Agriculture and Water Resources, David Littleproud MP. Explain the impact of this change and ask for it to be reconsidered.
https://www.aph.gov.au/Senators_and_Members/Parliamentarian?MPID=265585

I think this change is a threat to our bio security because it could increase the black market on  imports. When has prohibition ever worked?

[Maggi Young]

I hope the SRGC Seed Team will be bringing all this to the attention of the SRGC President, since he would be the  main person to write  concerning SRGC fears on this  matter.

Members may contact  the President, David Rankin, directly by email via this link 

[Jupiter]

Colchicum variegatum, flowering very early this year. It has never increased, still only one flower after 4 years. 

[fermi de Sousa]

Colchicum variegatum, flowering very early this year. It has never increased, still only one flower after 4 years. 

Such a spectacular flower - one is enough!
We have a few amaryllids in bloom now:
1) Lycoris incarnata;
2) Acis autumnalis;
3) Calostemma purpureum;
4) Crossyne flava;
5) Amaryllis belladonna seedling
cheers
fermi

[Lesley Cox]

Colchicum variegatum, flowering very early this year. It has never increased, still only one flower after 4 years. 

Seed from Marcus Harvey maybe 6 or 7 years ago. No germination - yet.

[Jupiter]

The bulb I have I bought from Marcus in 2014. I had some seed from Marcus too Lesley and I just sowed it today. Fingers crossed.

Here's another picture of it with raindrops. Yes, you heard right, it's raining (a tiny bit).

[fermi de Sousa]

A couple of autumn flowering cyclamen starting now:
Cyclamen graecum
Cyclamen rohlfsianum
cheers
fermi

[ashley]

They look really happy under your conditions Fermi