Tulipa 2019

[johnralphcarpenter]

And so it begins....

Tulipa buhseana

[Maggi Young]

Crikey! Tulip time already?!  It's going to be one of those years that gallops past again, I can tell!

[David Nicholson]

Nice ones Ralph.

[johnralphcarpenter]

Tulipa bifloriformis 'Ihnachsai'

[Yann]

the first one of the season: Tulipa cretica

[Yann]

the next one is grown from Kurt Vickery seeds under ref. KZ62

[johnralphcarpenter]

Excellent.

[johnralphcarpenter]

This Tulipa bifloriformis has THREE flower per bulb - Tulipa trifloriformis? Couldn't get it to focus properly.

[Yann]

interesting Ralf, did you remind the source of the bulbs?

In the garden crocuses are now faded and over, it's time for tulips. Outside it's very windy and i had some trouble to take photos.

Tulipa kaufmanniana 'Sergey Jesenin' is really a must have, it's gonna change of tones in the following days turning to orange tones.
Tulipca cretica,Tulipa humilis, a darker form than the previous one posted.
Tulipa hissarica from Kurt Vickery seeds

[johnralphcarpenter]

It is from Janis, Yann. Also from Janis, this other form of Tulipa bifloriformis 'Bashkisilsai' has FOUR flowers per bulb!

[Luc Gilgemyn]

Great tulips Ralph and Yann, I also have some coming along :

Tulipa bifloriformis ex Zaaimin (ex J.R.) I almost love the closed bud as much as the open flower.

Tulipa kaufmanniana 'Nessy'

Tulipa subbiflora (x2)

[deee]

random tulip breeding question :

how long can you store pollen -- and how can you store it effectively in a home environment for say 2 months ?

If one can do this -- is there any reason you couldnt try and crossing T.Sylvestris and T. Sprengeri ?

This is just a silly thought -- its just two of my favorites that i grow -- they share similarities and i was just curious.

[Gail]

how long can you store pollen -- and how can you store it effectively in a home environment for say 2 months ?

If one can do this -- is there any reason you couldnt try and crossing T.Sylvestris and T. Sprengeri ?

This is just a silly thought -- its just two of my favorites that i grow -- they share similarities and i was just curious.

See here for members' experiences http://www.srgc.net/forum/index.php?topic=2726.0 - I've only tried with peony and brugmansia pollen and then just for a couple of weeks. I used to use film canisters to store it in, in the days of 35mm film cameras but have been saving little spice jars/jam pots to store pollen from snowdrops for use on the autumn-flowerers...
And definitely not a silly thought, but always worth experimenting and reporting back on your results. Toichi Itoh was told that you couldn't cross herbaceous with shrubby peonies but there is a whole race of intersectional hybrids now following on from his work.

[jshields]

I have stored pollen of Hemerocallis very extensively, also of Clivia, Hymenocallis, Crinum, and Hippeastrum.  To store it for a long period, a year or more, the pollen must first be dried thoroughly and then kept at low temperature.  Hemerocallis and Clivia pollens retain viability in the freezer for 3 years at least, and often much longer.

For a few days, it is enough to leave open to the air in a cool room.  For a week or two, store in the fridge.  For several months, air dried then sealed in something (I like microcentrifuge tubes with attached cap) and held in a freezer.  I described this at:  http://www.shieldsgardens.com/info/Pollen.html

Jim

[deee]

Thankyou Gail and Jim -- will do some more reading !