Chipping/Twin-scaling type question

[steve owen]

It was really good to see David Q's smile again in the post sequence.

[Brian Ellis]

It was really good to see David Q's smile again in the post sequence.

Wasn't it just!  We shall miss bumping into him at all the events this year, but I believe he won't be forgotten by a long chalk.

[RichardW]

  It was David who kindly offered to give me a demonstration in exchange for a cuppa and a few drops, a year later did nearly 400 chips and all but a few took, had a real passion for his plants.

[kentish_lass]

I have a question regarding potting up the chips.  Do you invert the chips in the pot with the basal side downwards or lay them sideways on the soil?  Does anyone have a photo of the potting up process?

I have thoroughly enjoyed reading this thread - thanks Maggi.  I will continue to search and read as much as I can on the topic.

[Maggi Young]

In the picture of the three different stages in my compilation post  http://www.srgc.net/forum/index.php?topic=2042.msg265368#msg265368 - the one of the chips after about six weeks (this can take a little longer at times) - you can see that not only are the new little bulbs visible, but the new roots are beginning to show as well - so be guided by the direction they are coming from to orientate the chip when planting it.

[RichardW]

Jennie, I do get a few where it can be tricky to tell right side up f they haven't developed but on their side doesn't seem to do them any harm.

my usual routine is dig the bulbs for chipping up in March and pot into a very sandy mix, just helps keep the bulbs clean.

bulbs are chipped mid June then go into storage in a dark room temp cupboard til October, I check mine every week for the first month then every few after.

chips are potted mid October, am sure is possible to to do this earlier which I'll probably experiment with this year, they go onto a covered & slightly heated bench. I never let my pots dry up but just kept lightly watered until growth appears then i started feeding.

these are last years Mighty Atoms.

realize its a long way but if you wanted to come up when I do mine this year you're welcome to have a look, I'm no expert  and I do lose some but my method seems fairly successful.

[kentish_lass]

Thanks Richard - I would love to watch you chipping and am very interested to see how you grow them on.  You are certainly having a high success rate.  Its weird as I am very confident when splitting/propagating any shrub or perennial.....but when it comes to bulbs I have such a lot to learn.  I am starting to think I pamper them too much 

Will mark June on my calender - thanks again.

[bulborum]

Richard

For example if you use a razorblades for making the chippings
how do you prevent for the virus infections

Roland

[RichardW]

I buy a box of scalpel blades and use a new blade for each bulb, change latex gloves each bulb, chopping surface is wiped clean after each one is done.

Probably a bit excessive but its as much about keeping everything sterile as well the risk of virus, my first attempt before I was shown how to do it properly ended up with several bags of mouldy bits so everything is cleaned then wiped with meths again, of last years 350+ chips only 1 was removed from a pot because it looked like it might be going mouldy.

Jennie I was the same & think nothing of division etc which is far more brutal, it's different when you're faced with chopping up 30+ treasured bulbs, after the first month and the chips hadn't turned to mush I start relaxing

It's a fairly easy process if you keep everything clean.

[Brian Ellis]

Probably a bit excessive but its as much about keeping everything sterile as well the risk of virus...
It's a fairly easy process if you keep everything clean.

Absolutely, I would add that I don't think it is excessive and you should probably use fresh fungicide for each bulb too.

[RichardW]

Brian, each bulb goes into it's own small cup of fungicide, looking back it was obvious why my first non tutored attempt turned to mush, doing it properly requires a lot of time and equipment but the results are worth it. I was told off last year for turning my whole kitchen into a lab 

[Brian Ellis]

I was told off last year for turning my whole kitchen into a lab 

I know the feeling

[Anthonyh]

I also use a separate blade for each bulb, with the exception of when I'm doing common varieties (Arnott/Atkinsi etc) for bulk planting. Then I use the ceramic cooker hob in the kitchen to sterilize the blade- it's easy and fast to heat up, and I'm working on the assumption that a few seconds on that should kill any viruses that are likely to be a problem... and the blades don't seem to lose their temper... so to speak... despite changing colour. I haven't seen any signs of trouble in the bulbs I've done that way over the past few years. I find that a little easier and cleaner than using a flame. Our kitchen also looks like a lab for a day or two, but it's definitely worth taking the time to do it properly. 

Below should be a picture of some of mine... done at different times.

[Anthonyh]

Incidentally, has anyone had much experience of twin scaling woronowii? I ask because I haven't, and I read on John Grimshaw's blog last year (in relation to a certain yellow) that it doesn't respond well to the procedure. I have an unusual one, of which I'll post some pictures elsewhere shortly, and whilst I intend to try some common woronowii this year to see what happens, I wondered if anyone else had tried it?

[RichardW]

What do others do with their chips once they have grown for one season?

Keeping them in pots doesn't really work for me so far & I've prepared well dug beds to put them in late March/early April, would like to keep a small number in pots as a trial and I'm interested to know where/how you store them, in cold frames, plunged in sand, potting mixes, watering regimes etc.