Crocus Group Bulletin No. 43b : Summer 2014Patron Brian Mathew MBE VMH
Committee John Grimshaw
Mat Murray
Wim Boens
Tony Goode
A New CommitteeIn the July Newsletter I appealed for help to breathe new life into the Crocus Group. Thank you to everyone who took the time to respond. You may have noted from the header above that we have a new committee. Reflecting the international nature of our group the committee is drawn from members across the globe. This will be my last Newsletter but I will be continuing to handle membership enquiries and to help co-ordinate the group activities.
John Grimshaw (UK) and Matt Murray (AUS) who will be known to some of you, have jointly volunteered to take on the role of Secretary/Newsletter Editor. Based at opposite ends of the world the plan is that John will report on the Northern growing season while Matt will do likewise for the southern hemisphere season. Both are botanically trained and employed in horticulture, they will introduce themselves properly in the next Newsletter.
Wim Boens who lives in Belgium has taken on the role of Seed Exchange Manager. Details of the planned 2014 Seed Exchange are included below. Please take special note of the new Seed Exchange email address included below
Tony Goode
2014 Crocus Group Seed ExchangeHello to all Croconuts,
I’m the new seedex-manager and I’ll try to do as wonderful a job as David has done in past.
So, let’s get started; like in the previous year’s it’s the aim of the seed exchange to get Crocus seed to members as close as possible to the correct time for them to be sown during the higher temperatures of late summer for optimal germination. Crocus seed has been shown to germinate best if sown during the higher temperatures of late summer before the lower temperatures of autumn and winter initiate germination. The best time for sowing is therefore at the same time as nature does it in the wild, that is when the ripe seed is expelled from the mature seedpod in late spring to early summer. For that reason we normally ask members to send seed as soon as possible after they have collected it, and in any case before the 31st of July.
Since this year I’ve taken over the job a bit late, we’re moving the date to the 31st of August.
During the first week of September I’ll compose the list and e-mail it to members who have requested it (Donors who are members will receive the list automatically). Your request for the seedlist should reach me before the 31st of August too. See e-mail address below.
This year I’ll use the same system as David used last year, donors will be allowed to choose from the list, non-donors receiving pot luck. Next year (depending on the seeds we receive) I’ll see if I can get non-donors to make a choice from the list again. Orders should reach me by e-mail before the 30th of September. I will try to send all orders out before the end of October. Seeds should be sown immediately and left exposed to the weather until they germinate, after which they may be brought under cover.
Requests for the seedlist should be e-mailed (before the 31st of August) to: seedexcrocusgroup@gmail.com
Donations of seed can be send to:
(For the UK):
Tony Goode, 3 Woodland Road, Hellesdon, Norwich. NR6 5RA
Tony will forward all UK seed as one package, saving UK donors additional EU postage costs.
(For the rest of the world):
Wim Boens
Brugsesteenweg 17
8750 Wingene
Belgium
With the kindest regards
Wim
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It is pleasing to see the Crocus Group beginning a new era.
If you love crocus and are not yet a member of the Crocus Group - why not join now? Contact Tony Goode.
Think of access to the Seed Exchange !
Maggi
