Narcissus January- February 2009

[Gerry Webster]

Wonderful sight Rob. I find that slugs (the small black ones)  like these little hoop petticoats at least as much as I do & this year they singled out 'Treble 'Chance for special attention. Are they a problem on the nursery?

[Rafa]

a couple today
Narcissus asturiensis
Narcissus albidus var. occidentalis

[Rob Potterton]

Wonderful sight Rob. I find that slugs (the small black ones)  like these little hoop petticoats at least as much as I do & this year they singled out 'Treble 'Chance for special attention. Are they a problem on the nursery?

Its your fault Gerry. We haven't had problems with the little black slugs for several years, then this afternoon found a herd of them {what do you call a group of slugs??} nibbling away at the emerging buds of Hacquetia epipactis. No problems with the Treble Chance though. You could try removing the name on the labels of Treble Chance - put on 3 *** for instance - its very effective to confuse Lincolnshire mice so might work on Sussex slugs.

[johnw]

Brian  - Your Narcissus cantabricus ssp. cantabricus seed sprouted strongly in the growing shed today - temperature was 4c under sodium lights.  This on the coldest day of the winter to date, we got to -9c briefly this afternoon.  We haven't resorted to mukluks yet and looking rather silly outdoors in regular shoes.

johnw

[Gerdk]

Rafa,
Fine plants!
Is N. cantabricus flowering in the wild so early?
Do the northern populations receive some snow and frost also?

Gerd

[Anthony Darby]

We haven't had problems with the little black slugs for several years, then this afternoon found a herd of them {what do you call a group of slugs??}

A flock Rob.

[Maggi Young]

We haven't had problems with the little black slugs for several years, then this afternoon found a herd of them {what do you call a group of slugs??}

A flock Rob.

 Quite so, anthony, as used in the oft heard expression......"would you look at that --those flockin' slugs have been here again!"

[Jim McKenney]

Wonderful sight Rob. I find that slugs (the small black ones)  like these little hoop petticoats at least as much as I do & this year they singled out 'Treble 'Chance for special attention. Are they a problem on the nursery?

 {what do you call a group of slugs??}

I'm opting for a sludge of slugs.

[Maggi Young]

I'm opting for a sludge of slugs.

 That is for sure when they are at their best, Jim 

[Carlo]

Slugs? A slime, slide, glide, squash, goop, slop...

[Rafa]

I forgot to put the names in last pictures,

Narcissus asturiensis
Narcissus albidus var. occidentalis

Gerd, I think wild populations are alive and safe from the frosts. For example N. cantabricus survived at -10C last week, because is in the ground, but in a pot, I am sure it will die at -5C. I wrote in my notepad N.cantabricus in the nature blooms about 8 February, my birthday! I will make a special report to send Tony Goode for his lecture.

[Gerry Webster]

Slugs? Well they are slimy & repulsive. So, I can think of one recently departed British politician whose name might provide a suitable collective noun.

[Gerdk]

I forgot to put the names in last pictures,
Narcissus albidus var. occidentalis

Thank you Rafa,
Shame on me for the wrong identification of N. albidus var. occidentalis!
It's interesting that cantabricus in the wild is so frost tolerant and of course
I'm looking forward to your special report which will reach this Forum hopefully.

Gerd

[Diane Clement]

I wrote in my notepad N.cantabricus in the nature blooms about 8 February, my birthday!

Sounds spot on: here it is in flower between Antequera and Ronda on 11 February 2007

http://www.srgc.org.uk/smf/index.php?topic=275.0

Rafa, what ssp is it please (maybe monophyllus)?  I'll post the picture again here

[Anthony Darby]

That's a beautiful clump. Anyone bringing plants of Narcissus x susannae. It's on the cover of a bulletin of the Alpine Garden Soc. that dropped through my letterbox this morning (thanks Mark).