Sternbergia 2009

[Gerdk]

Gerry, I have also bought the 'garden form' of lutea and these are not floriferous in Denmark. In average 1 out of 6 bulbs flowers. I have sandy soil in my garden, where I have most of my Sternbergias. I have a summer residence too where I have planted some lutea. There the soil is heavy clay, but they grow well and flower about 2 weeks earlier.
Poul

Poul, this is an interesting observation! Do I get this right - Your Sternbergia lutea in a sandy soil are shy flowering and those in heavy clay are earlier and have more flowers?
Are there some other differences between the two sites which might have an influence to flower formation (more sunlight, sloping, etc.)?

Gerd

[udo]

My first Sternbergia for this autumn,
Sternbergia clusiana from S-Turkey, the best and largest species

[Rodger Whitlock]

Gerry, I have also bought the 'garden form' of lutea and these are not floriferous in Denmark. In average 1 out of 6 bulbs flowers. I have sandy soil in my garden, where I have most of my Sternbergias. I have a summer residence too where I have planted some lutea. There the soil is heavy clay, but they grow well and flower about 2 weeks earlier.

The difference may be nothing more than differing nutrient levels. Sandy soils tend to be lean and impoverished; bulbs which require a lot of nourishment to build themselves up (most do) often do better in a nutrient-retentive clay soil.

[Ragged Robin]

Wow, that is beautiful Dirk, did you grow it from seed?

[Gerry Webster]

My first Sternbergia for this autumn,
Sternbergia clusiana from S-Turkey, the best and largest species

Dirk - please tell us how to flower this species. I have had a bulb for nearly 10 years & have never seen a flower.

[Gerry Webster]

Gerry, I have also bought the 'garden form' of lutea and these are not floriferous in Denmark. In average 1 out of 6 bulbs flowers. I have sandy soil in my garden, where I have most of my Sternbergias. I have a summer residence too where I have planted some lutea. There the soil is heavy clay, but they grow well and flower about 2 weeks earlier.

The difference may be nothing more than differing nutrient levels. Sandy soils tend to be lean and impoverished; bulbs which require a lot of nourishment to build themselves up (most do) often do better in a nutrient-retentive clay soil.

This may be part of the story but it is not the whole. Sternbergias do not flower on my heavy clay soil despite feeding. I think summer temperature is more important.

[Rodger Whitlock]

This may be part of the story but it is not the whole. Sternbergias do not flower on my heavy clay soil despite feeding. I think summer temperature is more important.

Never one to give up easily, let me suggest that it's soil temperature that is important, and with clay soil, it needs to be dry. Damp clay won't warm up as well as dry.

How's that for a save?

[Gerry Webster]

This may be part of the story but it is not the whole. Sternbergias do not flower on my heavy clay soil despite feeding. I think summer temperature is more important.

Never one to give up easily, let me suggest that it's soil temperature that is important, and with clay soil, it needs to be dry. Damp clay won't warm up as well as dry.

How's that for a save?

Not bad. May even be true.

[Hristo]

On the rocky limestone slopes in the countryside surrounding Veliko Tarnovo Sternbergia colchiciflora is beginning to flower in its tens of thousands! Hard to see from the road when you stop and walk into the dried grass there is a sub 'carpet' of yellow.
Colours range from acid yellow to more washed out pale forms.

[Gerdk]

What a cute little plant! And well presented!
Thank you for showing this species growing in its natural environment!

Gerd

[Luc Gilgemyn]

My first Sternbergia for this autumn,
Sternbergia clusiana from S-Turkey, the best and largest species

A wonderful Sternbergia Dirk !!! 

[pehe]

Gerry, I have also bought the 'garden form' of lutea and these are not floriferous in Denmark. In average 1 out of 6 bulbs flowers. I have sandy soil in my garden, where I have most of my Sternbergias. I have a summer residence too where I have planted some lutea. There the soil is heavy clay, but they grow well and flower about 2 weeks earlier.
Poul

Poul, this is an interesting observation! Do I get this right - Your Sternbergia lutea in a sandy soil are shy flowering and those in heavy clay are earlier and have more flowers?
Are there some other differences between the two sites which might have an influence to flower formation (more sunlight, sloping, etc.)?

Gerd

The same clone of lutea (what I call 'Villa Carlotta', as I get I from there. It is similar to 'Autumn Gold') flower equal well in sandy or in clay soil. The only difference is flower time. I think that is coursed by small difference in temperature. Here is a list of my lutea from 2008:

Clone                    Soil            Flowering time     Flowers            Plant site
'Villa Carlotta'         bulb mix      26. Aug              Many               Pot in green house
'Villa Carlotta'         clay             2. Sept             Many               10 cm from S-facing wall 100 m from the coast
'Villa Carlotta'         sandy         16. Sept             Many               10 cm from S-facing wall 5 km from the coast
'Villa Carlotta'         sandy           5. Oct              Many               1 m from S-facing wall 5 km from the coast
'Villa Carlotta'         sandy          12. Oct              Many               In my open kitchen garden 5 km from the coast
'Autumn Gold'         sandy          10. Oct              Many               1 m from S-facing wall 5 km from the coast
'garden form'          sandy           1. Nov              Few                 10 cm from S-facing wall 5 km from the coast
'garden form'          sandy           8. Nov              Few                 2 m from S-facing wall 5 km from the coast

All are well feed.


Poul

[pehe]

On the rocky limestone slopes in the countryside surrounding Veliko Tarnovo Sternbergia colchiciflora is beginning to flower in its tens of thousands! Hard to see from the road when you stop and walk into the dried grass there is a sub 'carpet' of yellow.
Colours range from acid yellow to more washed out pale forms.

Hristo, what a show! It is really nice to see them in their natural habitat. That gives us an idea of what they like. And obviously they like this site.
How is the climate there? (temperature, rain in summer and winter)

Poul

[pehe]

My first Sternbergia for this autumn,
Sternbergia clusiana from S-Turkey, the best and largest species

Dirk - please tell us how to flower this species. I have had a bulb for nearly 10 years & have never seen a flower.

Dirk, wonderfull clusiana!
Yes please tell us how you do. The pots seems rather large, how big are they? And what about feeding and summer rest?

Poul

[Hristo]

Hi Poul,

They are growing in a thin terra rossa type soil over limestone. May to late August sees little rain and temperatures to 40c.
September will normally see a sharp drop ( 10c ) in average dyatime temps and a week of heavy rain. The weather brightens up again and within a week to two weeks Sternbergia colchiciflora begins to flower. Interestingly the same cues seem to bring Colchicum autumnalis and Spiranthes spiralis into flower depsite their growing in quite different habitats!