May 2009 in the Southern Hemisphere

[cohan]

Cohan,
I just realised that I forgot to respond to these questions.......
Our autumn colour has been excellent here this year because we've had a slow descent into the cold.  Some years it is far too dry and goes straight to frosts, so we end up with everything rapidly going brown instead of good colour.  This year we've had a lot of the last month hovering overnight at 1-4'C and this has been perfect for colour formation.  We end up during winter at down to -8 or -9'C extreme, but the colour forms best when the temps slowly drop to let the plants know it is autumn and time to drop the leaves.  The slow cold we've had has been perfect for that.  Once the frosts start to hit properly everything that is still colouring will just toast and go brown, but so far it's been spot on temperature-wise.
Is that the sort of information you were after?

thats great, thanks
i know there are a range of climates there, but didnt know too much about your coldest zones...your lowest lows  sounds like early fall here

[Paul T]

Choan,

Yes, USDA zone 2-3 we certainly ain't!! (Thankfully!!)

[fermi de Sousa]

So... if you aren't there to be photographing the Crocus, does that mean that you are you off on holidays yet again?

The crocus was received as C. specious "albus" but I'm pretty sure it's actually C. pulchellus "albus" -  I won't be able to photograph it because it'll be open while I'm at work - unless it lasts till the weekend! We won't be on holidays for months yet!

Well it looks like they might just last till tomorrow as they were still in tight bud this morning


cheers
fermi

[Paul T]

Fermi,

I hope they aren't from teh same source of speciosus albus as mine were a few years ago..... mine were I think kotchyanus albus, much to my disappointment. 

[fermi de Sousa]

Fermi,

I hope they aren't from teh same source of speciosus albus as mine were a few years ago..... mine were I think kotchyanus albus, much to my disappointment. 

B.H.T?

[Paul T]

Yep.  Mine were white with the strong yellow throat, but I think they're kotschyanus, not pulchellus alba.  But I could easily be wrong.  Very easily!! 

[fermi de Sousa]

Yep.  Mine were white with the strong yellow throat, but I think they're kotschyanus, not pulchellus alba.  But I could easily be wrong.  Very easily!! 

Oh well, I don't have that one either!  Hopefully I'll be able to post a pic of the flowers open by Monday and we might be able to get a positive ID.
cheers
fermi

[Paul T]

Fermi,

Actually, I'm not sure where I got that name from.  Must have popped into mind for some reason.  Actually, they were ochroleucus.  It was only when I read your response and looked back at mine that I realised I had boo boo'd on the name.  Unfortunately I already had ochroleucus, and given how it multiplies that isn't surprising.    Then again, this clump in the crocus garden is flowering better than any of my other ochroleucus have ever flowered before, so maybe it is a slightly different clone..... more likely it is just the "crocus garden effect". 

It's the second last pic in this posting..... http://www.srgc.org.uk/smf/index.php?topic=3332.msg93244#msg93244 , although there are a number more of them out in flower now.  This was just the first one, when I looked at it and realised that it definitely wasn't speciosus album.

[Rogan]

Paul and Fermi, now you've got me on the Crocus thread once more - no doubt borne out of frustration at not being able to grow them at all!!

The seed I plant germinates and then grows like the blazes until they go dormant in spring - then I never see them again    I was wondering just the other day if I plant / water them too early in the autumn when the combination of heat / moisture is too much for them and they just rot - perhaps if I planted / watered them only towards the end of May, then I would have greater success? I would really appreciate some advice if you can give it.

My climate seems to be somewhat warmer than yours with winter minima of the order of  minus one or two degrees C.

Best regards

[Ezeiza]

Rogan, the earlier you sow (and they germinate) the fatter the corms will be at the end of the season. Here we have somewhat similar problems to yours but out seedlings are never in full sun, although with strong indirect sunshine, this to keep them as cool as possible at first. The long season of dormancy is the problem tho (in a warm climate of course) and if you have basement keep the pots with dormant corms in them for the summer. We have solved the problem this way, but in a shaded room on metallic benches. This keep them cool enough not to dry off for good.

[Otto Fauser]

Fermi and Paul , here is a Picture of the true Crocus pulchellus albus i I will also post it in
'Crocus Southern Hem.'and a few other species still in flower today .My Galanthus 
reginae-olgae 'Cambridge'is still in flower , usually finished by the time the tall Gingko
 biloba changes to its butter-yellow autumn dress .Paul ,like in your garden ,early forms of
Gal. elwesii are already pushing up flowerbuds , so the snowdrop season extends from late
march to early september here.
 Also a few Nerines in flower today - unnamed - quite nice .
 Also as the Lapagerias are in flower at the moment : a page from a list of colour forms ,
 discovered in the forrests of Chile , introduced into cultivation, imported into Australia
some years ago and available from a Nursery here.They can only be propagated by layering
a slow process , but by serpentine layering you get quite a number of plants from the
mother plant.

[Otto Fauser]

here are the photos

[Paul T]

Otto,

Nice.  Are the Lapagerias from Martin F?  Or.... Dicksonia sells them from memory too doesn't he?

Your Crocus pulchellus albus looks better than my slightly distorted flower that I posted in the southern hemisphere crocus topic.  I think mine got caught up a bit on emergence and distorted the flowers.  Yours look so much nicer.

[Otto Fauser]

thanks Paul,
 yes the Lapageria list/photos are from Martin Ferrugia , and he supplies a few to Stephen R.
at 'Dicksonia'. Saw Stephen Ryan on the replay today on the ABC 'Gardening Australia', demonstrating the technique of layering [serpentine] of Lapageria.Do they thrive in
Canberra , as they do here in The Dandenongs ?but then you are not in a Temperate 
Rainforrest .

[Paul T]

Otto,

I have one very sorry little plant in a pot, but found out from Martin last year that they are actually more cold hardy than I was aware.  I have a spot to plant mine now, but haven't done it yet.  It is well lit but little direct sunlight.  Hopefully that will work out OK.  I am getting some seeds from a pink shortly, so will grow some from seed as well and see how they go.  Wish me luck!