Nerine sarniensis '09

[Brian Ellis]

Lovely Mark, that Purple Robe seems a bit of a misnomer for a pink flower!

[David Nicholson]

Just had a look at your Site Mark, you have done a good job there. I have tried a few in the garden over the years but have always lost them-probably too wet in the Summer-but they seem to thrive in a lot of Devon gardens. Can you say a bit more on how you grow them under glass please.

[mark smyth]

David your Nerines growing outside shouldnt be affected by summer wet. Unlike other bulbs Nerine roots do not die back.

My Nerines used to be grown in a mix of top soil and grit 50/50 and some slow release fertiliser. As I learnt more the mix has changed. Nerines do not want rich mix. I know follow Ian Y's mix of 50/50 grit and sand with a wee bit of leaf mould.

They don't want to dry out so during the summer they get a small amount of rain when necessary. I take a pot off the root ball and if it is dry they all get water. When the leaves start to grow they get a good rain fall. When the leaves are dying down I feed with some tomoato food. The main change from 2010 is they will no longer spend all summer on the plunge. They will be under the plunge away from the heat - should we get a good summer.

My bulbs started out in 4inch / 10cm pots. When these started to bulge they went on to 1L square pots. Most are now in 2L square pots round bottom pots. Next year is repotting time again in to 3L long tom rose pots.

Right now they are all at the front of the house on a bench enjoying the sun. The first two to flower have fallen over because the lack of movement in the green house caused weak stems.

[mark smyth]

Pots show when the bulbs need repotted

[mark smyth]

Here's a fallen stem. I could put a small stake in to the pot but I'm not will to damamge roots

[ashley]

Thanks for this summary of your methods Mark, just in time as I pot up a first sarniensis
Well done on the updated pages; I like that N. undulata especially.

[mark smyth]

I hope the Nerine page makes more people buy these brillant bulbs. What was your source for your first bulb? What one did you buy?

I just noticed today that my flower pudica flowers has a petal on its stem

[Maggi Young]

Mark, it won't be very pretty, but how about gaffer-taping a stake to the outside of the pot to support the falling stems? It may be enough to let you get seed set if you want that.

[David Nicholson]

Mark, thanks for the info.

[johnw]

Mark, it won't be very pretty, but how about gaffer-taping a stake to the oustide of the pot to support the falling stems? It may be enough to let you get seed set if you want that.

Hey, we get little 1-2ft hoops om a wire rod that clip on the edge of the pots.  Green poly-coated steel.  Might be hard to find as they come from the UK.

Just back briefly between garden tours and now Rarefind Nursery talk.

johnw

[johnw]

A bit off topic but I wonder how members' Nerine bowdeniis behave in the late summer & autumn.  My plant in the ground is still fully leafed out with not even a hint of leaf tip die-back.  This of course means that it will be a very long time before the flower stalk(s) appear.  Last year I posted a photo of it in flower on the 10th of November and I think it lasted till the first good frost in early to mid December.  This year the bulbs got fairly dry during August and September which should have sparked leaf die-back, now that the monsoons are in full swing I don't expect the leaves will vanish until a frost.  Has anyone seen it flower with the leaves?

johnw

[johnw]

Mark - The pink in reply #68 is getting ready to open. The flower count is 12. I think Sir Peter Smithers thought 14 was the starting point for selection.

johnw

[mark smyth]

12 flowers is good. I must count mine now. Looking forward to your photo

[Brian Ellis]

Has anyone seen it flower with the leaves?

At the moment, one is in flower with its leaves outside the kitchen, it is growing in the shade of Crinum x powellii so it is flowering through those leaves.  However, it could be that it is behaving like this as we have had no rain for so many weeks (until the day before yesterday).

[mark smyth]

John my Zeal Giant and Winter Sun have their leaves