December 2009 (Northern Hemisphere)

[shelagh]

I know these are not the first Narcissus romieuxii (JCA 805) to be shown but last year the flowers were very sparse so I gave them the Bulb Despot sprinkle of white powder and this is what happened.  The Cyclamen coum BS BEI is from Cyclamen Society seed and has been in flower for a couple of weeks now. With the promise of snow for the weekend it nice to have something cheerful to look at.

[ashley]

Both lovely Shelagh
Is this a clone from JCA805 or a mix of seedlings?

Last weekend I found a neat pile of flower buds beside my BSBE1 in the garden  
Either cyclamen scapes are tasty or there's a bank vole with just too much time on its paws

[krisderaeymaeker]

ni

Mine (Asphodelus acaulis) has never had any protection, grown ouside and down to at least -6C most years, if not for more than a few days at a time. Never any sign of frost damage.

The same here, Lesley, though possibly down to  -9C with no snow cover. I am hoping we get more snow before the weekend to give the plants its winter blanket. As to 'compact' growth- I do not have the luxury of a greenhouse for garden plants/ alpines here as it would require refrigeration in summer. The one we use for the tomatoes is much too hot for any plants in July and August. So  I have to 'put up' with planting things in the garden and standing back while they grow 'abnormally' and hide their flowers- ah well such is life!

Thank you both ,this give me a reason to try it  outside........Only the winters in Belgium are unreliable,you get few days with plenty of moisture following by frost (naked frost ,no snowcover),again warmer days again some days of cold and so on .....Plants must be strong to withstand this always changing conditions.
But as I say you motivate me to try it.A glasshouse is only a necessary evil ......and if we could eliminate it  .........

[shelagh]

As far as I know it is a clone Ashley.  The pot with just a couple of bulbs was given to us some years ago and has just bulked up since.

[Sinchets]

ni

Mine (Asphodelus acaulis) has never had any protection, grown ouside and down to at least -6C most years, if not for more than a few days at a time. Never any sign of frost damage.

The same here, Lesley, though possibly down to  -9C with no snow cover. I am hoping we get more snow before the weekend to give the plants its winter blanket. As to 'compact' growth- I do not have the luxury of a greenhouse for garden plants/ alpines here as it would require refrigeration in summer. The one we use for the tomatoes is much too hot for any plants in July and August. So  I have to 'put up' with planting things in the garden and standing back while they grow 'abnormally' and hide their flowers- ah well such is life!

Thank you both ,this give me a reason to try it  outside........Only the winters in Belgium are unreliable,you get few days with plenty of moisture following by frost (naked frost ,no snowcover),again warmer days again some days of cold and so on .....Plants must be strong to withstand this always changing conditions.
But as I say you motivate me to try it.A glasshouse is only a necessary evil ......and if we could eliminate it  .........

It is worth a try outside, Kris. Especially if you are splitting the plant anyway. Remember it is a mountain plant- even if it is the Atlas mountains.

[shelagh]

Snow today it didn't wait for the weekend and -5C in the greenhouse overnight.  Brian is out at the moment putting his babies to bed.  The net curtains that shade the greenhouse in summer double up by being laid over the plunges for frost protection in the winter. However nothing to the -20C our friend Krista at Tallinn Botanic is experiencing at the moment.

[Onion]

Shelagh,

I use a fleece material be used in the vegetable production. When you moisten it the water get frozen at the material surface and cover the plants.

[Kristl Walek]

A wintery bouquet to you all.....

[fleurbleue]

Thanks Kristl and merry Christmas to you 

[cohan]

lovely bouquet, kristl
what are the pinkish berries?

[Kristl Walek]

Iris foetidissima and Pernettia (Gaultheria) mucronata.

[cohan]

the red are iris? i had no idea there were such things in that genus..
i just looked it up--huh! very cool... love the pink gaultheria too..

[Kristl Walek]

it's listed in my catalogue.... i am working on yellow fuits of the iris by growing out the whites.

[cohan]

it's listed in my catalogue.... i am working on yellow fuits of the iris by growing out the whites.

neat..i did see some other colour of berries when i did a google image search--of course, assuming it was still the same species--i think they were white-ish..

[Paul T]

Kristl,

So you have the white fruited form of foetidissima as well do you?  I've only ever seen the reddy orange ones in person, but have heard of the white and yellow fruited forms.