Narcissus April to June 2009

[Kees Green]

Hi
I have a few questions, if you seed your narcissus does this detract from them multiplying underground at the same time.
How long can you store pollen?, I want to keep some of the early petticoat pollen to cross with later species.
I have a glass house that I am trying to convert for raising seed, I have put a sail cloth over it to protect it from frosts however this also drops the lighting. What do you guys/gals think I sould do-leave with sail cloth or not?
The collected seed from last year is starting to sprout, I have mixed narcissus seeds up in one pot over 40, 6 of a yellow-gold large trumpet in another, 1 Tete tete, 3 bulbododiums that I had previously kicked over and thought I had lost and now a single wee gem cross up.
I have a few crocus up and I find it fascinating to see the crocus seed swell and then send the root down, it seems to take ages for the shoot to then break the surface. I read that crocus seed were to be scattered on the surface, is this correct as it would appear to me that they should be set down in the soil as with narcissus. any time frames for corcus to flower from seed?
Lots of questions but I want to learn quickly and not waste any seasons.
Thanks
I have my foliosus flowering now, will attach a couple of pics

[Kees Green]

Sorry did not rotate pics again will do so now

[fermi de Sousa]

Hi Kees,
Ian Young has written a lot about sowing seed "at depth" which you can find in his Bulblogs:http://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/index.php?log=bulb
cheers
fermi

[David Nicholson]

Kees, I think you need to read Ian Young's Bulb Log (see the link from the SRGC Main Page) which will give you all the bulb seed sowing information you will ever need, and there's a  fully searchable index.

I can't answer your pollen question but am sure others will be able to. As far as Crocus seeds are concerned Ian will say sow deep, about 2/3rds of the way down your seed pot, and the same with Narcissus seeds. Crocus from seed to flowering,3-4 years. Seedlings need as much light as possible when showing growth but, as long as your seed pots don't get frozen will not be too bothered by a bit of frost.

[David Nicholson]

Fermi, great minds follow the Master

[fermi de Sousa]

The Narcissus season in Redesdale starts with N. viridiflorus,
growing in the open Rock Garden.
cheers
fermi

[Lvandelft]

That is a great start Fermi, with so many flowers!
For this special one you have a super climate.

[fermi de Sousa]

That is a great start Fermi, with so many flowers!
For this special one you have a super climate.

Luit,
If I just had some other pollen to try to recreate those great hybrids you showed us at the Lisse Flower Show!
cheers
fermi

[Gerdk]

That is a great start Fermi, with so many flowers!
For this special one you have a super climate.

Not much to add - simply overwhelming! Super grown plants!

Gerd

[BULBISSIME]

Wonderfull clump fermi !!
It's super to see this flowers now 
Congratulations, they seems to be very happy and well grown.

[Maggi Young]

Exciting day: parcel of bulb just arrived from Dryad Nursery (forumist Anne Wright) 

Look like the rain is about to start again so potting up these bulbs will be a pleasant indoor task this afternnoon: thanks, Anne! 

[annew]

 

[Maggi Young]

Extraordinary sight today.... out with the dogs (Lily, Molly is staying right now and Figo is here for the day) ...in a patio pot by a driveway up the road a few narcissus hybrids are in flower! They are about 6-7 cms across the flower, with cups about 2cms long and about the same broad, plain yellow, around 30cms hig. No idea of the variety but they look to have been recently planted..... I expect they are bulbs that got forgotten and planted very late.... but even so, it was a shock to see them now. 

[Lvandelft]

Extraordinary sight today.... out with the dogs (Lily, Molly is staying right now and Figo is here for the day) ...in a patio pot by a driveway up the road a few narcissus hybrids are in flower! They are about 6-7 cms across the flower, with cups about 2cms long and about the same broad, plain yellow, around 30cms hig. No idea of the variety but they look to have been recently planted..... I expect they are bulbs that got forgotten and planted very late.... but even so, it was a shock to see them now. 

Maggi, this spring it was possible to acquire Narcissus bulbs which were prepared for spring planting.
Since some years a research was started in Lisse to find out the possibilities of keeping bulbs dry till spring.
With Narcissus were until now the best results.
After planting they will flower in short time.

The question is of course if consumers are really waiting for this...
On the other side, of the many visitors to the bulb fields in spring, there will certainly be many,
who want to buy bulbs right away and enjoy them flowering some weeks after coming home.

[Maggi Young]

Oh, this is very interesting, Luit. Yes, I can see that visitors will enjoy to b ring home bulbs treated in this way.....and perhaps for those narcissus lovers a longer season, too, will be good.