AGS Harlow Show 27th February 2010

[Luc Gilgemyn]

He did Maggi !      And so did Luc S. 
Very busy day today, so no time to sort out pix yet ! 
We had a great day once again and despite the entries being a bit down (that was no surprise after the long and cold winter  ) we enjoyed the show very much.  Obviously we were quite happy to meet some old and new forum friends once again and catch up with the latest "news"... 
For some reason, this week's incident in the European parliament with our belgian "European president" and the british "politician" brought along quite some laughs... 
Anyway, I hope to post some pix tomorrow and/or tuesday to continue Gail's efforts !

[David Nicholson]

I suppose the Gilgemyn "fortune" was further depleted?

[Luc Gilgemyn]

I'm afraid so Mr Nicholson... the Ferry is quite expensive, and then there were some other "en route" expenses made... 

[Eric Locke]

I'm afraid so Mr Nicholson... the Ferry is quite expensive, and then there were some other "en route" expenses made... 

Not forgetting the plant purchases of coarse.

Eric

[David Nicholson]

.... and bags of John Innes!

[art600]

.... and bags of John Innes!

What would our Trade Balance be without regular visits from The Belgian forumists 

[Luc Gilgemyn]

I'm afraid so Mr Nicholson... the Ferry is quite expensive, and then there were some other "en route" expenses made... 

Not forgetting the plant purchases of coarse.

Eric

Absolutely Eric !!!  ... and plant purchases require John Innes compost as David has correctly stated... etc... etc... and all this added up results in a huge boost of the british trade balance as Art observed so vigilantly... 

The british government is heavily indebted to the AGS for organising the shows and to the SRGC forum for spreading the word  !! 

[Ragged Robin]

Thanks for posting some great photos, Gail, from the AGS Harlow Show. The quality of the plants looks terrific and I love Oxalis palmifrons - I wonder if is it hardy 

[Mick McLoughlin]

Rob Potterton has it down as being not reliably hardy.
http://www.pottertons.co.uk/pott/view_product.php?pid=717

[Ragged Robin]

Thanks Mick, I do like Oxalis and this one has an exquisite leaf.

[Eric Locke]

Thanks Mick, I do like Oxalis and this one has an exquisite leaf.

Robin, my Palmifrons lives all year in a frost-free (only just ) greenhouse all year with no problems.

Eric

[Ragged Robin]

 Eric, would love to see a photo of your Palmifrons or have you posted it in another thread before? 

[Eric Locke]

Eric, would love to see a photo of your Palmifrons or have you posted it in another thread before?  

Robin I will have to have a look to see if has recovered from underwatering   as it looked a little sad over the weekend. Am very busy, as every spare moment at this time of the year I am trying to pot up all my Pleione before they start to flower and the other plants tend to be neglected for a while. Not posted a photo before but I have had it for a while.

Eric

[Lesley Cox]

Oh Robin, if only I'd known, Pam could have taken some bulbs for you. Oxalis palmifrons is quite hardy to - 10C 6C in New Zealand, as is the delightful O. massoniana. Mainly the former is grown for its foliage because so far as I can tell, the only person to flower it well is Bill Dijk in Tauranga (Tecophilaea Addict on the Forum). Alberto Castillo says the bulbs of species that seem not to flower should be put in dark or even black paper bags and "cooked" in a very warm place through the summer. I'm trying that this year with OO. palmifrons and melanosticta (syn. purpurea 'Ken Aslet.')

Sorry I put -10, I was thinking of something else. All the same I think that wouldn't be far out as it is grown in Central Otago which has a much harder winter than I do, near Dunedin. Central has to -15 reasonably often.

[Lesley Cox]

Eric you mentioned yours being a little sad through being dry. I find this species if not well watered will dry off very quickly indeed and though it always comes up again and the early drying obviously doesn't hurt it, that in itself may be a factor in its usually poor or non-existent flowering. I mean that if it were kept growing longer, it may be more inclined to flower better. I know that Bill's is kept in growth much longer, maybe 2 or 3 months, than mine.