Meconopsis Trial 2010-2013 Report

[ichristie]

Hi again I forgot to post the pictures of the seed , another close up picture of the M. punicea perennial.
cheers Ian the Christie kind.

    Mec seed 1
    Medc seed close
    mec seed poor_
    M.punicea perennial close

[ichristie]

At this time of year we would expect our meconopsis to be going dormant, the very wet months of August and September have resulted in plants still looking very lush if fact I have never seen all our plants looking so green. The monsoon rain and late sunshine recently has even brought a few plants into flower most of these I have removed as they will draw strength from the roots usually the flowering rosette will die who knows what the winter will bring?. I am posting some late flowers, it is not just meconopsis but Anemone trullifolia and one trillium a Hellebore I am sure most of you will be seeing the same,  cheers Ian the Christie kind.

[ichristie]

Hi to all, well we have started a New year with our seed sowing this is something I always do on 1st of January just a few pots to welcome another growing year. I have sown lots of pots since most get sown on deep pots as this allows the roots to get down instead of spreading outwars getting tangled up with others we can usually leave seedlings in these pots longer but if seedlings get very big then we will move them on. I have sown Liliums, and Nomocharis Glaucidiums and Fritillarias these are quite big seeds so are covered with a good layer of grit Ihave also tried covering seed with Perlite now this is a very light material so these pots are kept inside, I think that light will get through the perlite easier which will help germination must do some trials we find that any moss or liverwort is easily removed from the Perlite. I take Meconopsis seed place in an empty margarine tub or container add a little fungicide and mix together this coats the seed with the white powder allowing you to see how much seed is sown one big problem is sowing seed to thickly makes it very difficult to prick out. It is also VERY important to use gloves when using any fungicide or chemical then wash your hands, Perlit and Vermiculite Must be watered well before use as the dust is harmfull be carefull.  I will post some pictures when possible, cheers Ian the Christie kind.

[johnw]

Ian  - Can you give us a run down on how to proceed with pots of sown Nomocharis seed?  Cold period or warm first or immediate sprouters?  I had beginner's luck in 1986 and 1993 but I haven't had much luck sprouting them as of late.

johnw

[ichristie]

Hi all, I will post some pictures now of seed and seed sown in pots I have sown two identical pots of seed and covered one with Vermiculite the other has not been covered so we will see which grows best if any?.

 John I am also posting some pictures of the Nomocharis and Lilums which are sown in big pots so we know where they are I also sow some directly on a prepared seed bed. I sow seed then cover with good clean 5mm gravel then I take a piece of fleece place this over the seed pots and tie under the rim they look like Christmas puddings but this keeps out voles and mice which will eat all your seed this method works for Hellebores Erythroniums Daphnes and many more, the other benefit is that once seed has germinated just pull up the fleece gently allowing the seed space to grow this keeps out snails and slugs who just love young seedlings.   I place all seed pots outside with no protection this stays out until the seed has germinated then we bring the pots inside under cover to grow on.
 Method 2 if you stay in an area where you do not get frost take the Nomocharis or Lilies mix with some damp Perlit or Vermiculite put some seed mix in a zip lock bag and place in a fridge for a month or so if we collect seed in Sept we would do this as soon as it is ripe the seed will germinate in the bag just sow with care and keep under cover we would cover these young seedling with fleece in case of frost. I hope this helps and if you want some seed let me know, cheers Ian the Christie kind

[ichristie]

Have had problems sending the pictures try again, cheers Ian.

    Mec seed 1
    Mec seed covered.J
    Mec seed pot 1.
    Seed Pots 1
    Seed Pots 2

[johnw]

Thanks so much for the postings Ian.  I will sow and store in the cold room which is between 4-6c and place outside in March when the freezes are not so severe.

I have just sown Lilium souliei seed from Bjornar and wonder if the same treatment is appropriate?

johnw    - +2c and spitting snow, -8c tonight and heavy rain tomorrow. 

[ichristie]

Hi all, I am sure this is not the page to list my new web site but as it has quite a few pictures of Meconopsis just have a look please  http://ianchristiealpines.com  cheers Ian the Christie kind.

[ichristie]

Hello all. we have had one of the most difficult years for Meconopsis, the weather had been erratic to say the least first we were roasted in Feb/March all the plants were growing so fast and the seedlings looked like the were going to burn up. On 2nd 3rd of April we had a snowstorm with around 6 inches of snow then a minus 5.5 some days that week the well advanced Meconopsis  leaves were smashed and broken several plants which had shown flower buds tried to flower but only reached about a foot then these just curled up.  The past 10 days have been very wet and cold some plans did recover but are not looking happy and seedlings have been frosted or drowned the surviving few are now under cover. We often moan about the weather but this year has really been the worst what should we expect next?. I will add some pictures once the Forum posting is set up again,  cheers Ian.

[ichristie]

Hello, at last I have a little spare time this spring has been very busy I have visited many groups as a speaker and the days have flown past plus it is important when you are awy to catch up with the garden when you come home. I have said earlier that this has been one of our worst springs for years the weather has been so erratic. I have managed to get some Meconopsis seedlings going which have been under cover most of those outside were either fried up in March or drowned this month. Our established plants have also had a very hard time they started to grow very early then they were covered in snow at the beginning of April I now see the results of that storm and the hard frost which followed. The Meconopsis are producing flower spikes which are only 25cm to 30 cm high with one flower this is not good I have removed some of these malformed flower spikes in hope that more good ones will come, the flowers are beginning to open on some plants again very short and so early. We have had some sunshine over the weekend but I fear more rain and cold winds are yet to come. I will now post several pages of pictures of plants in the garden, will be back soon. cheers Ian the Christie kind The last picture is M. betonicifolia from a wild collection it is going to flower so will see if it is different.

     Mec seedlings 1
    Mec seedlings 2
    M. Ascreavie
    M. Evelyn
    M. G. S. group
    M. grandis new
    M. Lingholm
    Mec Inverewe
    M punicea per.
    M. bet new 2

[ichristie]

Hello again here are some pictures showing the Meconopsis with malformed or short flowers with the first flower almost open. tomorrow is the first of May never seen any flowers so early before cheers Ian.

[ichristie]

Hi all well what a diferencs a day makes with a litle sunshine we now have at least 6 meconopsis in flower again very short these are Meconopsis Mop Head and Meconopsis Strathspey grandis type the Strathspey is very purple and it is usually one of the darkest blues we have I guess it is lack of sunlight  even the Mec Mop head are veyr different. cheers Ian the Christie kind

[ichristie]

Plants are growing fast now we have some better weather, I have had to come inside as we have a monsoon deluge now with hail hope it goes away quick, A few pictures from the garden today, cheers Ian the Christie kind.

    M grandis
    M grandis 1
    M grandis flower bud
    M grandis head_
    M hyb white
    M x cookei old rose
    M x cookei satin_

[ichristie]

The snow came on heavy yesterday along with more rain later very cold today heaven knows what w will get next. The first flowers are open on Meconopsis punicea the flower stems are only abaout 8inches high so the flowers are right down amongst the foliage most unusual, picture from today, Ian the Christie kind

[ichristie]

Yet another day with heavy rain and so cold the plants are still trying to flower, I have a real odd one today Meconopsis simplygrand a hybrid between M. simplicifolia and M. grandis not easy to please but it is perennial. We also have the first flowers on Meconopsis  punicea the Perennial form  and a large group of M. quintuplinervia cheers Ian the Christie kind