Hepatica 2011

[Michael J Campbell]

Mike, I feed them miracle-grow for the first  three weeks to get them going then switch to tomato feed every two weeks, and I don't feed them in June ,July or August.
Yes I use a heavy loamy soil, JI. no 3 which is of a different consistency depending on the producer. This holds the moisture better in the summer when they don't like to dry out.  Don't depend too much on what I say as others probably do the opposite to what I am doing with equal success. My brother grows everything in soiless compost with great success, while I would struggle to get anything to grow in it. Depends on what you are used to and your climatic conditions, and if you have cover for the plants.

[Mavers]

Thanks for this information Michael.

I use clay long tom pots & grow the hepaticas in my greenhouse. Do you use clay or plastic pots?

[Michael J Campbell]

I use the plastic rose pots for mature plants and 9cm square pots for young plants, 6cm pots for potting on seedlings. I would never be able to keep clay pots from drying out.

[Gunhild Poulsen]

I agree with Michael about the pots, it is much easier to keep the plants moist when using plastic pots.
My soil for japonica is a mix of sphagnum, grit and Perlite, and for nobilis I add some soil from the wood to this mix. The soil for japonica doesn’t contain any fertilise at all, so I use a long lasting fertilise called Osmocote. It is active in 3 month. It is easy to use, because one can’t give too much, this fertilise never hurt the plant. I give this every spring in March and then nothing before July after the receipt below (I know the receipt say June but because of my 3-month lasting Osmocode I wait until July).
Besides I give SuperThrive around every second week.
As seen in this forum there are different ways to grow Hepatica, and probably no one can say which is the “right”. Anyway the important thing is to find the balance of moist/but not too much, drain but still moist and proper fertilise.

From a Japanese friend and breeder I have received the following:
“Nitrogen promotes the development of leaves and seeds.
Phosphate promotes the development of new buds.
Potassium promotes the development of new roots.   
In the spring months from March to May develops leaves, seeds and roots – ergo gives fertilizer containing high nitrogen and potassium.
In June develops new buds – ergo gives fertilizer containing high phosphate.
In July-October develops new roots – ergo gives fertilizer containing high potassium.
In the period from October to February no fertilize.
The above applies to adult plants, but small seedlings fertilized in the same way, except that those fed the whole year unless the soil is frozen.”

This works for me, and in this way my seedplants often flower 2 years after sowing.

[Gunhild Poulsen]

I'm sorry for my bad English - I didn't meant reciept but formula 

[Maggi Young]

I use a long lasting fertilise called Osmocote. It is active in 3 month. It is easy to use, because one can’t give too much, this fertilise never hurt the plant

 We gave up using Osmocote in our potting compost  because in a strange year when there was very early warm weather, the pellets released all their fertiliser and the plants were damaged.  

 Gunhild.... don't worry-  receipt can mean a recipe or formula   

[Gunhild Poulsen]

Thank you Maggi I'm calmed about my English.
But I'm surprised by what you are telling about Osmocode.
In Denmark most nurseries and privat growers use Osmocode. I have used it myself in around 10 years I think, without any damage (I use the one for Rhododendron etc.).
Osmocode should release the fertilise slowly in the three month period, and I did not know the weather had any consideration of this. Opposite warm weather can be very dangerous for Hepatica.
Anyway Osmocode works well for me, not only for Hepatica but for other plants too.
And this is the exciting of growing plants - there are lot of different ways to success.
Gunhild

 

[johngennard]

I use osmocote in most of my composts but not for hepaticas simply because I have followed John Massey's recipe ever since I started growing them and since it has been successful I have seen no reason to change.
Osmocote is available in many different formulas and is not confined to a three months rellease period,it is very much dependent on temperature to activate it release properties.I in fact use a fifteen month period of release.

[Maggi Young]

As John says, Gunhild, Osmocote is temperature release sensitive so for a climate like ours, where we can have unseasonal speels of warm waether, it  can release the fertiliser at the wrong time and cause damage. I would imagine in Swcandanavia where winter stays for a "proper" length of time and then the weather changes fully to Spring, not going back and forth like in the UK, that this is why you have not had any problems.

[lettuce begin]

A few snaps of the Ashwood hepaticas from RHS show, sorry lost the names.

[Diane Clement]

A few snaps of the Ashwood hepaticas from RHS show, sorry lost the names.    

Thanks so much for posting these.  I just heard that Ashwood won their 50th consecutive Gold Medal for this display, with 100% score in all categories of judging. 

[Pascal B]

Maggi,

The problem is that the more useful versions of Osmocote are not available for the hobby grower. Usually only the 3-4 month formula's are available at the garden centres but there also 5-6 month, 8-9 month, 12-14 month and 16-18 month versions in varying N-P-K formulas that cause much less problems. You can overcome the heat release problem a bit by not mixing it in the soil but put it at the surface of the pot. But that looks awful... Or mix it in at 1/2 or 1/4 strength as additional fertilisation. But I have to admit I prefer feeding the plants with a liquid feed too, it gives me much more control.

[Luc Gilgemyn]

Thanks for showing these Cheryl !
What beauty...  

[Maggi Young]

A few snaps of the Ashwood hepaticas from RHS show, sorry lost the names.    

Thanks so much for posting these.  I just heard that Ashwood won their 50th consecutive Gold Medal for this display, with 100% score in all categories of judging. 

My thanks too, Cheryl.

 Good news about the Gold Medal.... though hardly surprising with plants likethat, eh? !

[Maggi Young]

Maggi,

The problem is that the more useful versions of Osmocote are not available for the hobby grower. Usually only the 3-4 month formula's are available at the garden centres but there also 5-6 month, 8-9 month, 12-14 month and 16-18 month versions in varying N-P-K formulas that cause much less problems. You can overcome the heat release problem a bit by not mixing it in the soil but put it at the surface of the pot. But that looks awful... Or mix it in at 1/2 or 1/4 strength as additional fertilisation. But I have to admit I prefer feeding the plants with a liquid feed too, it gives me much more control.

You have the situation exactly, Pascal. We just gave up as it was too much trouble!