Eucomis 2011

[ArnoldT]

Thanks Peter:

They go into a cool basement for the winter months.

Too precious to me  to risk outdoors here.

We had 11F last winter.

[Ezeiza]

A cool basement (just frost free?) sounds great. Indoors may encourage them to sprout too early, which would be disastrous.

This method is what old timers called "gladiolus culture". There are very many species from E. South Africa that could be easily grown under this method.

[PeterT]

Thnks Arnold,
 last winter the minimum temperature here was around 0 F it did not thaw for 6 weeks. I have E pole evansii, Sparkling Burgundy, and another Eucomus, which name I am not sure of, growing happily in the ground. I lost automnalis.

[ArnoldT]

Peter:

I have E. bicolor in the ground for five years.  Appears later around mid June and just now is pushing up a flower spike.

Arnold

http://pacificbulbsociety.org/pbswiki/index.php/EucomisTwo#autumnalis

[jshields]

I grow my E. bicolor in a pot, and it gets the "Gladiolus Culture" as well.  It went out of the greenhouse onto the deck in mid- or late June this year.  It is also shooting up a flower spike right now.  I think I tried some Eucomis outdoors in the ground here maybe 10 years ago.  They did not survive, but I did not try a variety of different microhabitats for them.

Jim

[PeterT]

Bicolour grows in my sisters garden which went well below 0 F this winter ( she is at a higher altitude). I shall have to check but I think it came through.

[ArnoldT]

Jim:

My E. bicolor came from Ellen Hornig at Seneca Hill Perennials.

Alas, it is ( the nursery) no more.

[jshields]

Yes, I know the nursery is gone, but Ellen isn't; and she is going to owe me a bulb or two later this Fall!   

Jim

[Afloden]

  I have humilis, montana, autumnalis, and bicolor all growing outside with no issues. over three winters. All have seen lows to 7F with wet winters. In Kansas where lows reached -10F I lost all I planted out. Still waiting to plant out pallidiflora. The many bronzy hybrids have all wintered to.

 Sadly, vandermerwei did not like the winter.

 Aaron

[Ezeiza]

Aaron, are the bulbs planted deep? I ask this because they recommend deep planting for frost protection.

[wooden shoe]

Maybe my experience can be helpful.
I have both Eucomis bicolor and Galtonia princeps (and G. candicans) in my garden. I have not much experience yet with E. bicolor, these were first year seedlings, so I gave one half a mulch layer and kept the other half stored at home. The ones outside were buried 5cm deep with 10cm leaves and twigs on top and they all survived last winter's -12C. 
I consider the Galtonia's hardy so I don't even bother to protect them anymore. These are planted 10 cm deep and survived up till -17C. However my soil is sandy and well drained.

Rob

[PeterT]

I have found E bicolor in the undergrowth while weeding today. It is in flower, obviously it was hardy here last winter.

[jshields]

........
I consider the Galtonia's hardy so I don't even bother to protect them anymore. These are planted 10 cm deep and survived up till -17C. However my soil is sandy and well drained.

Rob

Galtonia candicans is certainly hardy here in central Indiana, zone 5, where we can get to -23C in winter and the ground always freezes solid -- it's just a question of how deep.  My Galtonia is planted in a slightly raised, very sandy bed.

Jim

[Ezeiza]

Thanks, Rob.

[Afloden]

I don't plant them deeply. Same applies to Ammocharis; it is planted in a raised bed in sandy loam with the bulb neck right at the surface. I have had luck with several Ledebouria also and at least one Albuca for a while. I have always failed with Galtonia which is sad because I like them a lot.