Galanthus in September

[johnw]

Melvyn - Just wondering about the formulation of liquid seaweed manure in the UK.

Here we have access to 25kg bags of ground dried sea plants flakes (including kelp) with 8% fibre, 2% K, 6% NaCl, .08% I and 7% Sulphate. Have used a bit of this in my regualar mix but I'm a tad rather wary of the salt at 6% so I went on the easy side when add ing it my mix.

Also Liquid Seaweed concentrate 0-0-1 and fish/seaweed 2-3-1; both of these with - at least as the brochure says - vitamins, micros, macros, minerals, amino acids, trace elements and growth hormones. Bother in 1 quart concentrates up to 5 American gallons (3.78541178 litres x 5???).

Are any of these close to the one you use?

johnw - +26/27c here today, still 22c at 21:20, this is better than summer!

[Melvyn Jope]

John, no details are given on the bottle but there is further information on the Maxicrop website.

[Tony Willis]

Some Galanthus peshmenii in flower. Cannot compare them with my G. reginae olgae as the slugs have eaten all the flowers off those.

[Martin Baxendale]

John, no details are given on the bottle but there is further information on the Maxicrop website.

Melvyn, do you use the Maxicrop seaweed extract in the brown bottle with no added fertiliser? Or one of the ones (red or green bottle) with added fertiliser (for flowers or tomatoes)? I used the brown bottles last year but have just realised that the fertiliser content is minimal so think I'm going to try the Maxicrop seaweed extract tomato fertiliser next year for feeding the snowdrops in pots, especially the seedlings and bulbils from chipping. I had good growth last year with the pure seaweed extract and mostly healthy bulbs, probably because I use fresh compost each year, but suspect I may get faster development with Maxicrop tom feed or flower feed.

[daveyp1970]

Some Galanthus peschmenii in flower. Cannot compare them with my G. reginae olgae as the slugs have eaten all the flowers off those.

Fantastic Tony,i really like the sinus mark on the top pic.

[Melvyn Jope]

Melvyn, do you use the Maxicrop seaweed extract in the brown bottle with no added fertiliser? Or one of the ones (red or green bottle) with added fertiliser (for flowers or tomatoes)? I used the brown bottles last year but have just realised that the fertiliser content is minimal so think I'm going to try the Maxicrop seaweed extract tomato fertiliser next year for feeding the snowdrops in pots, especially the seedlings and bulbils from chipping. I had good growth last year with the pure seaweed extract and mostly healthy bulbs, probably because I use fresh compost each year, but suspect I may get faster development with Maxicrop tom feed or flower feed.

Hello Martin, I use the product in the brown bottle but thanks for bringing this to my attention because I am inclined to experiment next year to see if there is a discernable difference when using added fertiliser.
 Like you I use fresh compost each year, a few usually get missed simply through lack of time, but the growth last season was not as good as usual because I reduced watering to protect the plants during the very cold period as most of my plants are G. reginae-olgae selections.

[johnw]

Martin  - Why switch fertilisers?  Your bulbs are the best-looking ones I've seen, so plump and blemish-free. 

johnw

[johnw]

Some Galanthus peshmenii in flower. Cannot compare them with my G. reginae olgae as the slugs have eaten all the flowers off those.

Huge blotches in the first picture Tony.

johnw

[Brian Ellis]

Huge blotches in the first picture Tony.
johnw

Mmm full marks for technical description John

[Hagen Engelmann]

I like much green also, Tony. It can be a very big and green apival mark, but also the whole flower.

[Martin Baxendale]

Melvyn and John, I think I could just about get away with annual repotting in fresh good quality loam-based compost (John Innes 2 or 3 depending on bulb size, chosen for a good loam content, plus extra drainage material - pumice grit in my case) and Maxicrop non-fertiliser original (brown bottle) seaweed extract. But for fastest development of seedlings and chips to flowering I think some added fertiliser on top of what's in the compost would probably be beneficial. I think I'll stick to very regular doses of the non-fertiliser-boosted Maxicrop seaweed extract (at virtually every watering) and add a dose of a high-potash liquid feed (e.g. tomato fertiliser) every other watering or so. Some of my seedlings are taking a long time to reach flowering and anything I can do to speed that up has to be a good thing.

[mark smyth]

Damn window cleaner stood on my peshmeniis. Only two up so far. I thought all had died.

[Michael J Campbell]

Mark,I have chased various window cleaners over the years for the same reason, they don't see plants,just windows.
I bought the necessary equipment and clean the windows myself now,not as often as they should be cleaned  but usually when I can't see into the garden from the living room.   One can't be wasting good gardening time cleaning windows

[johnw]

Huge blotches in the first picture Tony.
johnw

Mmm full marks for technical description John

Sorry about that folks, what was I thinking?  My brain must have been in rhododendron mode as have been talking rhododendrons non-stop for 2 days. 

Still the larger markings make for a spectacular snowdrop.

johnw

[johnw]

Mark,I have chased various window cleaners over the years for the same reason, they don't see plants,just windows.

I have been having windows repaired and the carpenters have to traverse two patches of Cyps to get to the ladders.  It was worth the money to send them to ballet lessons beforehand.  They are young and agile and have been remarkably careful.

johnw