South African Bulbs 2013

[Maggi Young]

Very  fine plants, Francosi.

Have you tried propagation by leaf-cuttings? I believe this is very successful for some forumists, though I have yet to try it myself.

[François Lambert]

and John, years ago we made an experiment to know how true it was that phosphorous was poisonous to South African bulbs. We added a minute dose of superphosphate at the bottom of 80 pots with different species of them. By the end of the season (late spring) all were dead.

On the other hand, fertilzers containing phosphorus like Phostrogen, Chempak 4 or Tomorite used as a foliar feeding in minute doses are evidently beneficial. Paul Tyerman mentioned years ago that the same was true with Australian plants: the effect was a lot more harmful to roots but he also mentioned that  such roots could become gradually accostumed to phosphorus presence with less harm to plants. If I remember well.

Likely only for winter growing SA bulbs.  I use a standard NPK + sulphur & Magnesium fertilizer for my Eucomis & Galtonia bulbs and they really respond well to it.

[François Lambert]

Have you tried propagation by leaf-cuttings? I believe this is very successful for some forumists, though I have yet to try it myself.

Hello Maggi,

Only recently I learned they can be propagated by leaf cuttings -  so never tried it.  On the other hand, I have big crops of seeds - in particular of my Eucomis comosa (E. bicolor is a shy seedsetter for me), that this source of new plants is amply enough for me.  I have a few dozen seedlings of E. bicolor this year and an uncountable number of of E. comosa that germinated this spring.  If we have an indian summer this fall I should again have loads of viable seeds from my Eucomis this year.  And as far as I can see, now that my first seedlings of E. bicolor are flowering, I have no crosses of E. Bicolor X E. comosa amongst my seedlings - even if the two have always been growing just a few meters apart.  Here is the result of sowing E. comosa just a bit too densely ... those were 2011 seeds and I assumed germination rate would be lower.

[Maggi Young]

  Yes, that is a very  good rate of germination!!

[Hans J]

here some pics from a shy flowering plant ( first flowers for me ever)

Agapanthus "Tinkerbell"

Enjoy
Hans

[Brian Ellis]

How nice to see it in flower Hans!

[ruweiss]

Hans, congratulations to you success with Agapanthus Tinkerbell.
Plan to show your photos to my plants, that they see what they have
to do!. The Bavarian nurseryman from Neusäß told me, that this
Agapanthus is only a foliage plant which will never set flowers.

[Hans J]

[Lvandelft]

The Bavarian nurseryman from Neusäß told me, that this
Agapanthus is only a foliage plant which will never set flowers.

He is a fascinating, knowledgeable man but not all he says is true !
I have never seen flowers on this plant, but it might have to do with specific temps at the time flower buds are set in the plant.
This will hardly ever happen in our cool climate

[Maggi Young]

So.....  dieser Pflanze von Hans besser als 'Eugen's allerbester'  ist, eh?!! 

[Hans J]

Maggi :

"Wer ko ,der ko" 

Hans 

[fermi de Sousa]

Babiana odorata with an interloper - most likely a seedling with Babaiana pygmaea as the father!
cheers
fermi

[angie]

Now I do like that Fermi 

Angie 

[Renate Brinkers]

Congratulations Hans,

it is the second time I see it flowering in about 10 years!

[arillady]

Fermi the Babiana odorata bulbs that you sent me are flowering too here. Very strong perfume but love the dark blue/purple stamens.