I just saw the 'grass' sprouting in my window box this
morning. Those crocus weren't supposed to come up
until spring! Any ideas, or are they going to succumb
to winter now, no matter what I do?
Samatha
Trying to adjust my plantings to Texas 'fall'
weather....
__________________________________________________
I just planted crocuses yesterday...and the ones from last year are still
underground, noses at the surface...waiting.
Be that as it may...crocuses bloom so early in the spring that they have
quite a bit of cold tolerance, and just wait for sunny, warmer days to
bloom. I've had them come through snow storms, several inches worth, and
bloom just a few weeks later...and snow crocuses will brave icicles to bloom
'midst those retreating crystals of snow and ice. You may have crocuses
blooming in December...and January...on warmer days, in the sun.
Start some more...if you can get them. Put them in pots that are small
enough to fit into your window boxe, to replace these when they get past
bloom, just for security's sake.
Barb in Southern Indiana Zone 5/6 dorsett@blueriver.net
A root is a flower that disdains fame.
Well, I still have the other three of the six I
haven't potted up yet. Do I need to keep them chilled
to discourage them until 'spring' has sprung? I'm
afraid if I pot them on the windowsill, they'll be
sprouting now, too!
Samatha
Dallas, Texas
--- Dorsett
I'm seeing all my bulbs starting to come up now that we've had all the
rain. I have syberian iris, bearded iris, daffodils, freesias all
coming up. I was planting some flowers this weekend and came across a
few hyacinths in the ground, not up but with green sprouts on top. We
are told to plant our bulbs about 1/2 as deep as the instructions call
for, that way they still get enough chill. The bad thing about that is,
when you want to plant flowers over them, until they do pop up, you risk
loosing a couple of bulbs that way...I hate that. I've seen no
ranaculus though..I've been told they don't hold up well here, but they
are a lovely flower so I may go buy and plant some more bulbs. They may
not have popped up yet too. I did find one bulb while planting flowers
that seemed quite healthy but dormant. Everything is soaked. I didn't
even water when I planted these plants, because they were drenched from
the rain, and the ground was drenched as well. I planted a flat of
poppies. I love poppies! So pretty with their bright colors and cup
shape.
Alan
Samatha Cooper wrote:
Sure, keep them in the fridge until...say, sometime in December when you
want a change of pace break from midwinter celebrations joy. Then pot them
up. They'll develop good roots for you, emerge, and bloom in time for Texas
spring.
You do need to keep them chilled; those mild Texas climes are gentle enough
to fool bulbs into sprouting too early. Now...let those crocuses in the
windowbox keep growing, just to see what they'll do. I don't know for sure,
but you may be able to get several displays of crocuses each winter, given
good winter weather in most years and TLC for your windowbox bulbs. Please
do tell us if you try that...I'd like to know. :)
Barb in Southern Indiana Zone 5/6 dorsett@blueriver.net
"That plant wasn't a mistake, it was an experiment."
Samatha - I don't know if this is a good idea, but when you tell this I
think:
why not just let them come up now an bloom? And if you can buy some new to
plant out some later? Sorry for not knowing your climate, but I think it
is rather mild down in Texas and you will be able to garden for a long
time? Maybe you could have crocus inside for x-mas - wouldn't that be fun?
:) Arnhild - z8'er in chilly latitude 60 - Hardanger in Norway
*All the flowers of all the of tomorrows are in the seeds of today*
I, also have some bulbs coming up right now here in Southern California. =
I think they are paperwhites or crocus, not sure. I also have some =
amaryllis that never lost their leaves from last winter! Is it possible =
that they could be perennial bulbs here in So Cal?
Kim Sinclair
Zone 9 (Sunset 19)
Southern California
I live in USDA zone 9b in SW Louisiana and while the amaryllis have leaves most
of the year they only bloom once a year for us, generally in early spring. We
never take them up and they spread naturally so we now have quite a lot of them.
George
Carol Wallace wrote:
Yeah, I should have mentioned that some of the naturalized African amaryllis
will sometimes bloom in a mild fall. It's rare but this year it has happened.
George
Carol Wallace wrote:
Kim wrote:
> I, also have some bulbs coming up right now here in Southern California. I think they are paperwhites or crocus, not sure. I also have some amaryllis that never lost their leaves from last winter! Is it possible that they could be perennial bulbs here in So Cal?
> Kim Sinclair
> Zone 9 (Sunset 19)
> Southern California
I'm not sure what Zone 19 is equivalent to but I know that amaryllis are perennial in zone 9 - I've seen them growing in New Orleans year-round.
Carol
Some amaryllis don't go dormant. Maybe paperwhites are on schedule for you,
too, if you had a dry spell earlier and now it is moister.
Barbara Martin
Now at The Cottage Garden "WICKED PLANTS"
http://www.suite101.com/welcome.cfm/cottage_gardening
Active Co-Owner, Gardens List http://www.blueriver.net/~dorsett/notes.html
Regional Horticulturist, National Gardening Association
NEW! My Own Mid Atlantic Garden Reports!
http://www.garden.org/regionalreports/home.tml
I, also have some bulbs coming up right now here in Southern California. I
think they are paperwhites or crocus, not sure. I also have some amaryllis
that never lost their leaves from last winter! Is it possible that they
could be perennial bulbs here in So Cal?
Kim Sinclair
Zone 9 (Sunset 19)
Southern California
George Shirley wrote:
Ooops sorry - I didn't mean to imply that they bloomed year-round - only that they grew as perennials. Although I have had a second bloom on some of my amaryllis after I take them outside for the summer here in zone 6.
Carol
Paperwhites are blooming in Riverside, Ca ., right now. Amaryllis can be
evergreen in S. Calif if no freezing occurs. Amaryllis belladonna finished
blooming in late August and is now starting to push up foliage for next year.
--- Dorsett
> Sure, keep them in the fridge until...say, sometime
> in December when you want a change of pace break
from midwinter celebrations joy. Then pot them up.
They'll develop good roots for you, emerge, and bloom
in time for Texas spring.
Ah? Gotta try this - sounds like a LOT of fun!
Well... :) I don't have much choice BUT to try now.
I'll give you reports as winter rolls along, on the
window boxes and how they do.
Samatha
=====
--
The heart has reasons which reason does not comprehend.
-Paschal
__________________________________________________
Yes, that's exactly what happened! We had a very dry summer and then =
all of a sudden it has been raining off and on for a few weeks now!
Kim Sinclair
Zone 9 (Sunset 19)
Southern California
From: Barbara Martin
Subject: Re: :: Confused Crocus Bulbs
> Some amaryllis don't go dormant. Maybe paperwhites are on schedule for =
you,
too, if you had a dry spell earlier and now it is moister.<<
Barbara Martin
Mine are in pots, so they haven't spread, that I can see from the =
surface anyway! But they have increased in girth significantly! They =
almost fill out the pot that they came in! I must put them in the =
ground!
Subject: Re: :: Confused Crocus Bulbs
> I live in USDA zone 9b in SW Louisiana and while the amaryllis have =
leaves most
of the year they only bloom once a year for us, generally in early =
spring. We
never take them up and they spread naturally so we now have quite a lot =
of them.<<
George
I'm not sure what kind I have. I bought it at Home Depot in a box with =
a pot for a Christmas decoration.
Kim Sinclair
Zone 9 (Sunset 19)
Southern California
From: George Shirley
Subject: Re: :: Confused Crocus Bulbs
> Yeah, I should have mentioned that some of the naturalized African =
amaryllis
will sometimes bloom in a mild fall. It's rare but this year it has =
happened./<<
George
Is the Amaryllis belladonna the one called, 'Naked Lady', or 'Lady =
Slippers'? I have a few of those that were here when we moved in, but =
only one bloomed this year, because I accidentally disturbed them when I =
redid the front border garden where they were located. From what I =
read, they may not bloom for several years if disturbed at the wrong =
time. And that was right before they were to bloom. They are sending =
up leaves right now, however. I am only 25 miles from Riverside, so I =
guess my paperwhites are going to bloom now too! They have leaves =
already.
Kim Sinclair
Zone 9 (Sunset 19)
Southern California
From: ---Glenn Park
Subject: Re: :: Confused Crocus Bulbs
> Paperwhites are blooming in Riverside, Ca ., right now. Amaryllis =
can be
evergreen in S. Calif if no freezing occurs. Amaryllis belladonna =
finished
blooming in late August and is now starting to push up foliage for next =
year.<<
------------------------------
Hi Kim, yes the A. belladonna is the summer blooming fragrant pink
one. Yours will bloom again...someday soon, maybe. They are very easy to grow
from seed (if you get some seeds next year), just wait until they're mature
and toss them on the ground where you want more to grow. Takes time to get
big, but if you have plenty of space to grow them in, why not try?
Flora in CA
In a message dated 11/2/2000 11:01:57 AM Pacific Standard Time,
sinclai@EARTHLINK.NET writes:
Sounds like the ones I have! They have actually spread quite a bit =
since we moved here. There was just one little flower and now there are =
at least 10 bulbs! I'm not sure if they spread by seeds or bulb =
divisions though. But I will be on the lookout next year (if they =
bloom) for seeds!
Kim Sinclair
Zone 9 (Sunset 19)
Southern California
"If at first you don't succeed, then skydiving isn't for you!"
From: "J. Flora"
Subject: Re: Confused Crocus Bulbs
> Hi Kim, yes the A. belladonna is the summer blooming fragrant =
pink
one. Yours will bloom again...someday soon, maybe. They are very easy to =
grow
from seed (if you get some seeds next year), just wait until they're =
mature
and toss them on the ground where you want more to grow. Takes time to =
get
big, but if you have plenty of space to grow them in, why not try?<<
Flora in CA
