Off-topic: Aloe

J.E. Shields jshields@indy.net
Mon, 27 Jul 2009 07:10:26 PDT
Shawn,

It can be miserable here in summer.  This year, it has been relatively cool 
so far.  Our normal afternoon high temperatures in July and August are 86°F 
(30°C) but have been running 10°F cooler so far -- maybe that's why the 
Aloe dichotoma are surviving.  The relative humidity runs 60 to 80% here in 
summer.  Should I move them into the greenhouse and let them go dry now?

I have one nice size Aloe cf. ferrox or marlottii that stays outdoors in 
summer and bone dry in winter inside the greenhouse.  This probably 
suggests it is marlottii, I suppose.  I'm still trying to get the hang of 
growing other Aloe species.

In a normal summer here, I would probably have to hold the dichotoma in a 
greenhouse, where it stays dry and hot, so the relative humidity is lower 
inside than outdoors where it is 30°F cooler.  I store my winter-growing 
Haemanthus in one greenhouse over summer.  This cool summer has some of the 
Haemanthus pots (2 barkerae and one coccineus) in bloom.  Apparently they 
think it is already winter with our slightly cooler temperatures.

Any and all advice eagerly accepted!

Jim Shields

At 06:45 AM 7/27/2009 -0700, you wrote:
>Jim,
>
>In these here parts Aloe dichotoma gows and blooms during the winter, thus 
>the need for a frostless environment, and then shuts down for the summer, 
>during which time extreme heat and humidity can be fatal.  It's a cool 
>season grower like many bulbs.  If you're going to put it outside during 
>an Indiana summer, how humid is it?  My in-laws say August is beastly out 
>there.
>
>Shawn Pollard
>Yuma, AZ
>
>
>
>________________________________
>From: J.E. Shields <jshields104@comcast.net>
>To: Pacific Bulb Society <pbs@lists.ibiblio.org>
>Sent: Monday, July 27, 2009 6:30:51 AM
>Subject: [pbs] Off-topic: Aloe
>
>I have some nice, healthy seedlings of Aloe dichotoma coming along nicely
>in a community pot.  When should I transplant/repot these?  Bulbs
>transplant best, usually, when they are just about ready to come out of
>dormancy.  These Aloe plants will be grown dry over winter in the
>greenhouse, so should I wait until spring before disturbing them?

*************************************************
Jim Shields             USDA Zone 5             Shields Gardens, Ltd.
P.O. Box 92              WWW:    http://www.shieldsgardens.com/
Westfield, Indiana 46074, USA
Tel. ++1-317-867-3344     or      toll-free 1-866-449-3344 in USA



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