Hello Andrew. Sorry to be misleading, but I can't grow T. tuberosum here in Augusta, even in a greenhouse (which I don't have.) The summer nights are simply too hot. I couldn't even grow T. majus here, except possibly as a winter annual in a greenhouse. Very shortly after I sent my e mail, a name flashed through my mind: Ken Aslet. I did some checking on the internet and it turns out that T. tuberosum 'Ken Aslet' is a day neutral form of the species. The "normal" T. tuberosum is a short day plant. If T. tuberosum is a winter grower in the San Diego area, then it probably won't bloom because the days are getting longer as the plant is maturing. If T. tuberosum grows over the summer, however, it should have no problems setting buds as the days shorten in the fall and winter. Of course, if you are growing 'Ken Aslet,' my discussion is moot. Hope this all makes sense, and thanks for continuing the discussion. Eugene Zielinski Augusta, GA > [Original Message] > From: AW <awilson@avonia.com> > To: Pacific Bulb Society <pbs@lists.ibiblio.org> > Date: 5/22/2011 1:11:37 PM > Subject: Re: [pbs] Tropaeolum tuberosum > > Dear Eugene, > > Thanks for making the suggestion. Let's consider it. T. tuberosum comes from > Peru, which is pretty close to the equator and thus has daylengths that vary > little from 12 hours all year. In San Diego, at 33 degrees from the equator, > daylengths range from about 10 hours in midwinter to almost fourteen in > midsummer. On that basis alone it would seem the daylength being either too > short or too long as an unlikely cause. However, one might say 'well, maybe > it's the day length at the time leading up to when the plant found > temperature conditions were also right to grow and bloom'. I suspect, but am > not certain, that could be any time here from April to September, the time > of warm temperatures outdoors, during which daylight hours range from over > 12 through 14 and back to 12, not to quibble about which week of the month > when we're starting or ending. That would seem to say that daylight length > is not the answer. You might come back and narrow down the temperature > blooming time to limit you to midsummer and say that they really wanted a > shorter day at that time of year. Well, OK, but that is getting very picky. > It could, however, be tested by growing the plant in a greenhouse that gave > a longer growing period. There are surely many more people at similar > latitudes that grow the plant indoors. I note that Augusta, GA is at a > latitude pretty close to that of San Diego. Do you have a g'house or do you > grow it outdoors there? Let me know. Thanks! > > Andrew > San Diego > > > I wonder if T. tuberosum's refusal to bloom is due to daylength problems. > Perhaps San Diego's days are too long, or not long enough. > > Eugene Zielinski > Augusta, GA > USA > >