PBS Forum

Well...wasn't expecting to have flowers in the mid 90's+ of late July. But here they are.

Crinum Macowanii (believed to be)

And, I wonder. Is Agapanthus a plant that falls under the PBS umbrella?

Agapanthus is most surely  a geophyte.

You can always check the PBS wiki (Agapanthus praecox

(link)) if there is any doubt about the bulbiness of anything. We're not so bothered on the forum - any sort of plant is OK. It is agapanthus flowering time here at the moment. My modest efforts are being out classed by my neighbour's huge clump of flowers.

Agapanthus plants in Helsinki, about 4- 5' tall in big pots 

Quote from: Arnold on July 25, 2024, 01:27:10 PMAgapanthus is most surely  a geophyte.

Thank you Arnold. I'm still a Newbie here in this "bulb" world of PBS peeps! 

Here's a silly question, as you said...geophyte. If that's what the society covers, why isn't it the PGS? 

Agapanthus...

A few years ago I stumbled across some agapanthus with dark blue/violet/purple-ish flowers that really caught my eye. Fantastic rich striking flowers for my garden! Ever since purchasing my first couple plants at HD, I've been on the hunt. Since then, I've found other color variants, some of them dwarfs or semi-dwarfs with incredible flower color!! A couple are supposed to be dark purple, and one a very dark purple with almost qualities of black to the flowers. Most of these I've pictured are in their second or third blooming season in the ground, and some are not looking as good this year. I've lost a few too. They just fade away to nothingness 😒

The first picture shows a clump I planted together of three different flower colors, and three different sizes- dark rich blue flowers standard size, blue and white flowers semi-dwarf, and a more purple-blue flowers a dwarf.

While these are not "species" Agapanthus, these flower colors caught my eye as wonderful additions to our garden.

Cheers 🍻

BTW... anyone know if I should be applying any special fertilizers to agapanthus? I sure would Love to get them flowering fuller, and with healthier flowers!

Agapanthus are very greedy plants. Any general fertilizer will do the job. Or composted horse manure.

Quote from: Uli on July 26, 2024, 03:10:33 PMAgapanthus are very greedy plants. Any general fertilizer will do the job. Or composted horse manure.

Hmmm... I wonder if they would appreciate composted chicken manure?

Only worth photographing geophyte seen in a short vacation, Allium oleraceum at above 1400 m, pine forest on acid soil, Teruel province, Spain.

The three main traits are the bulbils in the inflorescence, the nodding flowers and the truncated ovary. 


Carlos

Quote from: Too Many Plants! on July 26, 2024, 03:34:13 PM

Quote from: Uli on July 26, 2024, 03:10:33 PMAgapanthus are very greedy plants. Any general fertilizer will do the job. Or composted horse manure.

Hmmm... I wonder if they would appreciate composted chicken manure?

Manures generally contain very little plant nutrient and very often what they do contain is very biased in terms of N-P-K - have a search online and you'll find numbers.

In the UK extensive poultry farming is causing major problems with phosphate pollution of water courses where numbers of birds has soared in an area (Severn and Wye valleys in particular).
Poultry manure from intensive units finds a raedy market in areas of the UK with phosphate-poor soils, partiuclarly in East Anglia.

Manures add greatly to humus content of soils - their main plus point, but also decrease pH.

I have a border of Agapanthus, and the star is Agapanthus inapertus 'Graskop'. It is one of those colors that a camera has trouble with. There is a Philodendron behind it and a Crinum to the side.

Quote from: CG100 on July 27, 2024, 03:01:36 AM

Quote from: Too Many Plants! on July 26, 2024, 03:34:13 PM

Quote from: Uli on July 26, 2024, 03:10:33 PMAgapanthus are very greedy plants. Any general fertilizer will do the job. Or composted horse manure.

Hmmm... I wonder if they would appreciate composted chicken manure?

Manures generally contain very little plant nutrient and very often what they do contain is very biased in terms of N-P-K - have a search online and you'll find numbers.

In the UK extensive poultry farming is causing major problems with phosphate pollution of water courses where numbers of birds has soared in an area (Severn and Wye valleys in particular).
Poultry manure from intensive units finds a raedy market in areas of the UK with phosphate-poor soils, partiuclarly in East Anglia.

Manures add greatly to humus content of soils - their main plus point, but also decrease pH.

So...if my water, and my DG soil are above 6.0 ph, then adding composted chk manure would help lower the ph?

Quote from: Wylie on July 27, 2024, 06:57:59 AMI have a border of Agapanthus, and the star is Agapanthus inapertus 'Graskop'. It is one of those colors that a camera has trouble with. There is a Philodendron behind it and a Crinum to the side.

A. Graskop is listed as a species agapanthus, right? 

I wonder if this is related to an agapanthus I've seen that's not easy to find available for sale, called "Elaine". It looks very close in dark rich color, and pendulous flowers, but at least pictures make the flower heads look more substantial, with larger bells. I suppose those could be due to growing conditions...

Quote from: Too Many Plants! on July 27, 2024, 11:16:12 AMSo...if my water, and my DG soil are above 6.0 ph, then adding composted chk manure would help lower the ph?

In terms of soil pH, 6.0 is reasonably acid anyway. A shift of of 1.0 from neutral -7.0, is quite a lot.
Just be aware of soil pH but also what any addition will do. Chicken manure, for instance, will add P, but not much else in comparison.

Quote from: CG100 on July 27, 2024, 11:31:49 AM

Quote from: Too Many Plants! on July 27, 2024, 11:16:12 AMSo...if my water, and my DG soil are above 6.0 ph, then adding composted chk manure would help lower the ph?

In terms of soil pH, 6.0 is reasonably acid anyway. A shift of of 1.0 from neutral -7.0, is quite a lot.
Just be aware of soil pH but also what any addition will do. Chicken manure, for instance, will add P, but not much else in comparison.

Not that I know for sure, but have read that So Cal DG soil tests around lower 7.0 ph range. My soil very rarely has small amounts of clay so I'd speculate its in that neighborhood, and I've tested my well water many times and know it is in the 7's that seasonally moves up and down in the 7ph range. It's my understanding plant roots optimal uptake is 5.5 to 6.0 ph for water, and soil is similar.