Brunsvigia grandiflora
Billthebulbbaron@aol.com (Wed, 03 Dec 2003 09:29:26 PST)

In a message dated 12/3/03 6:06:31 AM, angelopalm69@inwind.it writes:

<<

Reading Dirk's experience, it makes me to remember some problems happened to
me on Amarygia, Amarcrinum and Haemathus coccineus sowing of last year. After
a good germination and growth in winter and sping, all them went dormant in
June. I didn't water them during summer at all and this has caused many bulbs to
die for eccessive heat. Only the biggest bulbs have survived (abt 1cm or
1/2"), while the other appeared mummified (does exists this word?!) If I had
watered them during summer, probably the roots would have remained alive. Also, a
similar experience with a mature bulb of Haemanthus coccineus and Amaryllis
belladonna in pots. The first flowered stunted, while the second at all. At a
checking, I found most of the roots died, surely because I haven't watered them
at all and the pots became well roasted in summer, being in full sun. On the
other hands, several Nerine sarniensis hybrids, in pots left in shade during
summer, have flowered very well. Plants in the ground are less susceptible to
this, if not at all and got lovely flowering from all species. This contrasts the
behaviour of most Mediterranean geophytes, because all these, with few
exception , don't have permanent fleshy roots during the summer, so they don't
resent a total drought of months. So, in my humble opinion, all these winter
growing South African amaryllids need a bit of water even during the summer.

Angelo Porcelli

Apulia, south of Italy...where the smell of fresh olive oil fills the air of
the town >>

Angelo,

All of this agrees with my experience EXACTLY, if you can move those potted
young seedlings into some shade during the summer (as well as giving some
water) they will do much better and leaf out very early in the autumn.

Best wishes,

Bill the Bulb Baron
<A HREF="http://www.billthebulbbaron.com/">Bill the Bulb Baron.com</A>
William R.P. Welch
P.O. Box 1736
(UPS: 264 West Carmel Valley Road)
Carmel Valley, CA 93924-1736, USA
Phone/fax (831) 659-3830