Dwarf Alstroemeria--Topic of the week

Paul Tyerman ptyerman@ozemail.com.au
Tue, 01 Jul 2003 17:04:36 PDT
Howdy All,

Thanks for that lovely Intro Jane.  I had no idea there were so many dwarf
species of Alstroemeria. I grow a number of dwarf Alstros, but all are
named "hybrids" that are sold around the garden centres here in Australia.
The vary from around 8 inches in height to say 18 inches or so, coming in
various colours including white, yellow, red-pink, numerous different pinks
etc.  I'm not sure if the names would mean much to most of you so I am not
including them here.  I can provide names if anyone is interested.

As with all my Alstros I grow them in waterwell tubs (i.e self-watering
tubs) as this gives them the water they rather like, and it serves to
control them as they cannot get out of the pot.  This has been VERY handy
in that they don't escape, plus there is no way that they can mix up with
each other as invariably happens sooner or later in the garden.  I have
each tub labelled with the name and I can be certain that is what it is
<Grin>.  Worth thinking about if others of you are lamenting the
invasiveness of them....... the tubs make a wonderful display as they
promote close-packing of the growth and flowers, and if you ever want to
give pieces away you can turn the pot over/dig and find tubers.

Hopefully this might be useful to those of you who haven't tried them as
they are too invasive.  I grow all of mine this way be they tall or dwarf,
but the dwarf ones in particular put on a stunning show this way as they do
not lean out on longs stems, but rather form a solid mass of flowers on the
mound of foliage.

Cheers.

Paul Tyerman
Canberra, Australia.  USDA equivalent - Zone 8/9
mailto:ptyerman@ozemail.com.au

Growing.... Galanthus, Erythroniums, Fritillarias, Cyclamen, Crocus,
Cyrtanthus, Oxalis, Liliums, Hellebores, Aroids, Irises plus just about
anything else that doesn't move!!!!!


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