That is wery interesting about bananas, I've always put the skins on my staghorns and my Cymbidiums and they do excelent. That is good to know. Ann Marie David Fenwick <crocosmia@blueyonder.co.uk> wrote:>>>>some gladiolus don't flower until there has been a fire. Diane, I know it sounds silly, but when the bulbs are dormant (no leaves) place a few banana skins on top of the pot, or if outside, around them. Bananas release ethylene as they ripen and this can have the same effect as smoke and burning in the wild. You can also try apples, as when they ripen they give off more ethylene than bananas. Best Wishes, Dave (Plymouth, UK) Websites: http://www.theafricangarden.com/ http://www.crocosmiaheritage.com/ Address: David Fenwick NCCPG National Collection of Crocosmia with Chasmanthe and Tulbaghia The African Garden 96 Wasdale Gardens Estover Plymouth Devon England PL6 8TW ----- Original Message ----- From: "Diane Whitehead" To: "Pacific Bulb Society" <pbs@lists.ibiblio.org> Sent: Wednesday, June 04, 2003 3:41 PM Subject: Re: [pbs] Bulbs staying dormant > Dave McDonald of the Botanical Society of South Africa, who recently > gave a lecture tour in western North America, mentioned that some > gladiolus don't flower until there has been a fire. Sometimes that > has been for 15 years. I asked whether it was some chemical from the > smoke or ash that triggered flowering, but he said it was more likely > lack of competition that did it. I didn't ask whether these > non-flowering gladiolus were putting up leaves every year. > > So - are your pots of plants completely open to the sky, or are they > overshadowed? > > -- > Diane Whitehead Victoria, British Columbia, Canada > maritime zone 8 > cool mediterranean climate (dry summer, rainy winter - 68 cm annually) > sandy soil > _______________________________________________ > pbs mailing list > pbs@lists.ibiblio.org > http://www.pacificbulbsociety.org/list.php --- Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free. Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com/). Version: 6.0.484 / Virus Database: 282 - Release Date: 27/05/03 _______________________________________________ pbs mailing list pbs@lists.ibiblio.org http://www.pacificbulbsociety.org/list.php Ann Marie Rametta So. California, San Gabriel Valley, Zone 21 (Sunset Western Garden book) --------------------------------- Do you Yahoo!? Free online calendar with sync to Outlook(TM).