Bananas!
Ann Marie (Wed, 04 Jun 2003 10:50:22 PDT)

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
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Ann Marie Rametta

So. California, San Gabriel Valley, Zone 21 (Sunset Western Garden book)

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