Getting Rain Lilies to bloom out of topic

Mary Sue Ittner msittner@mcn.org
Sun, 02 Mar 2003 08:07:42 PST
Dear All,

I thought this was a puzzling subject heading since this is a discussion 
group for bulbs and therefore any conversation about bulbs is always on topic.

There is no plan for rain lilies to be a topic of the week. But I am always 
open to new nominations for potential topics and when someone offers to do 
an introduction for me I think there is an excellent chance that will 
become a topic.

I think Alberto's comments about them are very helpful. When we discussed 
them at length last summer, it was the requirement for summer heat and 
moisture that seemed to be an issue for some of us. I've planted some of 
them out in my garden where they do poorly because either it is too dry for 
them in summer or not hot enough. I suspect some of them may still be there 
waiting for the perfect time to bloom, but it is unlikely to happen. We so 
often look at winter temperatures without thinking about summer 
temperatures. I try to limit the number of summer rainfall plants I grow 
since I do not want to have to water a lot during a time when we have no 
rain at all.

 From Alberto's description reducing water from my lemon tree in a 
container which gets year round water while I was gone for a couple weeks 
in late summer created the conditions that Zephyranthes candida really 
likes. I saw a wonderful display of them in bloom at Lauw's when we visited 
him so perhaps it was the year they did so well.

What other bulbs are Pampas bulbs that respond to this kind of treatment?

Mary Sue


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