On the central coast of Cal. (Monterey Bay), I have Watsonia blooming in a raised bed with afternoon sun. They are terribly overcrowded--I should be ashamed of myself for not having separated them a year or two ago. They bloom like crazy each year. These are white, growing in USDA Zone 9, with little water or special care. My clump is about 3'x 5' across. Shirley Meneice Cameron McMaster wrote: >>My watsonia did not bloom this year at all here on the Oregon coast. >>It has bloomed every year up to now. >>There was quite a bit of foliage so it was not dead. >>Does it stop blooming if it gets too crowded? >>It is not a real big clump. Just about 8 inches across. > > > Sam > Watsonia corms seem to flower better if they are lifted and split up every second or third year, especially those that multiply rapidly like the evergreen W. pillansii. This species is from summer rainfall areas and is best divided in late winter. But the winter rainfall species that go dormant in summer should be divided in late summer/early autumn. The fresh soil probably also promotes better flowering. And of course, they like lots of sun - they probably won't flower at all in the shade. > > Rhoda McMaster > African Bulbs > Napier, Western Cape > Mediterranean climate with some summer rain > _______________________________________________ > pbs mailing list > pbs@lists.ibiblio.org > http://www.pacificbulbsociety.org/list.php > > . >