Sternbergia
J.E. Shields (Mon, 01 Sep 2003 07:25:21 PDT)

Hi, Judy and all,

I did not have good luck growing Sternbergia lutea in containers. They
survive but they do not bloom in pots for me. Rather, I plant them all
outdoors in the ground. They survive, grow, and bloom there! Our soil is
over (deep down) limestone bedrock and our water is full of calcium, so I
don't know what lime-free soil would do to Sternbergia.

I have not done well with other species of Sternbergia either in pots or in
the ground. I'd like one that would grow and flower in my raised bed rock
garden. Maybe I should try some more S. lutea there.

And yes indeed, I certainly do love to run my hands through boxes full of
fat, healthy brown bulbs!

Regards,
Jim Shields
in central Indiana (USDA zone 5)

At 10:00 AM 9/1/2003 -0400, Judy Glattstein wrote:

There I was at a nursery in Connecticut last Saturday. They had four open
boxes with Crocus ochroleucus, C. sativus, C. zonatus (isn't the clone that
is generally available one that multiplies freely and does not flower?) AND
Sternbergia. All items were 10 for $7.00. Of course I succumbed and picked
out 10 nice fat brown sternbergia bulbs. Don't you adore it when the bulbs
are loose in a bin and you can fondle them and pick out the prettiest? Much
better than pre-packed in bags, and getting less and less common.

So here's my question - Elizabeth Lawrence in her book "The Little Bulbs"
says it likes limestone. I have a 50 pound bag of crushed oyster shell I got
from the local farm supply place here in New Jersey. Could/ should I use
crushed oyster shell as the drainage material in a potting mix? They'll be
potted and on the floor in my cool (50° Fahrenheit) greenhouse over the
winter. I'd rather keep them cooler, but the only other choice is to keep
them in the attached, unheated garage (38° F. at the coldest) where
sufficient sunlight is problematical.

Thanks for your sagacious advice.

Judy in New Jersey, where it is raining. Again.

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Jim Shields USDA Zone 5 Shields Gardens, Ltd.
P.O. Box 92 WWW: http://www.shieldsgardens.com/
Westfield, Indiana 46074, USA
Tel. ++1-317-867-3344 or toll-free 1-866-449-3344 in USA
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