>From: Rand Nicholson <writserv@nbnet.nb.ca>
>Reply-To: Pacific Bulb Society <pbs@lists.ibiblio.org>
>To: Pacific Bulb Society <pbs@lists.ibiblio.org>
>Subject: [pbs] Veltheimia
>Date: Wed, 20 Apr 2005 11:32:05 -0300
>
>Hello All:
>
>I guess we are pretty well agreed that the bulb I am growing is a
>Velthemia, probably bracteata. Is there a consensus on feeding the bulb
>when it is starting to bloom? I am mostly hearing that the bloom will draw
>all its nutrients from the bulb with no feeding required until after the
>bloom is over.
>
>Yes/No?
>
>Rand
Hi Rand:
If you fertilize properly (in minute doses) it will be of benefit
to the bulb. Yes the flowering (and particularly seed setting) will extract
most of the energy stored the previous year but at this stage (right now,
with the spike going up) a lot of the food is in the foliage and will be
stored in the bulb as the leaves become yellow later in the season. If the
fertilizer doses are excessive at this stage there is risk to burn the roots
and make the flower spike abort.
Regards
Alberto
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