Dear Lauw: How does this work with a bulb that has produced a flush of leaves and is sending up a bloom stalk? I have had two somewhat different responses to this, concerning my mystery Lachenalia. Rand >Dear Alberto, >I always read your comments with much intererest. >But I feel that this statement needs qualifying a bit more, as it is a very >interesting aspect when it concerns "bulbs". > Plants only use minerals when there is chlorophytic activity. > As for applying nutrients at the beginning of the cycle: the plants will >not use them, as long as they have no leaves. The plant uses its reserves to >create its structure. When the reserves become low, the plant should have >sufficient leaves to enable rebuilding its reserves by absorbing minerals. >When flowering takes place at the end of the cycle, leaves tend to >disintegrate and assimilation of minerals stops. In that case there is >little point of feeding the plant. >I look forward to hear, what the plant physiologists amongst will think. >Kind regards > > le 6/04/05 21:42, Alberto Castillo à ezeizabotgard@hotmail.com a écrit : >> No, do not feed it until the seed setting is over. The period >> in which a winter or spring flowering bulbs is voracious is after the flower >> is produced until the leaves are drying off. There is another previous >> period in which it uses proper food and it is that between the root >> production and the emergence of the first leaf in Autumn. Use something high >> in potassium and with low or no nitrogen. > >Lauw de Jager >Bulb'Argence >Mas d'Argence >30300 Fourques France >tel 31(0)466 016 519 fax 0466 011 245 >http://www.bulbargence.com/ > > >_______________________________________________ >pbs mailing list >pbs@lists.ibiblio.org >http://www.pacificbulbsociety.org/list.php