Tecophilaea/plant mixes, etc.

Lee Poulsen wpoulsen@pacbell.net
Mon, 01 Aug 2005 14:20:24 PDT
Well, I grow my Tecophilaeas in the same mix I use for my Cape bulbs 
(such as Lachenalia). I also grow them on exactly the same schedule and 
watering as those. They come up a little later in the fall, but 
otherwise I grow them under the same conditions. I also don't water 
during the summer. But I do keep the dormant pots in shade all through 
the summer. So they may still get as warm as ambient temperatures, 
which are often in the 90's F (upper 30's C) during the day. My mix is 
based on a standard potting soil made of peat, sand, shredded bark, 
compost, etc. mixed with generous amounts of gravel, Turface, very 
small scoria, pumice, and commercial cactus potting soil so that it is 
very well drained, but still retains plenty of moisture.

I will re-note that summers in Chile and California are significantly 
drier than in the other mediterranean regions of Australia, South 
Africa, Maui highlands, and the Mediterranean basin. (See the rainfall 
plots I made that Mary Sue put on the wiki at 
<http://pacificbulbsociety.org/pbswiki/index.php/…>.)


--Lee Poulsen
Pasadena area, California, USDA Zone 9-10


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