Jim McK asked, >Dichelostemma volubile is sprouting now with a thick sprout and I'm >wondering what to do with it. First, it should indeed be in a deep pot, because like others of the Brodiaea alliance, the deeper the bulb gets, the bigger the inflorescence (in general). The twining is done by the long scape (flower stem), which is stout and bare of leaves. It will corkscrew around anything it touches, including other Dichelostemma stems. It can get almost a meter long but mine here are usually about 50 cm. If there is nothing nearby to twine on, it will flower on a shorter stem. A curious thing about this plant is that by the time it flowers, the scape is essentially separated from the bulb and can actually fall over or otherwise be detached. If the long stem remains attached to the inflorescence, it will continue to bloom, and set and ripen seed, quite detached from bulb and soil; apparently there's enough moisture in the scape to support all this. Although D. volubile comes from some dry summer areas, it usually grows where there is some moisture in the soil, such as on north slopes, near seeps, and so on. This should make it adaptable to summer-rain climates. Jane McGary Northwestern Oregon, USA