I have been growing Babiana rubrocyana for years. Most of them are outdoors but this past winter I planted about 30 2" rose pots (about 4" deep. They didn't seem to mind and bloomed quite well. They don't seem to mind my summer irrigation which is minimal. A taller one (about a foot, dark blue but I don't know the species) bloomed in 4" standard pots but didn't seem too happy. Richard Wagner San Diego ----- Original Message ----- From: "Leo A. Martin" <leo@possi.org> To: <pbs@lists.ibiblio.org> Sent: Monday, May 08, 2006 2:24 PM Subject: Re: [pbs] Babiana >> The only Babiana I've grown is the one offered by Park Seed, >> among others (B stricta??). It arrived in the spring, and didn't flower. >> Next spring it came up, but didn't flower. It slowly dwindled, and after >> about five years didn't return. I never saw a flower. > > They're strict winter growers. They require wet growing conditions and > very deep pots to bloom. I haven't been to S Africa but several friends of > mine who have say many Babiana grow in wet ditches along roads. > > I've bloomed the ones from Park, which I don't think are B. stricta, but > hybrids. The trick is getting them through the first summer. > > They arrive in early spring. Put them into the crisper drawer of your > refrigerator until late fall. > > In the fall remove them, put them in DEEP pots with a sandy soil mix. I > doubt a standard US 1 gallon pot (about 8" / 20cm deep) is deep enough. I > use deeper pots than this. > > Plant about 2" / 5cm deep. They will pull themselves down. Water heavily > once. Then water heavily about once a week. > > After they sprout, be sure to keep them very wet. Give them sun, daytime > temperatures above freezing, and nights not below about 20F / -5C. They'll > bloom. > > If your climate outside is too cold for this, you'll need a greenhouse > that gets quite cool at night. > > Leo Martin > Phoenix Arizona USA > > _______________________________________________ > pbs mailing list > pbs@lists.ibiblio.org > http://www.pacificbulbsociety.org/list.php