Hippeastrum species - low temperatures
Stephen Putman (Mon, 30 Apr 2007 09:37:51 PDT)

It has been a really peculiar weather year. I had many bulbs flower
with little or no stem. I have had this happen before, occasionally,
but perhaps half a dozen or more individual plants bloomed that way this
year, some of which had bloomed normally before. I'm still not sure I
know the mechanism, but somebody has hinted at the difference between
daytime and nighttime temperatures. Any other thoughts?

I am wanting to get some of the bulb pots moved out of the greenhouse,
but the weather still is too hot inside some days and too cold(?)
outside some days. Does anyone have experience with Hippeastrum species
and minimum night temperatures? I have always used 50 F as a nominal
minimum. Anybody have experience with, say, 45? or 40?

I will be repotting over the next month or so, and catching up with the
bulb or two that I owe people from last year's trades. Our PBS list
owners have asked that I not post here when bulbs become available for
sale or trade. So, if you are interested in species Hippeastrum bulbs
for trade or purchase, you should send me an e-mail address, and I'll
try to compose a list to which I send when things become available.

Good greening, no creamy buff yellow in the wrong place and wrong time.

Steve Putman