Ipheion sellowiana
John T Lonsdale (Sat, 14 Apr 2007 04:46:16 PDT)
Very interesting, thanks Tony. I'm going to get all mine together today and
keep them moister until they really cry out for a dryer period. I've not
tried that, I tend to stop watering them when the narcissus they are with go
down, and that will be within the next month or so.
J.
John T Lonsdale PhD
407 Edgewood Drive,
Exton, Pennsylvania 19341, USA
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USDA Zone 6b
John:
I haven't kept good notes on their dormancy period, but seem to recall
that they keep foliage most of the summer.
John T Lonsdale wrote:
"We only turn the irrigation on in this region in the summer months when
it gets very dry...say, no rain in 7-10 days, but it gets all natural
rainfall, which could easily be 6-8" in big storm. Moisture has not
proven to be a problem with Nothoscordum sellowianum."
Thanks Tony. Alberto Castillo always said that these plants prefer some
moisture when dormant, it actually helps them as they have perennial
roots.
I still have a natural aversion to keeping dormant bulbs moist during the
summer, especially when potted, but this is further evidence (I wasn't
doubting you Alberto!) that it could be a good thing for these fellows.
Keeping the plants dry like the major part of my bulb collection certainly
doesn't kill the bulbs but they do seem to take a long time to get going
each year.
When do yours go dormant and when do they green up again?