I have done a few uncontrolled experiments with bloom on Rain lilies. Since I have kept the plants moderately moist all summer i wondered about the effect of rain. I certainly would see a flush of bloom after a good rain. Several times this summer we had a day or two which cooled because of threatening rain storms but the storms never came. instead I increased the water at those times and I got a flush of bloom just as if it had really rained. I suspect that extar water, whether it is from rain or hose, plus a drop in pressure and change in temperature all combine to trigger a flush of bloom. I do water always with very dilute fertizer so nitrogen could be important but it is hard to say this must be from rain. --- Stephen Putman <putman@pobox.upenn.edu> wrote: > I have noticed a difference in effect between a > soaking rain on potted > plants vs. a soaking from the hose or watering can. > Several > mediterranean Scilla sprouted last season in exactly > one week from the > time of a soaking rain. This year, absent the rain > the time to > emergence varied from 3 to 6 weeks. n.b. We also > had warmer nights this > year, so this was NOT a controlled experiment, and > the difference may be > due to the lack of drop in night temperatures as > much as it was due to > source of water. > > Steve Putman > > rdjenkins wrote: > > In a thread earlier in the season, there was some > discussion on how to coax, induce, promote etc. > certain bulbs to bloom. In looking at my small > collection of Crinums that are of blooming size and > how they've done this season, I'd like to say a few > things. > > > > I was able to irrigate my plants well enough to > promote good growth and supply their needs during > the times that they are naturally inclined to > flower. I tried to simulate rainfall by spraying the > foliage as well as watering from the center out to > and beyond their "dripline" as well as time > permitted. Natural rainfall would do both. I thought > that perhaps the soaking of the entire rootmass (all > 6+ feet of it in some cases) might be needed. I > thought that perhaps the water collecting in the > leaf axils might be a factor. > > > > One thing I couldn't affect was the lowered > ambient temperature that occurs during a good > rainfall, perhaps extending over several days or > more, before, during and after the rain. Does the > period of lowered temperature have an affect? > > > > Is the moisture that collects on the green parts a > factor? Even in spraying the foliage, I couldn't > keep the moisture on the plant due to the baking > heat here. The lowered temperatures and lack of > beatingly hot direct sun during rainfall allows the > water to remain for a period that I cannot duplicate > by my own means. I didn't see anything to suggest > that my syringing made any difference. > > > > We have just had some good rainfall here finally > as our drought has caused dangerous shortages in the > water supply statewide. > > > > And what do I see today? A new scape just sprang > forth between last night and this morning on C. > scabrum. The same plant that I have kept > well-irrigated all season, though I only seldom > watered around the plant as widely as I might have, > not anywhere near the fullness and degree that the > rain provided. (BTW-We have our own well.) > > > > Good rainfall gave lowered light intensity, > lowered temps, and a full wide and deep watering. > > > > Something that only nature can accomplish easily > had it's effect, leaving me with more questions than > answers. > > > > For now, that is. > > > > Robert. > > _______________________________________________ > > pbs mailing list > > pbs@lists.ibiblio.org > > http://www.pacificbulbsociety.org/list.php > > http://pacificbulbsociety.org/pbswiki/ > > > _______________________________________________ > pbs mailing list > pbs@lists.ibiblio.org > http://www.pacificbulbsociety.org/list.php > http://pacificbulbsociety.org/pbswiki/ >