First year planted by you not you or the soil it is from the way it was grown and handled before you got it. Giraffe and Lima are hard to keep alive. I have seedling from them blooming now. Jim -----Original Message----- From: pbs-bounces@lists.ibiblio.org [mailto:pbs-bounces@lists.ibiblio.org]On Behalf Of David Maxwell Sent: Thursday, June 26, 2008 2:59 PM To: pbs@lists.ibiblio.org Subject: [pbs] Bulb Requirements: Hippeastrum Hi All, along the lines of bulb requirements (soil, heat, moisture, light) and experimentation, there was something else I wanted to share & ask the group with regards to Hippeastrum. Last fall (November) I bought 3 Hippeastrum (Giraffe, Clown & cybister Lima) from Amaryllis.com to add to my collection. As an experiment, I planted them all in one, rectangular, cheapo, $1.00 Store, *plastic* container in 100% (sphagnum) peat moss; no sand, no organic compost...no-nothing else...and then treated them the same way as the rest of my Hipps with regards to water & fertilizer. 1.) Well, Lima immediately started off-setting. When the first off-set broke ground shortly after the mother-bulb's leaves began growing, I assumed it was a weed...which I thought was odd being in 100% sterilized peat. In the past 8 months it has produced 8 off-sets...all 1" to 3" inches away from the mother-bulb. I don't remember any of my other Hipps off-sets growing so far away from the mother-bulb; most emerge either from the mother-bulb or right next to it. 2.) Not only did the Clown send up two 5-flowered & 4-flowered scapes, which produced so many seeds that for those of you I sent Rhodophiala seeds to, I also included a packet of Clown x Clown seeds too (just to be rid of the damn things...so now they're on you), but now the Clown is the largest Hipp in my collection; leaves 28" x 2.5". If I hadn't seen it bloom, I would think that maybe I was sent some kind of Crinum or Agapanthus by mistake. 3.) And Finally, the Giraffe has sent up another scape and is about to have a second bloom of the season, which I don't remember any of my other hybrid Hipps doing before. The question is; *Peat...or Heat*? HEAT: The first 3 months of these bulb's grown cycle (first-green to seed-harvest) I had them in my apartment in San Francisco...which although has light issues 'cuz of its Eastern exposure...it also has *steam radiator heat*! Since it is perpetually winter in San Francisco, even with a thermostate & timer, the radiator is always on and the bulbs were kept constantly in dry heat between 73F and 82F. That's really the only significant difference. After I harvested the seeds, I moved them to Sacto...and they've been out in the back yard (open) with all my other Hipps since the beginning of April. *Would anyone care to venture an answer to the 'Peat...or Heat?' question?* Lemme know. This goes for all my PBS group forum entries...if you would prefer to respond privately...please do. Thanks, -d. _______________________________________________ pbs mailing list pbs@lists.ibiblio.org http://www.pacificbulbsociety.org/list.php http://pacificbulbsociety.org/pbswiki/