Encouraging reluctant Crinum into growth
Tom Mitchell (Fri, 03 Sep 2010 22:20:13 PDT)

I have a few flowering sized bulbs of Crinum delagoense from coastal
southern Mozambique, where they grow in pure sand, often growing and
blooming well after fires. Summer growers of course. I also have a
few young seedlings, grown from seed from the same source. Whereas
the seedlings are doing fine the mature bulbs are sulking and
refusing to put up leaves. Any suggestions how to encourage them into
growth? I thought maybe bottom heat on a warm bench (air temperatures
rarely rise above 25 degrees C here - sorry if you're sweating
through a mid west summer)? Or should I give up for this season and
let the pots get completely dry? If so, would some kind of smoke
treatment be worth trying? Knowing me I'd burn the greenhouse down
attempting this, so further tips would be appreciated.

Tom
Wiltshire, England, Zone 8