Which Dichelostemma were you growing? I've found the Dichelostemma capitatum produce droppers wildly around the pot instead of offsets or cormlets , with other Dichelostemma species produce offsets or cormlets (sometimes profusely) directly attached to the basal plate. I haven't had any trouble growing either species in bins that are about 8" deep, though I think the Calochortus would be happier in a deeper pot. --- On Wed, 11/9/11, Michael Mace <michaelcmace@gmail.com> wrote: From: Michael Mace <michaelcmace@gmail.com> Subject: [pbs] Depth and California bulbs To: pbs@lists.ibiblio.org Date: Wednesday, November 9, 2011, 9:19 PM Jane wrote: >> Always give Calochortus bulbs as much depth as possible. They descend rapidly during the growing season. I wanted to add a bit more color to Jane's observation. I've long suspected that my standard 8-inch (20 cm) pots were not a good home for my California native bulbs. If I let them go a couple of years without repotting, I tend to find the bulbs at the bottom of the pot. If I wait more than a couple of years, the bulbs are often dead, apparently due to running out of room. I don't have the time/resources to build raised beds like Jane's, so last year I bought some extra-tall "treepots" from Stuewe & Sons. (I think someone on the list had recommended them; nice call.) The ones I bought are eight inches wide, but 15 inches tall (40 cm). They look like tall black wastebaskets. Last winter I tested several Calochortus and Dichelostemma bulbs in them. The results during the growing season were encouraging but not uniform. Calochortus superbus, luteus, argillosus, and uniflorus all bloomed vigorously. But two bulbs of C. weedii made only short leaves but no flowers. And the Dichelostemas produced a few weak leaves and did not bloom. However, when I repotted in summer the results were much more positive. Both of the C. weedii bulbs had increased in size by a lot, which is what Calochortus bulbs do when they are happy. The Dichelostemmas were even more surprising. Some of the bulbs had stayed in one spot and made pups, while others had dived deep. By deep, I mean the bulbs had pulled themselves down by about eight inches in a single season. When I dumped the dry soil out of the pot, it came out as a single clump, and in the soil you could see the tracks left as the bulbs migrated over against the side of the pot and then went straight down along the side. It looked like you'd imagine an earthworm tunnel would look, but at the bottom of each tunnel there was a bulb. Why the bulbs did this, and how, I have no idea. But I can confirm Jane's statements that these things crave growing room. Mike San Jose, CA