Dear Mary Sue, This is very interesting information. I can understand your reasons for starting in August and had not realised it was necessary for you to do this. Here, I do not start to water until about right now (mid- to late-Sptember). The earliest species, such as O. massonia, come to bloom very quickly, especially so if we get hot weather. Blooming in many species peaks from mid-October through mid-December, then tapers off until February when it picks up again for the late blooming species. If I were to start the season sooner, high temperature bursts that usually occur at this time of year would shorten the blooming season and make watering difficult. It would be interesting to hear how other growers stage their winter-growing Oxalis season. Andrew San Diego -----Original Message----- From: pbs-bounces@lists.ibiblio.org [mailto:pbs-bounces@lists.ibiblio.org] On Behalf Of Mary Sue Ittner Hi, Newly blooming this week are these Oxalis: Oxalis pardalis MV 7632, Oxalis hirta (mauve form), Oxalis polyphylla v. heptaphylla MV 43811B, Oxalis bowiei, and Oxalis zeekoevleyensis. Unlike Shirley I start watering in August. I found from experience if I waited until it starts to rain to water Oxalis, they fall blooming ones are late to appear and don't bloom. I tend to plant them as I see them starting into growth. Also blooming are Gladiolus carmineus, Zephyranthes candida, Bessera elegans, Nerine angustifolia, Tulbaghia cominsii x violacea, Hesperoxiphion peruvianum, Nerine humilis, and some other new Nerine hybrids. One that has been blooming and I never added to the wiki, but I think it would probably qualify since it is deciduous and looks tuberous is Talinum paniculatum. I note that it is described as an annual or a subshrub some places, but I started seed many years ago and one I put in a container continues to reappear every year grown outside in my climate and not sheltered from the winter rainfall. When looking up about it on the Internet I found comments that the leaves are edible and a good spinach substitute. Perhaps I should save seed for the BX for all those people who like to grow bulbs with edible parts. Another bizarre blooming at the moment is Delphinium luteum. Normally this time of year it is still dormant. Mary Sue Mary Sue Ittner California's North Coast Wet mild winters with occasional frost Dry mild summers