miniature species Narcissi
Jane McGary (Mon, 08 Apr 2013 09:22:07 PDT)

Kathy Andersen would know better how much moisture to give species
Narcissus during an Atlantic coast summer. Since the summers on the
Pacific coast are dry, I don't know how much atmospheric humidity
affects the soil. Also, I don't know whether Arnold is using plastic
or clay pots -- I always used clay.

That said, I think the best guide to summer moisture is native
habitat. You can find out about this in John Blanchard's book about
Narcissus species. I wouldn't dry out the ones that come from moist
meadow habitats, for instance.

I now have two raised beds in my bulb house, one watered
occasionally, lightly, in summer and the other left unirrigated. In
the latter bed I have only Narcissus cantabricus, N. romieuxii, N.
(rupicola ssp.) watieri, and a Moroccan N. bulbocodium. They are
doing very well in their third spring in that site. However, the soil
moisture is more constant, even if residual, once the pots are not
present. The other Narcissus species are in the modestly irrigated
side. Quite a few that were extras when I moved the collection ended
up in the rock garden and (!) the lawn. Some that are growing well in
these open situations are N. rupicola, N. assoanus, N. calcicola, N.
triandrus, and N. jonquilla ssp. jonquilla. The rock garden ones get
little if any summer irrigation, but those in turf have to put up
with weekly watering.

At my old garden, which has not been watered in summer for two years,
I noticed N. calcicola and N. triandrus flowering well last week,
along with several Fritillaria species that got left behind. The
property is finally selling, and I think the new owners will enjoy
all the little spring surprises.

Jane McGary
Portland, Oregon, USA

At 05:52 PM 4/7/2013, you wrote: