Here in Santa Barbara, autumn can be one of the hottest, driest times of year and we are having a heat wave currently, reaching into the 90's mid-day and not going below 60 at night. There are not many bulbous plants blooming now in my garden. This is a natural low because most bulbs I grow are summer-dry winter and spring blooming. But there are a few. The last of the pink Amaryllis belladonna have gone to seed, most of them weeks ago. The first of the white A. belladonna emerged a bloom spike 2 days ago and is already 6 inches tall. Three bulbs of a white Amaryllis-related flower are in peak bloom now. These differ in that their inflorescence is radial, not all flopped over to one side. And two of the three have a fascinating oddity: some co-joined twin flowers. http://flickr.com/photos/gastils_garden/… One large bright yellow Dahlia has been blooming for a couple months. This is its 8th year in the same spot. And some pink Alstroemeria, some hybrid I assume, have been blooming all summer. All the Agapanthus are finished and are setting ample seed. The tiny pot of Nerine filifolia has one bud. A cute pink/lavender Oxalis zeekoevleyensis emerged from its dry pot on the dormant pots shelf and bloomed two cheerful flowers to surprise me on August 29th and remind me to check all the dormant pots! These are from BX 314 #14, one of those BX's like this most recent one, with so many tempting Oxalis to choose from. The photo also shows my near-failure in labeling. It looks like I filled in just a few faded letters and now those are the only ones visible. There is a second, buried label that did not fade. Isn't it amazing how those Oxalis sent up leaves and flowers from an air-dry pot?! http://flickr.com/photos/gastils_garden/… I am seeing the first signs of autumn. Some Watsonia have green leaf spikes emerging. The first Oxalis pes-caprae leaves have emerged, although I was purposefully soaking that patch of garden to encourage them to grow early so I can zap them. A fall-blooming crocus has sent up two buds, before any leaves, in a pot that was accidentally watered about 3 weeks ago when the drip system sprung a geyser. The Muscari ameniacum leaves are emerging in response to watering in other parts of the garden; where it is still dry they have not emerged. I plan to withhold water from most bulb pots until this hot weather has past. Then, I wonder how soon to begin watering, and whether to do one thorough soak and then nothing until leaves emerge or to start regular watering. Most of these species I have only had for one year so have no experience with them re-awakening. My guess is I should wait until night temperatures are lower. - Gastil Santa Barbara, CA