When geophytes go dormant

Ron Martinolich via pbs pbs@lists.pacificbulbsociety.net
Tue, 03 Aug 2021 10:01:48 PDT
Hi All,
When geophytes go dormant, is there any advantage to leaving the leaves on the bulb until they dry out?  I ask this as I don't know if they draw anything significant back from the leaves into the storage organ as they dry.
Last fall, I was fortunate to receive Brunsvigia josephinae & Crossyne flava seeds from BX 471 (thanks Kipp McMichael).  I put about 6 seeds in each seedling pot.  They all seem to start going dormant at different times.  Right now some are totally dry and have been for several weeks, while the leaf tips on others in the same pot are just starting to turn brown.  I am not sure whether to stop watering:  when the first ones start to die back, or keep going until the last ones turn brown, or somewhere in-between?

At what point would my extra seedlings be large enough to send to the BX?  I think I have read before that after 2 years would be the right time.

Ron

From Eagle Rock (NE Los Angeles), where after a relatively mild July things are heating up, though it is still comfortable in the evenings
USDA Zone 10a  
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