Do tell about your fast draining aerated mix. Commercial on hand mixed. Do you use it for seedlings too? I’m always on the look out for a better idea. Jan Jeddeloh > On Oct 9, 2021, at 1:50 PM, Dan Pogust via pbs <pbs@lists.pacificbulbsociety.net> wrote: > > Hi Cody, > > I’m in Portland, OR and I’ve seen personally where Olsynium douglasii grows > and I also know a handful of people who grow them as well. I used to have > one but I was very cautious with my winter watering regimen my first couple > years growing bulbs and I lost a handful of things including (I think) the > O. douglasii. As an East Coast transplant, it feels a little wrong to water > something in the winter haha. > > I also grow Lewisia rediviva which grows naturally amongst O. douglasii in > the gorge in some locations. I have found that if I didn’t water > extensively during the winter, my Lewisia would have tiny flowers that > lasted a day or so. My bulbs and rhizomes usually didn’t pop up until > December/January and then May/June/July dormancy was right around the > corner. > > I’ve since realized that I need to begin watering as soon as the weather > turns. As soon as the days are in the 70s, I water things. If we get a day > where it’s over 82, I skip watering and mist everything to cool down the > soil + pots. I now water almost every sunny/partly cloudy day with a > watering can (for even distribution) and things do amazingly including that > Lewisia. > > So whether or not my Olsynium douglasii made it through dormant and > unlabeled, I like to think that my Lewisia (very drought tolerant) may be > that Canary in the Coal Mine to tell me that the changes I’ve made since > have been good. > > TL;DR: I water when we /should/ be getting rain which is in later > September/early October /and/or when the weather turns and that is the > ideal time to begin watering in the PNW. > > I also use a very fast draining, aerated mix that I discovered randomly > over the years. I would adjust the frequency of watering for your own > needs. Start date should be the same for you if not maybe a little earlier. > > I know some others in the PNW have not started watering as much as I have, > but I have excessive, baking southern exposure that dries things out like > crazy. > > Hope this helps! Good luck! > Dan > Inner Portland, Oregon, 2.5 miles from the Willamette > > On Sat, Oct 9, 2021 at 13:31 Cody H via pbs < > pbs@lists.pacificbulbsociety.net> wrote: > >> Hello bulb experts, >> >> I acquired a few forms of Olsynium dousglasii this spring, all originally >> from the Columbia gorge region. They went dormant in late June, and I kept >> them in the shade and most mostly dry for the rest of the summer, with just >> a very occasional splash of water—same treatment I use for my >> summer-dormant Tropaeolums. The Tropaeolums are already showing signs of >> life. The Olsyniums look healthy (small buds atop little clusters of >> healthy looking roots), but I don’t expect them to break dormancy until >> late winter. >> >> My question is: do any of you grow Olsynium douglasii in pots? What do you >> do with the plants over the winter? The Columbia gorge is wettest in the >> winter, but I hesitate to let them get too wet in their pots while they’re >> dormant. I have lost things in the past though from desiccation during >> dormancy as well. Curious what works (or didn’t work) for others? >> >> Thanks in advance for your advice! >> >> Cody >> Rather moist maritime-premontane zone 8a-ish >> Western Washington at the foothills of the cascades >> _______________________________________________ >> pbs mailing list >> pbs@lists.pacificbulbsociety.net >> http://lists.pacificbulbsociety.net/cgi-bin/… >> Unsubscribe: <mailto:pbs-unsubscribe@lists.pacificbulbsociety.net> >> > _______________________________________________ > pbs mailing list > pbs@lists.pacificbulbsociety.net > http://lists.pacificbulbsociety.net/cgi-bin/… > Unsubscribe: <mailto:pbs-unsubscribe@lists.pacificbulbsociety.net> _______________________________________________ pbs mailing list pbs@lists.pacificbulbsociety.net http://lists.pacificbulbsociety.net/cgi-bin/… Unsubscribe: <mailto:pbs-unsubscribe@lists.pacificbulbsociety.net>