Thanks Becky! But it seems I've hit some problems with the littoralis. I noticed some red spots on the foliage - actually quite a few weeks ago - but didn't think it was anything serious until I saw it appearing on the bulbs that I took out of their pot. Oddly enough the harrisiana didn't have any such spots and they always stood side by side.... I did some research and came across red blotch.
I immediately cut off all foliage and bagged it up for the trash bin. Don't know what to do with the bulbs though....

Lee-Roy - I have never heard of "red blotch", so I looked it up. I found this article: http://www.gardenandflowers.co...

I wonder if you could treat it with Hydrogen Peroxide and water treatment? I use H2O2 for many other fungal diseases. Or just let the bulbs dry out and that might take care of this fungus.

As always Becky, I panicked, asked for advice on the forum, but didn't have the patience to wait for it. So once again I acted with what I read before and that's cutting all roots, peeling away the outer infected layer and then soaked it in a bleach solution. I have it downstairs again to dry. I think I'll keep the bulbs seperate from each other this time :p

Well, that treatment would have certainly gotten rid of the red blotch.

Did you leave 1 bulb in the ground? The reason I ask, is that I grow Amaryllis bulbs in the ground here. I know my climate is not nearly as cold. I used to cut the foliage back, dig them up, let the roots dry up and then store them too. Then I would replant them in early Spring. There was no need for me to do that here in Florida. So left them one year in the ground. The growth was so much better when I did that. They have even made baby bulbs. When they had to grow new roots every year, I believe it slowed down their growth considerably. I would think with enough mulch over top of them, perhaps your bulbs might survive the Winter in the ground? You should definitely sacrifice one to find out.

That's the plan eventually, but it's too late now. Besides, all bulbs were in pots. Maybe next season I will if I have established some new borders. Now I wouldn't risk it with my heavy, unamended soil. Only tender things still in the ground are some of my calla lilies.

I put in my first stretch of Taxus hedge today. It's not much, but every little thing added raises the feeling of the garden coming together ^^

Looks perfect! And will function beautifully there.

Is that a pig in the neighbor's lawn? ...a plump dog?

Looks like a French Bulldog to me.

No Neal, it's a French bulldog like Debra said :P (we went strike here haha).

Oh! That looks nice. Should give you some nice privacy next to the hot tub!

So it's been a good few weeks since my last post. It's quiet in the garden and something else happened so not much to post about. Nonetheless I've been keeping busy inside mainly.
My calla lilies that I dug have nearly dried. I removed all roots and rinsed them again 'cause there was some mould forming. I dipped them in some bleach solution and now they're stored away. Same for my H. littoralis. I cut all foliage, took them out of the pot, rinsed and soaked them too and then gave them a generous dusting with cinnamon.






One of the H. harrisiana seeds is showing some interesting development. It seems that it first sends down one or several primary roots. Next (a) little bulb(s) forms just beneath the soil surface. The primary root(s) die (?) and new ones form which pull the little bulb deeper underground.
They're in a resting period it seems at the moment so I'm watering them very sparingly.


My bearded iris on the other hand look dreadful :S

Your bearded irises are just fine, that is how they typically appear at this time of year. Do you know the variety (or varieties)? I'm a big iris fan!

gemini_sage said:Your bearded irises are just fine, that is how they typically appear at this time of year. Do you know the variety (or varieties)? I'm a big iris fan!

'White knigt'

I see it's historic and one we don't have a photo of in the data base- looking forward to bloom pics!

Hello everyone, it's been over a month since my last post already. Been busy with my new job that I started three weeks ago. Quite a few things have happend so let's start chronologically:



My H. hispanica alba have started to grow a couple of months ago like most spring bloomers are with soft temperatures this winter. I moved them indoors to enjoy blooms (maybe). Reason they haven't been planted out is 'cause they're quite invasive and hybridize with the native bluebell.



I took some cuttings from my Salvia, just to try it out and see if I could. first week they looked good and even put on some growth already. However now I've lost some to mould...it's hard to keep them plump and healthy under that dome without the fungal problems :S I think they're goners.





I dug up more of my calla lilies before the first frost hit. In the process a piece of a rhizome broke off. Again, as an experiment I potted it up and it sprouted!



Checking my bulbs for decay. All seems okey except that blasted Stag I finally got hold of some Topsin500 which supposedly works great against it so I've dipped them again for nearly an hour. In the spring I'll continue with leaf sprays so they readily take it up into their system.




HOORAY!! After much searching I've finally got a hold of some Pancratium illyricum bulbs. Well, more like bulblets...Quite the disappointment when I unpacked them. I was expecting big, fat bulbs for the outrageous price I paid. But I'm staying positive; they're rare and gorgeous They're in storage with my other bulbs atm, but since they're so small and fragile, I think I'll pot them up indoors to get them to fatten up before going outdoors this spring.



First atttempt at root cuttings from my Geranium nodosum 'Silverwood'. Fingers crossed.

Looks like you are getting plants ready for Spring. It wont be long.

I am ready to see daylily blooms, though I've got plants blooming all around my yard since it has been a mild winter here.

P. illyricum potted up and just to be sure sprayed the soil with a fungicide :thumbsup: