I decided to put my tiny bulblets from scales in a prep stage of 50- 55'F for a week or two today. From there they will be refrigerated until late March and then planted up in pots. I only started three batches of scales this year--four to six scales each, using only the outer otherwise useless scales in worst shape. A gamble of foolishness against the grain--but nothing to lose either if it didn't work. I photographed one batch for this post. These scales are of ' Beaverton Pentimento', sort of an apricot/buff version of L. Henri, var, Citrinum and thought to be one of Carlton Yerex's last releases (late 1940's)--the Edgar Kline/Carlton Yerex era. This 'older cultivar' was rediscovered growing in a church yard in Beaverton, Oregon around 1980 by an NALS member who propagated it. Hence the name Beaverton-Pentimento.
One bulblet had become detached from it's consumed parent scale, the other scales were paper thin--virtually all consumed but a shell. Not exactly a bumper crop, but considering these were pretty rough shape scales to start with, I'm more than pleased. The other two batches of other cultivar scales were just fine and put into prep as well.
