Re: new member/ hello again
Bill Brobisky wrote:
> Hello once again. This is Bill Brobisky, still fairly new member. Thanks
> to all those who sent me greetings.
> Moira, I too have mixed results woth Lachenalia.
> With so many pots to deal with all needing some summer water to avoid
> dessication, it's difficult to do them all just right. I think that the way
> the Lachs dry off with rather thick scales forming shoulders where the
> leaves were attached invites water to collect and start the bulbs rotting.
I've only just discovered that some species of Lachenalia are
apparently reasonably 'hardy' here and for several weeks in January, I
had a couple of clumps of L. aloides 'Tricolor' in full flower
outside. They start into growth somewhat earlier than those kept in
pots, no doubt encouraged by late autumn rains. I find they do best
if watered and fed heavily whilst in active growth but the moment the
leaves start to die back, they are allowed to go bone dry and are
'baked' by the sun. Since die-back usually occurs in July/August
here, which are usually our hottest, sunniest months, this works quite
well. When I used to grow them in pots, they would have similar
treatment, but by August, the pots were turned on their sides and
placed high up, close to the glass in the greenhouse. There they
would bake and receive no more attention until mid December, when the
bulbs were repotted and re-started into growth. The compost needs to
be both rich and extremely gritty to prevent rotting.
Dave Poole
