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Re: Bulbs Sprouting

At 07:08 PM 11/18/97 -0800, you wrote:
>
>You're the only other people I have been in touch with who are growing
>Acidanthera. I live in the city and grow mine in a tiny garden in front
>of my house. I have seen people walk by and do a literal double-take
>when they get a whiff of the flowers' exotic scent. Here in Richmond,
>Virginia where we are due to get our first real freeze tonight, out of
>cowardice I have lifted mine although many sources say they should make
>it through our winter in zone 7. I've cut off the tops and put them out
>to dry in the house. According to the sources I've found, yours should
>do fine in a cool room if they are kept dry.
>
>Let me ask you a question. Each bulb/corm I lifted had up to a dozen red
>round bulblets/cormlets hanging on for dear life. How are these grown?
>Left out, they appear to shrivel as the adult bulbs don't. I have
>layered some in barely damp potting soil and kept them inside. Any other
>ideas?
>
>I look forward to hearing from you,
>

I also grow Acidanthera and just love them.  I plant about 50 bulbs each
year in groups of 5 to 7 throughout the garden.  They are wonderful along
the walkway to the front door where visitors do their double take and enjoy
a whiff.  I especially like to interplant them with Cosmos but it does
require pinching the Cosmos back a bit (I notice Thompson and Morgan have a
24" cosmos this year that might be just the right height).  The two plants
grow together nicely, bloom at the same time and appear to enjoy the same
conditions.  The feathery leaves of the cosmos don't inhibit the growth of
the Acidanthera and seem to offer  them a little support.  If you succession
plant them beginning about a week before last frost they will bloom all summer!

I have to dig the bulbs up each year (I'm way up in Ottawa, Canada) and just
store them in a dry place (the basement) until spring.  Regarding the little
bulblets, I usually just pick them off and throw them into the compost but I
have saved a few and grown them on in a patch by themselves for several
years.  They've gotten larger each year and this year several flowered for
the first time.  I don't seem to be able to keep the "adult" bulbs from
getting smaller each year so every few years I buy a few dozen new ones.  I
keep hoping they will seed but that hasn't occurred as yet.  These are my
favourite plants.
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