Planting Autumn Crocus (Colchicum)
I don't believe I have ever grown autumn crocus ( colchicum - I love to say that word) - although we did inherit one when we moved into this house. I moved it, and apparently it did not like that because I never saw it again. I have always wanted to grow it, but I always think about it at the wrong time of year. Plus, I never see it at nurseries (not even at Yard N' Garden Land). When a friend offered me some, I said YES. She gave me one special one called "Waterlily" and several that I guess we would call the "average one". 'Waterlily' The question then was where on earth would I would plant them. I read that they are nice in grassy areas so I then decided to plant them along the grassy pathway in front. (This pathway is about to become a gravel pathway as I am refusing to water it daily. Michael wins this battle and gets to do the "told you so" dance .) I decided to tuck the primo one at the corner of the path next to this pot. Diggin...
Wow that first one is a stunner! The 2nd I've seen in person here and there--if you can grow it this year and strengthen the bulb for next spring it might be quite impressive. 3rd--is the bulb soft? Sometimes they take forever here. But--much different climate, of course. Could you grow them outdoors in your old garden in the South?
ReplyDeleteThe bulb is not soft so perhaps I should be patient. We could not grow them outdoors, except during the summer, but then they had to be brought back inside. I've pretty much given up on trying to get a repeat out of them. I've never had success with that.
DeleteI've never had an Amaryllis/Hippeastrum fail to bloom at all until this year. I bought 3 'Estella', 2 of which I gave as gifts, and none of them has even shown signs of life. I had a few bloom earlier but most of the others (excluding 'Estella') are actively moving in that direction. I grow all of mine outside so, even in our mild winter climate, they bloom later here.
ReplyDeleteI'm in NE Alabama but a little south of where Phillip lived. I've planted the bulbs outside and they have survived and bloomed in the spring. I planted the bulb so it doesn't show at all, unlike when it is in a pot.
ReplyDeleteInteresting!
DeleteI too potted up 3 bulbs at the end of November, figuring that way when I took down all the Christmas decorations I'd be closing in on fabulous blooms to cheer the space. Wrong. One is just finally open (Evergreen Cybister, it's fabulous), one is starting to bust open (white) and the other, La Paz', is still just buds and lots of leaves. It's been fun watching them develop though.
ReplyDeleteI've learned that it takes much longer for them to bloom than the usually stated "6 weeks".
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