The Bulb Maven

Trials of Halloween

It has been a long time since I posted, having been gone every weekend for a dog event or visit with old friends.  In between, I am involved in a frenzy of shipping, trying to get the bulbs taken care of and get a batch of orders shipped before I leave home.  We have only two agility trials each year in the county where I live, so competing means traveling.  Some months it is impossible because of work pressures, other months it is merely difficult.  It is never easy.  This last month there has been a trial within a reasonable distance (five to seven hours of driving), so off we went.  This last weekend was a three day AKC trial in Medford, Oregon, and was one I didn't want to miss, since almost everyone from my dog training group was going, plus, being Halloween, they were having a costume competition for the dogs.  Now, my sewing skills are minimal, and I am not going to dress up my dogs, but I appreciate the ridiculous, so I was looking forward to this event.  After all, aren't most sports absurd?  Devoting your life to hitting a ball over a net, or scaling vertical rocks, or jumping out of planes?  Driving to Medford, the weather was miserable, but we were treated to this Roosevelt elk grazing in a front yard.

I do not enter my male, Willie, in AKC.  It is just too stressful for him, but he went along to soak up the atmosphere and give support.  My dogs know the difference between the trials held by the various agility organizations.  They really don't like AKC, so we do far fewer of those trials.  Why?  I just don't know.  I would have to get inside those little doggie heads to figure it out.  Friends have told me it must be me, and I thought that possible, but I have got over my ringside jitters and feel very relaxed at shows.  The courses this last weekend were very straightforward, and well within our abilities.  Hannah, however, decided that since it was Halloween, the judge (who follows you around while you are running the course) was a werewolf disguised as an AKC judge, and that each time he approached us to see if we were performing the obstacle correctly, he was going to clamp down on her throat.  This did not improve our performance.  We had two very good runs, one quite brilliant, and placed second in those.  They were both on courses where you don't stop or pause, so obviously she ran like the wind to get away from that werewolf and we did really well.  Here we all are walking the course to memorize it and plan our strategies.

The costume contest was at the end of the trial.  The winner is seen here to the left.  Her dog was a squirrel, and she was the tree. Seems a little risky dressing your dog up as a squirrel with all those squirrel-chasing dogs around.  Apparently, they knew the difference. 

On the way home the sun came out and the autumn colors were beautiful, so we stopped for a picnic on the Rogue River and a short hike.  Driving across the Eel River approaching Ferndale, the pale disc of the full moon was rising in the east above the mountains, while, in perfect symmetry, a great orange sun was setting on the western horizon.  A great welcome home.  

The Morning Walkabout

 
Our first major storm of the season is on its way, and is welcome, for the ground is so dry I had to use a mattock and breaker bar to dig some large holes for planting shrubs yesterday.  Today, before dawn, there were stars, but soon after the sky clouded up giving a beautiful dawn.  I didn't get a picture, but here is a picture of the hyrid Nerine I have called 'Dawn', in bloom now.

In recent days the dawn sky has been clear, the mornings very brisk, with occasional patches of frost here and there, and the smell of wood smoke in the air.  I love a wood fire.  To me, it is one of the joys and consolations of winter, compensating somewhat for the long dark evenings.  I enjoy all parts of it, stacking my wood, splitting kindling, trundling the wheelbarrow full of logs up to the house, then sitting by the fire, feeling its primal warmth and listening to the sounds of logs shifting in the grate, flames crackling and flaring when I give it more wood.  These last evenings I have been cleaning the seeds I harvested from the bulbs this summer, and a very pleasant (although somewhat messy) occupation it was, sitting by the fire, both dogs stretched out on the rug.  I read in the paper that more and more towns are banning wood stoves, citing air quality as a reason, and most recently saw that Chico was about to pass regulations severely restricting the use of wood stoves, so one day we may all be condemned to sitting in front of gas fired facsimiles of wood stoves, with no sound of burning logs, not smell of wood smoke, and none of the pleasurable chores that go with a wood fire.  I find this intensely depressing, especially since I know for sure that the poor air quality in the region around Chico where I used to live is due to automobiles and trucking, not to lawnmowers (they have also been blamed) or to wood fires.

Many Nerines are in bloom now.  I have posted on Nerines before, and that posting can be found under South African bulbs, since the genus has members that are summer growing, winter growing, or evergreen, so I don't want to repeat myself.  The winter growing species are the ones that bloom now, and some are truly magnificent.  I am slowly propagating the best ones, hoping to be  able to list them before too long.  Here is Nerine 'Rosa' to the left.  To the right is Nerine 'La Pasionara". 

There are many more in bud, like the lovely 'Razzle Dazzle' photographed last year, and seen here to the left, and I am hoping for some new surprises from bulbs that have not bloomed before.  

Shipping continues, but will start to wind down soon, although I can ship some bulbs year round, especially members of the Family Amaryllidaceae, so shipping never stops completely.  This is a very busy time of year, getting ready for seed sowing and repotting, and with my new greenhouse benches, I feel prepared for the tasks ahead and for the winter storms.

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Habranthus

Many of my Habranthus are blooming now, so it seems appropriate to post something on this beautiful genus from Central and South America.  There is even one member from the southern United States, H. tubispathus (called H. texensis by some).  The genus is closely related to Hippeasrum, and even closer to Zephyranthes, the main difference with Zephyranthes being the stamens and the angle of the flowers. 

Most Zephyranthes flowers point upwards, while Habranthus are at a slight angle to the stem.  The stamens of Habranthus are unequal in lenght, while Zephyranthes are equal.  Here is H. tubispathus above, with the pink version, H. tubispathus v. roseus to the right.

I have a number in my collection, and I like them all.  The most dramatic must be H. brachyandrus with very large flowers that are pink with a deep purple throat. 

Another favorite, although smaller, is H. martinezii, with pale pink flowers and a purple to burgundy throat.  Here it is to the right.  A pot full of these sweet little bulbs is very charming.

Habranthus coeruleus

, seen here to the left, is from Argentina, and is quite rare.  It isn't really blue, but a lavender blue color.

Probably the most commonly grown Habranthus is H. robustus. 

There are a number of different forms and also some hybrids.  H. Russell Manning is a hybrid, with very large funnel shaped flowers that are slightly ruffled.  It is vigorous and very attractive.  Here it is to the right.  Two different color forms of the species are seen below, one with pale narrow petals, another with deep pink petals.

 

Another charmer is Habranthus magnoi, with lovely white petals tipped with pink.  Here it is to the left. 

These lovely bulbs grow well in the southern United States, but can also be grown elsewhere if winters are not too severe.  They make excellent container plants if they can't be planted in the ground, and the pots can be stored over winter in a frost free place.  They are often called Rain Lilies, since they tend to bloom in flushes after rain.

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Can you ........

..... teach an old dog new tricks?  Well, here is Hannah with her new trick.  OK, she isn't an old dog, she will be five next month, and theoretically in her prime.  Those are cookies balanced on her paws, and she has learned that if she waits until I say 'get it' she gets both of them.  Willie, however, just eats them.  "Wait" he says.  "Phooey".

But here is a genuine old 'dog' with a new trick -- ME!  One of the advantages of living almost next door to the Fairgrounds, is that after the fair is over there are literally mountains of poopy straw and wood chips that they need to get rid of.  I like the wood chips from the stables occupied by the race horses best.  The straw blows around a bit in this windy environment, but the chips stay put and look very nice.  I can get as much as I want free, delivered to my house, and since the soil here is very dense and lacking in organic material, it is like solid gold to me.  I had eight big dump truck loads delivered, intending to use it on my field that is being converted to a wild garden. 

Well, that was a LOT of stuff, so Mark and I decided to rent a Bobcat, needed anyway to repair my driveway, and spread it all in one day.  That looked like so much fun, that I insisted that I wanted to do it, so he graciously showed me how to run the machine, and off I went.  It was GREAT!  Here is the area I am working on to put in a wild garden and create a wind break. 

 

I think at my advanced age I am learning the fascination men have for big machines.  What's next?  Guns??  The two young twenty-something men that help Mark were a bit astonished at the idea of me running the Bobcat, but, honestly, there was nothing to it.  Easier than driving a car.  I was a bit slow, so around mid-afternoon I handed it over to Mark, who finished the job.

Work on the greenhouses continues.  We have almost finished one, and will start on the next one when another pallet of greenhouse bench tops arrive.  The shipping of orders continues.  There is usually a flurry of orders this time of year, when people start thinking about planting bulbs, although the shipping season will start to wind down soon.  Seed sowing and propagating bulbs will start in earnest as soon as the greenhouse benches are finished.  This is actually the busiest time of year for me, since shipping bulbs, sowing seeds and the repotting of bulbs starts to overlap.  I like the change in pace, though, and I am excited about my new greenhouse benches.

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Greenhouse work

The seasons march on, and this time of year I am thinking constantly of what lies ahead:  seed sowing the Mediterranean species; reorganizing the greenhouses; repotting most of the bulbs and getting ready for winter in general.  Autumn is the busiest season as far as bulb care is concerned, since the Mediterranean climate bulbs must all be repotted before they start to grow around the end of October to the middle of November.  A few can wait a bit longer, and during the same time period seed must be sown of most species.  Some bulbs multiply, but others, like Calochortus, must be sown every fall, and it is a very big job. 

In preparation for the tasks ahead, I am completely reorganizing my Mediterreanean greenhouse and having benches made.  In the past I have had all the pots on the floor.  This was largely due to the expense involved of buying or making benches, but now I am happy to say that I am able to invest the needed money.  This is helped by a new product, a plastic bench top that is light weight, easy to clean and relatively inexpensive.  Before now greenhouse benches were made of metal, so they were very heavy, very expensive and would degrade over time.  The new bench tops are UV stable, and should last a long time.  Here above I am in the process of moving every single pot twice, fist off the floor and out of the way as each bench is brought in, then organizing them alphabetically on the benches (and still smiling!).  I won't trust anyone else to move them, since they must be kept striclty organized or I simply can't find things.  Even so, as I put Calochortus plummerae in place, I will inevitably stumble across a couple of pots of C. bruneaunis that I overlooked, necessitating moving them all again.  Arrrgh!

Mark and Shawn, seen here, have also put a new ventilation system in, and now the greenhouses are vented automatically, keeping the temperature well below 85F even on warm sunny days.  Both the new benches and the new ventilation system are intended to make my work easier and more efficient, and, hopefully, to reduce losses.  The problem I have had with the pots on the floor is inadequate drainage, with the bottom layer of potting medium not drying out completely in the bulbs' summer dormancy.  Summer dormant bulbs need to be kept completely dry during their dormancy, so any excess moisture can encourage rotting.  I am expecting that elevating the pots off the ground will improve things considerably with better drainage, better air circulation and easier access.

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Boophane

There are three members of this amazing South African genus: Boophane disticha; Boophane ernestii-ruschii and Boophane haemanthoides.  All have very large bulbs, which are toxic to cattle, the pollen of the flowers also being somewhat irritating to the eyes, giving it one of it's common names 'Sore Eyes'. 

Boophane disticha, seen here, is the most commonly grown, and the one I have been able to grow from seed to blooming size successfully.  It took my bulbs nine years to bloom, but others report success in seven years.  This species grows in both the summer rainfall regions of South Africa and the winter rainfall regions, so it is important to know the origin of your seeds or bulbs, since they will grow at different times of year.  The bulbs I grow are from the summer rainfall regions, and produce their leaves in spring, blooming before the leaves appear (April for me).  They are not self- compatible, so you need two blooming plants to produce seeds. Even without flowers, the bulbs are highly ornamental since the bulbs produce a neat fan of wavy grey leaves.

I also have Boophane haemanthoides.  My only large bulb is eleven years old, and has not produced a flower yet.  This species comes from the winter rainfall region of the western Cape Province of South Africa and is just now producing its leaves.  Here is a picture of the fan of leaves.

After blooming, the umbel of both species enlarges considerably as the seed ripens.  When the seed is ripe, the whole seed head breaks off, and the wind will tumble it across the landscape, scattering its seeds as it goes.  The seeds are known as 'recalcitrant' seeds, meaning that they will germinate immediately and can't be dried or stored.  They are soft, and like small fresh peas.  Here is the seed head of B. disticha - compare the size to the flower size above.

Boophanes have very extensive fleshy roots that need a lot of room.  I grow mine in pots that are about 40cm (16") in diameter, and about 50cm (20") deep.  They are often grown in a mix that is mostly sand, but since that would make the pots so heavy I would have trouble lifting them, I use a mix that is about 30% organic material (ground bark), 30% horticultural pumice and 30% perlite.  I fertilize regularly during the growing season with a liquid balanced fertilizer, and allow them to go completely dry in the winter.  I have not found them difficult, patience is the most important ingredient for growing them to blooming size, plus giving them enough root room. 

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Lycoris

Lycoris are often confused with Nerine, since the flower structure is similar, and they both belong to the Family Amaryllidaceae.  Lycoris, however, are from eastern Asia, with most species originating in Japan and China, where they are widely grown.  Nerine is from Southern Africa.  It doesn't help that the horticultural trade adds to the confusion, often showing pictures of Nerine when they are advertising Lycoris.  One very large bulb broker continues to show a picture of a red N. sarniensis hybrid for the lovely Lycoris radiata, the most commonly grown species.  Here it is above, with long protruding stamens that have given it the common name 'Spider Lily'.

Some of the species in cultivation may not be species at all, but are probably of hybrid origin.  Since Lycoris seed takes about 8-10 years to mature to a flowering bulb, almost all Lycoris are propagated vegetatively, and many, like the beautiful L. albiflora, seen here, do not produce seed.  It is felt to be a hybrid, its origins shrouded in the mists of time.

Not all Lycoris have the very long curved stamens seen here, but are equally lovely.  L. longituba, seen to the left, has glistening white waxy flowers with the faintest hint of pink.  It is from China, and this one does set seed for me.

There are several yellow flowered Lycoris.  One is distributed through the large bulb brokers and they call it L. aurea.  This is most certainly incorrect.  It is felt that the commonly distributed one is either L. traubii or a hybrid thereof.  I have the real species.  It is one of the most tender species, and blooms well for me.  Here it is to the right.  The Chinese name translates as "suddenly the earth smiles".  Very appropriate.  L. chinensis is also a deep yellow (not pictured).

Pink flowered Lycoris are not uncommon, and I have two, which appear somewhat similar.  The first is L. rosea, seen here to the left.  It is native to China.  Lycoris haywardii, also native to Japan, is seen here to the right.

Lycoris produce their flowers in late summer, and in most species the foliage soon follows, growing throughout the winter to go dormant in the late spring.  Some of the hardier species produce their foliage in spring, also going dormant in summer.  They are naturally woodland plants, so benefit from light shade.  They do not want to dry out completely during their summer dormancy.

I grow my Lycoris in large containers, since I do not live in a climate suitable for growing them outside.  They love a hot summer, and in parts of the midwestern United States, and also in the southern states, they flourish.  Many are hardy enough for winters to Zone 5.  I have to admit that they do not flourish in containers.  They do grow and multiply, but blooms are scarce. 

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After the Fair

The Fair has ended.  On Sunday, the last day, the ferris wheel was all lit up at 10pm when I looked out of my bedroom window.  The following morning at 6am it was gone.  The crews must work all night dismantling the rides, and packing them up to go on to their next assignment.  The field opposite my house, filled with cars and trucks over the weekend, is completely empty, the grass trampled, and bits of paper drifting here and there.

The most striking thing is the almost palpable quiet.  The sense of peace that has descended is complete, and has a feeling of expansion to it, as though the bustle and noise of the Fair overwhelmed the senses, and now that it is gone, one can again see the views, hear the surf and allow the mind to wander wherever it wants.

Now that we are edging towards September, there is a slight chill in the air in the morning.  Asters and Sedum are in bloom in the garden, reminding me to plant more next year.  The birds' nests are empty, and there are flocks of birds gathering, ready to make their migrations, their family life behind them.  Each season has its flavor, and autumn, to me, has a rosy golden glow, even though in this cool foggy part of the world we don't have much in the way of fall colors.  When I was a child in England I loved the autumn best of all, even better than summer.  I think I liked the changes, from leafy green, through all the tints of autumn to the bareness of winter, and I loved the crispness of the mornings.  It was also the start of fox hunting season, a passion of my blood-thirsty youth, and one of those strange contradictions that humans are comfortable with, for I was also a passionate animal lover.

I still have that feeling of excitement in autumn, as though it is a beginning, not an ending.  Maybe that's why I became a bulb grower, for this is the start of so many things - the blooming of the members of the Family Amaryllidaceae, the start of seed sowing, the stirring of the bulbs into growth.  There is no visible sign yet on most of the dormant bulbs, but the dropping temperatures at night are nudging them awake, and soon they will produce shoots, and, with the autumn rains, they will burst into growth.  We are promised an El Nino winter, something to be dreaded in this very wet, soggy valley, so preparations are being taken to protect the bulbs.  We have been through it before.  Here is a picture of the Ferndale Valley taken by my friend, Susan, about three or four winters ago.  Telos Rare Bulbs is out there somewhere in the watery waste. 

We survived.

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The County Fair

When I bough my property, I was a little concerned that it lies only about a half block from the County Fairgrounds, worrying about traffic and noise on my country road.  Now, five years later, I can only say how fortunate I feel, for there are many wonderful events going on there, and I can walk down to stroll around or join in.  One time there was a blacksmiths' convention, with forges set up all over the fairgrounds, making everything from sculpture and jewellery to beautiful gates.  Another time a llama convention was in progress, and I was amazed to see llamas all clipped like poodles, with some of them pulling dainty little carriages likes surreys.  It was delightful.

August is the time of the County Fair, which lasts ten days.  In a world where too much changes too fast, the Fair hearkens back to a different era.  One feels it probably has changed very little since it began.  Virtually all of the local children participate in 4H projects, raising a sheep, pig, calf or goat that will be auctioned at the Fair.  There are art projects and amateur photography displays, with children as young as three entering their creations.   The carnival is mobbed with children (and adults!), and there is always some kind of stunt.  Last year it was a man shot out of a cannon, this year two motorcyclists riding their bikes around inside a metal mesh sphere, missing each other by inches.

The craft hall is wonderful, with beautiful quilts, all kinds of preserves, a spinning and weaving demonstration and much more.

For me, though, the animals are the best feature, with barns full of cows, goats, sheep and pigs, all shampooed and clipped to look beautiful.   I love the goats especially.  My next door neighbor's children raised a goat for their 4H project, and Zoe was there in a pen, ready to be auctioned to become a dairy goat.  I will miss her sweet little bleating, but the farms here are small, and goats like to be with other goats, so she will undoubtedly be treated well and be happy she isn't alone any more.  Browsing down the goat pens I am so tempted to get one for myself, but with my hands very full with the bulbs, the garden and my dogs, I really have to resist.   This year there were many different breeds of rabbits, posing another temptation.  I kept rabbits as a child, and have always had a fondness for them.  They seem the epitome of gentleness, and to this day I will not eat rabbit.

The Fair ends this weekend, and with my favorite dog trial having come and gone the previous weekend, this, for me, marks the winding down from summer. Summer is still here, to be sure, but the garden has a somewhat faded look to it, and Amaryllids are starting to show their buds, presaging their big fall display.  Amaryllis belladonna is so abundant here locally that many people think it is native to this area.  It is commonly seen in huge swathes on abandoned property, its familiarity, unfortunately, leading to a lack of appreciation.  When my accountant gestured to a huge pile of bulbs that he was throwing out, I eagerly took them home and planted them outside my gate. 

We have had a splendid summer, one sunny day after another, with only fog in the early morning and late evening, and sometimes not even then.  My new fans in the greenhouses have been put to the test, and I am very happy to say that the temperatures this year have not exceeded 90F, in spite of clear and sunny days.  Shipping continues apace, but my thoughts are moving on to the fall seed sowing season, and I am already reorganizing parts of my greenhouses in preparation.  The world turns.

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The Morning Walkabout

It is a shock to realize that we are almost half way through August, and that summer is edging towards autumn.  In my previous post I commented that there wasn't a lot happening in the greenhouses, but yesterday I noticed buds emerging from the pink Rhodophiala bifida (left), and also Calostemma purpureum (right), Amaryllids that bloom in late summer, heralding the onset of the autumn display of most members of the Family Amaryllidaceae, such as Nerine and many other South African members.  Hymenocallis have been blooming off an on for some time, with the dainty umbels of H. leavenworthii seen here, a very rare member of the genus from Mexico, where it grows at some elevation.  Here it is to the right.

 Summer's progress is also marked by the birds' activities.  Their songs no longer awaken me at dawn, they are probably too busy to spend much time singing, frantically feeding the gaping mouths of their babies.  The swallows have already reared one brood, and are on their second, but the parents are still pestered by their adolescent babies that badger them for food.  They are a constact source of entertainment.

In the pasture next door there is an ever changing population of horses, apparently the owners rotating horses from their other ranch.  About a month ago there was a pure white one and an ebony black one, and watching them race each other around the five acres was delightful.  Now we have a mother and her baby.  She is not at all afraid of the dogs, and seems to want to play with them.

I have been having some work done on the garden.  I had put in a small informal herb garden, and wanted a focal point, so I had the basin of a fountain put in on a stone base.  I will plant a miniature water lily in it, since I would never run a fountain, and don't actually like the movement.  Here is the full work crew, the dogs having played a supervisory role, testing the mortar to make sure it was just right. 

We are having a very wonderful summer here in the Ferndale valley.  Although other parts of the state are parched, with our morning fog, things stay lush and green all year.  The fog clears by about 10:00am, rolling back in at night, keeping the temperatures pleasantly cool.  Last summer it was very cold and foggy, but there are no complaints this year.  The County Fair opens in a couple of days, and I can see the ferris wheel from my window.  My favorite agility trial is this coming weekend, and we have been training every day, hoping to bring back ribbons.  Even if we don't win, we always have a wonderful time, for, after all, the dogs know nothing of winning or ribbons, they do it for the joy of it.  And ... for the treats, of course!!

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