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a question about growth
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Posted by aseedisapromise z4.5 SD (My Page) on Tue, Nov 3, 09 at 15:11
| I have a few hippies of various kinds that I've had for a couple of years that I treat like house plants, except they get to summer out on the porch. So I don't have a lot of experience with these plants. I have two hippies that I don't know what they are, they were labeled "Pink seed grown" by the person who traded with me, and were included as extras. They have grown okay, but haven't bloomed. That's okay, as they had a hard trip to SD last fall when it was very cold. Anyway this is a question about growth. So far all of my hippies have all grown like this: leaves come out the top of the bulb, and then every once in a while they get a new set of eight and the old ones die back. When I am very lucky, then a scape appears coming more from the side of the bulb and I get flowers. Some of the hippies get offsets from underneath on the side as well. Mostly my bulbs have gotten bigger as time passes. Well my question is this: These pink seed-grown bulbs are getting a set of leaves from the side of the bulb, in the place where usually a scape would grow. Does this mean the bulb is going to split in two like a tulip or daffodil? What is going to happen? |
Follow-Up Postings:
RE: a question about growth
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- Posted by jodik 5 Central IL (My Page) on
Tue, Nov 3, 09 at 16:43
| I'm not really sure... but I have had a bulb split into two separate plants. It was a Papillio, and it grew two sets of leaves. Eventually, as the layers naturally died and dried, they peeled away to reveal two bulbs. I've never seen this happen before, but it didn't seem to harm the bulbs, at all. I would guess that might be what's happening to your bulb. I'm interested to find out exactly what does happen! Seed grown bulbs generally take from 2 to several years to flower, so the fact that your young bulbs haven't flowered yet is really not an issue... be patient, and give them the best care you can. They will eventually grace you with their beauty. |
RE: a question about growth
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| Oh! Thanks for your answer. I'm always amazed at the generosity with your time that you all seem to have here on this forum. I noticed that actually it is both of the bulbs labeled "pink seed grown" that this is happening to! I don't know how old they are, but I suspect that they are "garden amaryllis" rather than something large, as this person I traded with lives in the south and had them outside. The bulbs are about an inch and a half in diameter. One of them had the remnants of a scape, or where a scape had been, when I got it. She also sent along two "Voodoo" which have bloomed, one once, and one twice. These Voodoo are larger bulbs, and get more leaves. The "pink" ones have four leaves apiece. Also I have a bunch of little seedlings that she sent, so I'll have lots of time to see what happens to them. Mostly so far they seem to just get offsets. I hope they don't think they died and went to cold and dark hell here in SD! When I brought them inside in Sept. they all seemed to perk up and maybe start to grow some leaves, but now they stopped with new leaf tips peeking out and seem to be resting. Anyway, I'll have to post again if anything else interesting develops. Meanwhile I have to go and pot up the two new bulbs I bought at the grocery! A Red Lion with two scapes peeking out, and some kind of a white one. Ha!! The floral dept woman asked me she could "help me" when she caught me looking in all the boxes. I told her why I do it, and she didn't get mad, just told me that she had never had any of these, and didn't know all these things. Too bad for her! Maybe she'll get some for herself! |
RE: a question about growth
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- Posted by jodik 5 Central IL (My Page) on
Wed, Nov 4, 09 at 17:47
| I remember when I first began to have more than a passing interest in the health and well-being of a large Minerva bulb I had managed to keep alive for quite a few years... I came here to ask some questions, and the folks were so generous with their time and knowledge, I feel that the least I can do is pay it forward, so to speak! If not for sharing, what is gardening for? It would make no sense to grow beautiful things without sharing that beauty... and the knowledge of how it was done! When purchasing boxed kit bulbs at local stores, I always take my time... I open each box and take a good look, and feel for anything abnormal. If the store wants to make a sale, they will tolerate this close inspection... that's the way I look at it! I'm not plunking down cash money for an unseen bulb, especially when the price is so low! I recently came home with a boxed bulb that I thought was in good shape... but once I peeled away the dead outer layers, I found a suspicious looking hole between the basal plate and the bulb flesh. It's going back to the store for a refund. So, be aware that even a decent inspection can hide a problem such as this. I'll be inspecting a little closer next time! I've been avidly collecting and growing hippeastrum bulbs for about 3 years now... though, I've been gardening for as long as I can remember, and have had my Minerva bulb for about 8 years, or so... so, none of the seed grown bulbs I have are old enough or large enough to flower. I expect a few to bloom soon, though. Patience is a gardener's best friend! I think those of us in the northern areas need even more patience! We're fighting against a weaker winter sun and cold temperatures... so it can take us even longer to get those first blooms from our seed grown babies! But it's worth the wait... all hippeastrums have charm and beauty... or, at least, I think so! In any case... we're happy to help those new to these wonderful bulbs, and happy to learn from those with more experience! Sharing something you love and enjoy always makes it that much better! |
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