[pbs] Bulb Mix Curses
Warren Glover
extropian at optusnet.com.au
Fri Nov 10 01:51:54 EST 2006
Re Jim Shields' outline of Len Doran's irrigation formula for Hippeastrums.
I confirm completely Len's recommendations. Nitrogen as Ammonium [NH4]
encourages root rot fungi, especially in high organic potting media. Calcium
nitrate is Len's recommended ingredient. Bulbous plants, and particularly
Hippeastrums, love calcium in generous measure.
When I was breeding Hippeastrums [Amaryllis at that time because of Hamilton
Traub and William Tjaden] I used an irrigation solution developed by Len
that he had worked out to the degree that the particle size of the medium
was critical for optimum benefit.
I used it with my regular potting mix and it was utter magic. You could
watch them grow! I've presented this formula several times at members'
requests in the past 4 or 5 years. Would those members care to give a report
on its efficacy?
Warren Glover
Sydney
----- Original Message -----
From: "J.E. Shields" <jshields at indy.net>
To: "Pacific Bulb Society" <pbs at lists.ibiblio.org>
Sent: Friday, November 10, 2006 11:18 AM
Subject: Re: [pbs] Bulb Mix Curses
> Linda,
> Eventually you are going to have to feed those bulbs. However, something
> with a balance like 6-12-12 is the wrong fertilizer mix.
>
> Bulbs use lots of nitrogen (N) and lots of potassium (K), but only a
> little
> phosphate (P). I suggest you use something like N-P-K 15-5-15 or
> 20-10-20.
>
> Len Doran was an agricultural engineer for years whose hobby was
> collecting
> wild Hippeastrum all over South America. He worked out many years ago
> that
> Hippeastrum species need a lean potting mix (which is what Alberto has
> described) and feeding with high N (as nitrate), very low P, and high
> potassium (K). Len recommended using a very dilute liquid feeding every
> time the bulbs were watered.
>
> You can use the same methods with Haemanthus and many other bulbs from
> arid
> climates as well.
>
> Dutch hybrid "amaryllis" (Hippeastrum) may well be a different story. In
> South Africa, Hadeco Pty. grow them out in open fields in what looks to be
> a sandy loam soil and with plenty of irrigation. They did not tell me
> their fertilizer program!
>
> Best regards,
> Jim Shields
> in central Indiana (USA) where today has been beautiful Indian Summer
>
>
> At 02:44 PM 11/9/2006 -0700, you wrote:
>>.............
>>I wonder if I should be fertilizing them? Would a tomato fertilizer work,
>>like a 6-12-12? Would one application worked into the mix when I repot
>>them
>>suffice?
>>
>>Linda Foulis
>
> *************************************************
> Jim Shields USDA Zone 5 Shields Gardens, Ltd.
> P.O. Box 92 WWW: http://www.shieldsgardens.com/
> Westfield, Indiana 46074, USA
> Tel. ++1-317-867-3344 or toll-free 1-866-449-3344 in USA
>
>
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