Posts Tagged: amaryllis
November in the Garden in Napa County
by Denise Seghesio Levine, U.C. Master Gardener of Napa County In other...
This tool shed, not in Napa County, is closed for the winter (Keter)
Aspen in fall (123RF)
This family snowmobiling is not in Napa County.(Twitter.com)
But dividing and transplanting perennials is a November garden task in Napa County.(KW Landscaping)
You know if you have peach leaf curl. (UC ANR)
November is the time for the first treatment. See peach leaf curl treatment options. (UC ANR)
Keep an eye on the weather forecast for frost--we have already had a few cold mornings and they were in October. (Sunset)
November is a great time to browse plant nursery aisles, Osuna Nursery
And November is the perfect time to plant spring bulbs (DutchGrown)
Pansies and violas can brighten your garden from November to spring.(Plant Care Today)
Orach greens, not just green! (Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds)
Sweet peas. ALL parts of SWEET PEAS can be toxic. (Gardener's Path)
Carrots and onions starting in a November garden. (GrowVeg.com)
Read the seed packet carefully for suitability in your climate zone and garden (Gardener's Path)
Plan in November for December amaryllis bloom. (White Flower Farm)
Amaryllis Help
Advice for the Home Gardener from the Help Desk of the
UC Master Gardener Program of Contra Costa County
MGCC's Help Desk Response: Thank you for contacting the UC Master Gardener Program Help Desk about the issues with your precious amaryllis bulb.
Two things that we discussed when reviewing the status of your prized amaryllis:
1. The container may be too large for the bulb. Amaryllis bulbs like to be potted in narrow and shallow containers.
2. The soil in your container appears to be moist. As mentioned in our previous emails on this subject, amaryllis do not like wet feet. They like to be kept in fast draining soil and only watered when the top two inches of soil feels dry.
We suggest that you correct these issues first in order to successfully grow your bulb.
For potted amaryllis, you don't need a great quantity of potting mix, because the bulbs grow and flower best when not over-potted. A 4-inch bulb only needs a pot 6 inches wide by 6 inches deep. The top one-third of the bulb should not be covered with soil, but left bare and protruding above the soil. As the bulb grows, move it gradually to larger pots, but still with a pot not much larger than the bulb itself. This prevents over-watering and waterlogged soil, which would rot the bulb.
We identified your flying insect as a fungus gnat. They are common in poorly drained soil or soil that is constantly wet (over-watered). Fungus gnats are a type of fruit fly that unfortunately either already exist in other potted plants in your home or patio, or may have come in with a new bag of potting soil.
Most of the fungus gnat's life is spent as a larva and pupa in organic matter or soil, so the most effective control methods target these immature stages rather than attempting to directly control the mobile, short-lived adults.
Physical and cultural management tactics—primarily the reductions of excess moisture and organic debris (such as dead leaves)—are key to reducing fungus gnat problems. We also suggest considering the use of the biological insecticide Bacillus thuringiensis (BT). This product is readily available in retail nurseries and garden centers, so it may be the most convenient for you to use. Just ask your favorite nursery for BT and then follow the package directions.
Here is additional information about fungus gnat control and prevention:
http://ipm.ucanr.edu/PMG/PESTNOTES/pn7448.html
Also, please see the attached information on proper use of pesticides:
http://ipm.ucanr.edu/PMG/PESTNOTES/pn74126.html
The beauty of amaryllis bulbs is that they are forgiving and easy to grow, so we want to help get you to the point of little worry and care for your grandmother's bulb!
If you have more questions, please do not hesitate to contact us again.
Help Desk of the UC Master Gardener Program of Contra Costa County (SLH)
Note: The UC Master Gardeners Program of Contra Costa's Help Desk is available year-round to answer your gardening questions. Except for a few holidays, we're open every week, Monday through Thursday for walk-ins from 9:00 am to Noon at 75 Santa Barbara Road, 2d Floor, Pleasant Hill, CA 94523. We can also be reached via telephone: (925)646-6586, email: ccmg@ucanr.edu, or on the web at http://ccmg.ucanr.edu/Ask_Us/ MGCC Blogs can be found at http://ccmg.ucanr.edu/HortCoCo/ You can also subscribe to the Blog (//ucanr.edu/blogs/CCMGBlog/).
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Flurry of Pink at Gold Ridge
There's a flurry of pink at the Gold Ridge. That would be the Luther Burbank Gold Ridge Experiment...
A pink lady, Amaryllis belladonna, nearly swallows a foraging honey bee. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
A honey bee trails the pink petals of a naked lady, Amaryllis belladonna. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
Amaryllis in August?
Last week, my husband came in from the sideyard where I store my unused plant pots and asked, “Did you know your amaryllis is blooming?” I responded, “What amaryllis?”
Sure enough—I have a beautiful amaryllis blooming in August! What a treat!
Each year I buy an amaryllis bulb for the holidays. Even though I know that amaryllis bulbs can bloom again, my approach to post-bloom care is haphazard at best. When the plant is done blooming, I put it outside and water it for a few weeks or months until it dies back completely. Sometimes I don’t water it at all. Either way, eventually I set the bulb aside and forget about it completely. Occasionally, a bulb will bloom again in late fall or around the holidays. But in August?! Apparently I started the dormant period a bit early this year. Anyway, it was a delightful surprise!
If you are interested in the correct way to make an amaryllis bloom again (including deciding when you want the plant to bloom) you can find a fact sheet on the United States National Arboretum’s website at http://www.usna.usda.gov/Gardens/faqs/AmaryllisBloom.html.
Now, I’m off to check on my other amaryllis bulbs!
The August Amaryllis. (photo by Erin Mahaney)
The Ladies Are Almost Here!
I'm referring to the sweet, pink Amaryllis belladonna bulbs in my garden, also commonly referred to as "Naked Ladies." In case you're not familiar, they are the stalk topped by several clusters of pink trumpet-shaped flowers. What makes them so striking are the naked stalks with no leaves, just flowers, thus the nickname "Naked Ladies."
I love that they have a lovely fragrance. It's also nice to know that they do just as beautifully in our hot Mediterranean climate as they do on the foggy, cool northern California coast . As long as they are treated to warm, dry summers in well-drained soil, they'll do well for you for a very long time.
My first batch of these bulbs (about 5 bulbs) were given to me about 14 years ago in a brown paper bag by my Uncle Bob. He passed away several years ago, and his wife, my aunt, just recently went on to be with him, so this years bloom is bittersweet to see. Anyway, in the years since, I've divided the bulbs a few times (they don't appreciate being disturbed, especially at the wrong time), so that now I have these little beauties popping up all over my backyard. They are a gift that keeps on giving, year after year.
The Naked Ladies. (photo by Jennifer Baumbach)