Back on track again

11 years ago

(very red faced)

Hi everybody! This is Lourdes from Holland.

I'm back after a very busy period. I'm really sorry i did not keep in touch with you guys.

Was having lots of problems (including a near divorce)

Due to some neglecting and space/light shortage i lost a few plants and i have come to the conclusion that -in order to properly care for them- i better have not too many of them. They deserve proper care. I do not have any greenhouse or extra light or anything. And i do not dare anymore to place the plants outside during spring/early summer (bulb fly!)

I think to have no more than 10 or 12 plants will be a sensible choice. This sounds very calm because you can't see me while i write this. As true plant- a flower-persons as we all are, you will understand that such choices are very difficult to make.

Well, i tried to chose a variety of colours and kinds.I based my choice in personal taste, of course, but also variety of colours and being strong and resistant to low light intensity and high humidity conditions in Netherlands. I like specially single large flowering cultivars. Here are the hippies i have chosen so far:

1- Apple Blossom. This was the first Amaryllis i ever bought and saw flower. It's very beautiful, but also a matter of nostalgy. It remains a big favourite, since it's creation in the fifties :-)

2- Royal Velvet. Its velvety dark red coloured flowers are incredible.

3- Red Lion. Beautiful bright red and very strong. I lost a big bulb once due to daffodil bulb fly.

4- Naranja. Strong and incredible orange colour.

6- Flamingo star. Chosen because of the colour. Has to arrive yet.

7- Christmas gift. This is in my opinion one of the best pure white cultivars. The classic, star shape of the flowers is very pretty. Very strong and tends to flowers more than once a year.

8- Minerva A survivor of the bulb fly 2 years ago.

9- Exotica. This one survives everything too!

10- Bolero. This one survived also.

Doubles:

11- Jewel, beautiful and strong.

12- Blossom peacock. Strong and very fast-growing. Very dependable. Tends to bloom more than once a year, in spring and fall. I have had a bulb that i separated from the "mother" bulb bloom within a year, and without any extra care.

Oh dear.... while making this list i realize i already have 12..... gotta find a way to resist when those bulbs try to jump in my shopping cart!

Anyway, this is the situation now... i think i have to go to the Hortus botanicus in Leiden next february and to the amaryllis show in Het Keukenhof and watch the beauties there to help me cope.... as long as i do not take any bulb home.... :-O ...

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Comments (10)

kaboehm (zone 9a, TX USA)
11 years ago
Dear Lourdes,
WELCOME BACK!! Maybe we could meet up in Lisse and go to Keukenhof together!! It was very easy for me to go from Paris to Leiden, and Leiden to Lisse on the bus.

THINK ABOUT IT!!
;-)
Kristi
holantina
Original Author
11 years ago
Hi Kristi!!! (biggest smile and waving)
How WONDERFUL! I'd love to! That's a great idea. I'm going to look up wether the days they wil be open are already on their websites. This way i can write them in my agenda already :-)
If they have noy the date on their website yet, i will keep an eye on it and check from time to time.
How are you doing, dear?
Having lots of flowering beauties over there? Right now i don't have hippies with flowers. I do have an Eucharis Amazonica blooming. It began from a single bulb i took from my plant in my homeland (Cuba) That one i got as a child from my grandfather's sister (she lived next door, died at 92) The plant still flowers profusely. That plant is more that 25 years old.
My plant here is around 6 years old.
The picture is from my first Blossom Peacock. It had three big "children" and if it still was alive, they will probably be flowering by now. This B. Peacock used to flower for me twice a year, in spring and fall. I was really sad when i lost this plant to bulb fly. This is her blooming that year for the second time in fall. Little i knew it would be her last time :-:.
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holantina
Original Author
11 years ago
Let's see if i can post the pic this time...
kaboehm (zone 9a, TX USA)
11 years ago
Dear Lourdes,

Coming to the end of another warm summer here in TX so don't expect any blooms for a few months. I may try Bill Warren's method of getting some blooms when the weather cools off, but since even our winters are warm, it seems like about a month after it really cools down, I get blooms.

THE BIG NEWS...I am expanding the GH from a 6x6 to an 8x8, so almost double the growing room. YAY! That should provide plenty of room for the 300+ pots. BTW, someone generously gave me 3 pots of Papilio...with 7-9 bulbs in total, and they have been split into larger pots with 1-2/pot and they are all growing like WEEDS! The original HOUSTON-area owner (wink) wouldn't recognize them. They are thriving "Up North" of town

Yes, Keukenhof does post the opening dates on the web. I could easily fly into Schipool. Let me see how the Achilles tendon tear is healing (right now I'm in a boot) and may have to have surgery and a cast.

If anyone else wants to join Lourdes and I for the Amaryllis Show and Exhibit in Lisse 2013....we should start planning now!

:-)
Kristi
kaboehm (zone 9a, TX USA)
11 years ago
Lourde,
Would have posted this previously. Here is about 90% of my plants. Others on on back porch. This is about 50sq feet (7x7) of 1-3 gallon pots with a few 6" pots a well. This is my bulbs "summer pasture"! This year I added a second sprinkler head and that has made a tremendous difference. Most of these have leaves 3' to 4' long! Should make for lots of good blooms next spring!
Kristi
holantina
Original Author
11 years ago
Did i read it well? 300 pots!!! Wow... i'd love to have so much room for plants... it would make it look like a jungle over here ("he" Tarzan and I Jane, hihihi) Sounds fantastic! I wish you lots of fun with your improved place for the hippies and other beauties.
I have ordered a little balcony/patio green house. It is light weight and can be easily (so they said) put up and down. At the shop they have also spare sleeves and even winter sleeves that let light go through but isolate from cold. I think this will be my solution to be able to have the hippies outside during spring/summer/autumn. This way i hope to have more control of temperature AND to keep the bulb flies away from MY bulbs...grrrrr.... I will have to buy insect screen as well, in order to place it in front of the door when it's open for ventilation. I've heard that female bulb flies can be VERY persistent when it comes to find a place to lay the eggs :-O

I see your plats are outside. Don't you have bulb flies over there?
This is the "little green house" i mean ....not quite as big as a "little house on the prairie" :-D.... but it could accomodate a few plants...
holantina
Original Author
11 years ago
oops... here's that picture again...
kaboehm (zone 9a, TX USA)
11 years ago
Lourdes,
I like your little greenhouse. That should do well for you in a warmer area up against your house. Being as it's so small, I hope that you can keep it warm during really cold weather, maybe with a heat lamp shining on it?

I have emailed Keukenhof about the 2013 dates and will let you know as soon as I hear something.

Hugs!
Kristi
kaboehm (zone 9a, TX USA)
11 years ago
The Keukenhof Amaryllis show is tentatively scheduled for March 21, 2013. They won't have the final date until January. Pencil that in!
Kristi
holantina
Original Author
11 years ago
Great!!!
I'm jotting it down right now in my agenda. This time i really can't miss it!!
Thanks dear!! :-)

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