Ahhh, yes. I woke to the sound of tiny ice chips hitting the window. They call that sleet, I think. ;-)

All of my scaped plants are in the house. I have a couple with scape tips that I should go bring in. It is only supposed to get worse. Next year these guys will be blooming on their own schedule, which means spring.

Tug, do you leave your plants in full sun in the summer?

G

Most of mine are planted where they get direct sun from early morning, until about 12:30, 1:00. The few in pots stay in similar areas until sometime in October, when I put them in full sun to encourage more bloom. I recently saw a clump of x johnsonii planted right out in full sun, so I'm working on experiments to find varieties that can take the full "furnace" here in the low desert. I tried an 'Orange Sovereign' out in full sun decades ago, and the results were ugly enough to convince me that "that don't work". I'm having to change my mind!

Sunny and mild today, but supposed to be even worse over the next two days.

Wish me luck!
Kevin : )

Talked to someone in Arizona & they said they canceled school in Florence due to excess rain... the buses were flooded out. Hoping for a quick recovery for your Hippes from the unusual overwatering.

AJ

Too early to tell what's going to happen. The only thing going on now is that the bulbs are blowing up like balloons! It makes me wonder if I was giving them enough water to start with. Oh, well, I guess that this is goood training....

Kevin : ])

How goes the weather? I saw parts of AZ were having more rain this weekend.
I grow all my hippis outside. They do just fine in our monsoons, mine are mostly in the ground but few in pots. I agree with the full sun, they looked horrid, grew, but not attractive foliage at all.
Tally HO!

Hi Tally,

This is a cold rain. We were down to the forties. I don't know that it warmed up much before it hit Phoenix. (Six hours away.)

I brought in the bulbs with scape tips and the tips on Jewel and La Paz are reddish now. They have the least root growth with 1-2 basal roots apiece. No new roots. Maybe a quarter inch growth on the scape tips.

Here in So Cal the sky is crystal clear. You can see snow in the mountains, and probably all the way to Catalina! The rain washes us clean and drains all the dirt into the ocean. Its going to be a beautiful, muddy day!

G

About 70% cloudy, now. Big puffy dark gray and white clouds racing away on a rising wind. Getting colder and colder--might get a frost tonight!

So far, only some mushy tunics--which I removed--on my Hippes. No sign of rot yet (knock on, um, formica). I guess this much rain will set me up for watering almost until they bloom! Other than that, I don't know what's going to happen.

Will keep you guys posted.
Kevin : )

Only a true hippi lover would bemoan rain falling in the desert ;-)

Did it myself during one spell of heavy rain that was being driven onto my front porch by the wind. I had to stop and laugh at myself for worrying about my bulbs getting watered.

The wind blew a few over that were in full bloom, but otherwise they all seem to have survived the storm in good shape.

Phoenix Ryan

Now they're sticking their tongues out at me!!

Okay, okay, so it's just new leaves coming out. Is that a bad sign for future bloom? Or does it really matter? Still no sign of rot, anyway.

Cautiously optimistic,
Kevin : )

Kevin,

I live in what is normally known as the city with the highest yearly rainfall. Despite droughts in the spring and summer the last few years, that record probably still holds.

In December, we had 12" of rain. For the year, we had 70" which is above average and quite remarkable since there were no hurricanes this year.

The bulbs that I had in the ground did quite well with freezes down to 17 degrees F. after heavy rains. Needless to say, I do not have all of them in the ground because not all will tolerate those temps. Still, there were a few, including seedlings left outside during those record low temps. The soiless mix in the pots froze, and the bulbs survived. Among those were Emerald seedlings.

It hurts my heart, but if they can't survive in a pot during those low temps, then I don't need to keep them because my collection has gotten too big to maintain and haul in and out during winter time.

What is totally amazing is that the Emerald seedlings went through that extreme cold (for me) and not only did the bulbs not freeze, but the roots look very healthy and are doing fine.

Good luck to you, and keep us posted. I am trying really hard to determine which are hardy and which are not (in my zone).

I would prefer that they be in the ground and not have to worry about them when there are abnormally low temps. I worry more about the temps, than I do the rainfall.

Ann

Hi, Ann. So far this year we haven't had any temps lower than about 29°, and we rarely get much below 25°. I haven't been so much worried about freezing, as the bulbs rotting, or coming out of dormancy before the flower buds form. From your description of your garden climate, I probably shouldn't worry so much!

Thanks bunches!
Kevin : ])

Kevin,

The first year (with fall bulbs), I always let them bloom inside because they are forced.

After that, they bloom in the spring, so it is okay to have them outside. Occasionally, there is a late frost, and I use a tomato cage and cover it with a frost blanket to protect the the bloom. I only do that if there is a scape during a late frost.

Average last frost is March 15, so this is rare, but it happens to those in the ground.

We rarely go below 25, so 17 was a horrible temp for me. I know I will lose some subtropicals in the ground, but I won't know how many until spring.

Overwatering is more harsh on the bulbs inside because there is not as much air circulation inside. Outdoors, you have to do the opposite and worry about them having enough water.

Good luck to you and keep us posted!

Ann

More rain last weekend, and maybe more on the way!
Fortunately, the Hippes don't seem to be bothered at all. There's a little more new growth than I am used to seeing this time of year, but no signs of rot. One of my more reluctant babies, 'Elvas', is even showing the very tip of a scape. I've seen various kinds sit like that for a month before they decide it's time to bloom!

Can't wait for bloom!!
Kevin : ])

Now my 'Blossom Peacock' is showing just the tip of a scape. No sign of further growth on the 'Elvas'. All others are just cruisin'.

Kevin : )

Just a little rain this morning. Scapes continue to come up, 13 out of about 50 adult bulbs, but it's still early days in the bloom season here. 'Elvas', 'Blossom Peacock', and 'Benfica' are showing scapes, but just an inch or two of the tips! 'Appleblossom' is showing a tip, but it's badly spotted rusty red, so I don't have much hope for that one, although the bulb still is firm. There's a big NOID that I "inherited" from an aquaintance who moved, and it's got a scape showing that's half again as thick as all the others. Can't wait to see the bloom!

Kevin : )