Hi Pudge, IÂve only grown A. ÂPurple SensationÂ, not as gigantic as the others you mentioned, but nonetheless, still big balls of beauty in the spring ;)

Sharon

Did anyone see the bulbs that they had at Costco in the spring? I could be wrong, but I thought they had some of the huge allium bulbs and they were about 3 for $10.

Shauna

Pudge, if you have the heads for drying, then you also have seeds! I've only grown 'Purple Sensation', like Sharon, but Allium seeds germinate very readily. Why not try a few?? (That price would be the best, even if you had to wait for the blooms, right?)

Doris

Purple Sensation here too, and i do have some seeds. I really liked them in bloom and wish they'd bloom longer!

Which alliums germinate readily? I've tried "Ivory Queen" twice and got nothing! LOL

Anyway, Pudge, if you want some seeds for Purple Sensation, just let me know.

Thanks Marcia. I have some seeds from another Allium seedhead, purple and about 4" or so in diameter. I've only attempted A. cernuum from seed, last year and they bloomed this year - do you think the bigger alliums would bloom in the second year? Somehow I think it would take a few years for that big bulb to develop. I'll try the seeds anyway.

I think I'm wanting instant gratification in this case (as frugal as I am). I have all kinds of ideas going thru my head on what to do with these dried heads. I see Purple Sensation in Botanus is around $1 per bulb - that's a much easier price to handle. Hopefully I'll come across those big bulbs as well.

Marcia, I read somewhere else that a gardener spray paints the seed heads and leaves them in the garden - there's a way to get the bloom to last longer, LOL.

Marcia, I haven't tried 'Ivory Queen', but my 'Purple Sensation' self-seeds prolifically. For the past couple of years, I didn't weed out the seedlings and this year I had a great show of blooms. I find, however, that some (not all) of the seedlings have paler purple flowers than the parent plant.

Did you start 'Ivory Queen' inside, or did you winter sow? With 'Purple Sensation', I just let the seeds fall to the ground, and they took care of themselves. (I didn't intend to propagate them...I merely left the seed heads in the garden for their decorative effect.) My chives and small Allium flava also reseed without any work from me.

Doris

I winter sowed Ivory Queen. There were a few things that didn't sprout, and that was one of them. Interesting about Purple Sensation self-seeding. I just took the dried stalks out last week and there were a lot of seeds "missing", so maybe i'll have more next year. Do they bloom the first year from seed? I'm like Pudge - hard to believe that they would.

What does anyone plant with tall alliums to hold them up? I found them to be a bit floppy - but it could have been all the rain we had in June.

Marcia, my Ivory Queen self seeded all over this spring, yet when I tried starting some indoors....nothing. Maybe for w/s you have to start them now and let them go thru the winter?
Laurie

Marcia, my seedlings didn't bloom the first year--which was last summer. In fact, they looked like a large patch of chives all season. This year, however, I had lots of flowers to enjoy. They're all deadheaded, now, though! ;-)

I think Laurie might be on to something. Maybe this is one seed that likes several cool/warm periods out in the garden, starting in the fall, in order to germinate.

Doris

Well, here I deadheaded my 'Sensations' figuring I would put more energy into the bulb for next season. Oh well, I'll let them self-seed next year.

I'd better sow those Ivory Queen's in the ground today that you gave me Laurie, I had no luck WS'ing them either, maybe thats the trick to get to germinate this time.

Marica I have my 'Sensations' planted near an ornamental rhubarb, but really they seem to stand on their own quite fine without any support. It must of because you guys had soooo much rain in the spring.

Sharon

They really need to be planted with something. They look like they could hold up pretty well (without all the rain), but after they dried up, they were kind of leaning all over the place. Of course, what comes to my mind are lilies... :)

I'll have to keep an eye out for chive-like foliage to see if they've reseeded. And planting some seed now is a good idea. I was thinking of putting some in the same container as the Ivory Queen that hasn't germinated yet. Maybe i'll do that.

I've got my fingers crossed for you guys with the Ivory Queen seeds! If they do germinate, do I get the credit? :O)
Laurie

I gotta get me some of those.....went googling everything you guys mentioned above. WOWSERS! Beautiful. Thanks for the heads up!
Wendy

FYI - there are allium bulbs available at Costco now, $12.99/pkg of 3 Globemaster, or 50 Purple Sensation. This week there's a $3 off coupon per bag.

They are out at Rona in Regina right now!!!!!!! My friend bought some on the weekend. We were at HomeDepot and Costco too. Better price at Rona but not as many bulbs......where do you plant 50 'Purple Sensation' from Costco??? Better selection at Rona too.
Good luck :)