Hi everyone,

I am renewing some planting in my woodland garden, and I need to move some
colchicum bulbs. Although they are not yet showing, they must be getting
ready to flower by now. If I lift them in the next week or so, I am risking
losing the bulbs? I appreciate that I could lose the flowers this year
~( , but could tolerate that provided the bulbs survive.

Any ideas or experience?

Thanks for any help.
Spider

On Mon, 2 Aug 2004 12:53:31 +0100, Spider wrote:

I am renewing some planting in my woodland garden, and I need to move some
colchicum bulbs. Although they are not yet showing, they must be getting
ready to flower by now. If I lift them in the next week or so, I am risking
losing the bulbs? I appreciate that I could lose the flowers this year
~( , but could tolerate that provided the bulbs survive.

Any ideas or experience?

My practice is to lift and divide colchicums when they come into
flower. At that point, they've only pushed out a fraction of an
inch of new roots, so as long as you don't leave them out of the
ground for very long, they re-establish perfectly well.

Note that my climate differs from yours: much, much drier in
summer, hence possibly deeper dormancy in such bulbs.


--
Rodger Whitlock
Victoria, British Columbia, Canada
[change "atlantic" to "pacific" and
"invalid" to "net" to reply by email]

On Mon, 2 Aug 2004 12:53:31 +0100, Spider wrote:

I am renewing some planting in my woodland garden, and I need to move some
colchicum bulbs. Although they are not yet showing, they must be getting
ready to flower by now. If I lift them in the next week or so, I am risking
losing the bulbs? I appreciate that I could lose the flowers this year
~( , but could tolerate that provided the bulbs survive.

Any ideas or experience?

My practice is to lift and divide colchicums when they come into
flower. At that point, they've only pushed out a fraction of an
inch of new roots, so as long as you don't leave them out of the
ground for very long, they re-establish perfectly well.

Note that my climate differs from yours: much, much drier in
summer, hence possibly deeper dormancy in such bulbs.


--
Rodger Whitlock
Victoria, British Columbia, Canada
[change "atlantic" to "pacific" and
"invalid" to "net" to reply by email]

"Spider" wrote in a message:
snip
I am renewing some planting in my woodland garden, and I need to move some
colchicum bulbs. Although they are not yet showing, they must be getting
ready to flower by now. If I lift them in the next week or so, I am
risking losing the bulbs? I appreciate that I could lose the flowers this
year,
but could tolerate that provided the bulbs survive.
---
Now is just about the best time to move them, take care when you dig the
bulbs out. I've dug them out when they have been in flower and they have all
survived. The time *not* to transplant them is during the spring and early
summer when they are in leaf.

Bella

"Spider" wrote in a message:
snip
I am renewing some planting in my woodland garden, and I need to move some
colchicum bulbs. Although they are not yet showing, they must be getting
ready to flower by now. If I lift them in the next week or so, I am
risking losing the bulbs? I appreciate that I could lose the flowers this
year,
but could tolerate that provided the bulbs survive.
---
Now is just about the best time to move them, take care when you dig the
bulbs out. I've dug them out when they have been in flower and they have all
survived. The time *not* to transplant them is during the spring and early
summer when they are in leaf.

Bella

Rodger Whitlock wrote in message
...
On Mon, 2 Aug 2004 12:53:31 +0100, Spider wrote:

I am renewing some planting in my woodland garden, and I need to move
some
colchicum bulbs. Although they are not yet showing, they must be
getting
ready to flower by now. If I lift them in the next week or so, I am
risking
losing the bulbs? I appreciate that I could lose the flowers this year
~( , but could tolerate that provided the bulbs survive.

Any ideas or experience?

My practice is to lift and divide colchicums when they come into
flower. At that point, they've only pushed out a fraction of an
inch of new roots, so as long as you don't leave them out of the
ground for very long, they re-establish perfectly well.

Note that my climate differs from yours: much, much drier in
summer, hence possibly deeper dormancy in such bulbs.


--
Rodger Whitlock
Victoria, British Columbia, Canada
[change "atlantic" to "pacific" and
"invalid" to "net" to reply by email]


Dear Rodger,
Thank you so much for your prompt reply. Phew, I feel much happier about
moving them now, and shall do so as soon as possible. I shall probably have
to pot them up while I do all my earthworks, but at least I now know
they'll be safe.
You're a gem.
Regards,
Spider

Bella wrote in message
...

"Spider" wrote in a message:
snip
I am renewing some planting in my woodland garden, and I need to move
some
colchicum bulbs. Although they are not yet showing, they must be
getting
ready to flower by now. If I lift them in the next week or so, I am
risking losing the bulbs? I appreciate that I could lose the flowers
this
year,
but could tolerate that provided the bulbs survive.
---
Now is just about the best time to move them, take care when you dig the
bulbs out. I've dug them out when they have been in flower and they have
all
survived. The time *not* to transplant them is during the spring and early
summer when they are in leaf.

Bella







Dear Bella,
Thank you so much for responding to my question. Not only do I now know
when to move them, but also when not to. Forewarned is forearmed. I am so
relieved to know I can proceed with my job without harming my precious
colchicums. I shall pot them up during my earthworks, then replant them in
much-improved soil. Thanks once again.
Spider