How do I get Nerine to flower
 

I planted some Nerine bowdeni around my young Judas Tree about 8 years ago, about a foot from the trunk. I got the occasional flower in the first couple of years, but for about 5 years none. The bulbs have multiplied, so there are some clumps of them, probably about 20 individual bulbs now. There were plenty of leaves in the spring and early summer, till they died back in late summer, which I think is normal. I watered them during the dry periods. I scattered some fertiliser about. Other bulbs in the same bed - tulips, alliums - flower. Primulas flower and wild strawberries fruit there. The Judas tree, after sulking for a few years, has got its feet down and is now growing vigorously. But not a flower off the Nerine. What am I doing wrong?

How do I get Nerine to flower
 

"echinosum" wrote ...

I planted some Nerine bowdeni around my young Judas Tree about 8 years
ago, about a foot from the trunk. I got the occasional flower in the
first couple of years, but for about 5 years none. The bulbs have
multiplied, so there are some clumps of them, probably about 20
individual bulbs now. There were plenty of leaves in the spring and
early summer, till they died back in late summer, which I think is
normal. I watered them during the dry periods. I scattered some
fertiliser about. Other bulbs in the same bed - tulips, alliums -
flower. Primulas flower and wild strawberries fruit there. The Judas
tree, after sulking for a few years, has got its feet down and is now
growing vigorously. But not a flower off the Nerine. What am I doing
wrong?

I could really annoy you by posting a photo of a local front garden that has
Nerines in flower all round it, indeed it's just grass and a pink Nerine
border all round. Look magnificent at this time of year, not much at other
times.
They do like a good bit of sun in this country, is it a very shady spot?

--
Regards
Bob Hobden
just W. of London

How do I get Nerine to flower
 

"echinosum" wrote in message
...

I planted some Nerine bowdeni around my young Judas Tree about 8 years
ago, about a foot from the trunk. I got the occasional flower in the
first couple of years, but for about 5 years none. The bulbs have
multiplied, so there are some clumps of them, probably about 20
individual bulbs now. There were plenty of leaves in the spring and
early summer, till they died back in late summer, which I think is
normal. I watered them during the dry periods. I scattered some
fertiliser about. Other bulbs in the same bed - tulips, alliums -
flower. Primulas flower and wild strawberries fruit there. The Judas
tree, after sulking for a few years, has got its feet down and is now
growing vigorously. But not a flower off the Nerine. What am I doing
wrong?

--
echinosum


Two thoughts come to mind: a) could they be planted too deeply? and b) might
the bulbs have disintegrated into daughter bulbs and therefore not of
flowering size? Were it not for your other bulbs flowering, I would have
suggested that the increased vigour of the tree might have something to do
with it, but that seems unlikely. I assume you're using a high potash feed
to encourage flowering. If not, that would be a good first move come the
spring.

Are they trying to grow through grass around the base of this tree? This
would, I think, tend to make them unhappy as they like to bake in sunshine.
Some tulips and alliums will naturalise and are able to grow through grass,
but nerines would sulk.

In truth, mine aren't doing too well, but the leaves are constantly being
attacked by slugs and snails, so they hardly stand a chance. Even so, I
shall lift mine soon and check if there's any other problem. I'll report
back.

Spider

How do I get Nerine to flower
 

echinosum wrote:
I planted some Nerine bowdeni around my young Judas Tree about 8 years
ago, about a foot from the trunk. I got the occasional flower in the
first couple of years, but for about 5 years none. The bulbs have
multiplied, so there are some clumps of them, probably about 20
individual bulbs now. There were plenty of leaves in the spring and
early summer, till they died back in late summer, which I think is
normal. I watered them during the dry periods. I scattered some
fertiliser about. Other bulbs in the same bed - tulips, alliums -
flower. Primulas flower and wild strawberries fruit there. The Judas
tree, after sulking for a few years, has got its feet down and is now
growing vigorously. But not a flower off the Nerine. What am I doing
wrong?

Nerines do best at the base of south-facing walls. My guess is that they
(a) get too much shade and (b) are too damp during their resting period.

They like to be baked, and really should be given full sun in the UK. Once
the leaves have gone, I would try to keep them pretty dry until a flower
stalk appears. If they get wet too early, you'll just get more leaves.
Also, if you are going to add fertiliser, try to keep it to a high potassium
rather than a general one.

--
Jeff

How do I get Nerine to flower
 

On Mon, 26 Oct 2009 15:11:28 +0000, echinosum
wrote:


I planted some Nerine bowdeni around my young Judas Tree about 8 years
ago, about a foot from the trunk. I got the occasional flower in the
first couple of years, but for about 5 years none. The bulbs have
multiplied, so there are some clumps of them, probably about 20
individual bulbs now. There were plenty of leaves in the spring and
early summer, till they died back in late summer, which I think is
normal. I watered them during the dry periods. I scattered some
fertiliser about. Other bulbs in the same bed - tulips, alliums -
flower. Primulas flower and wild strawberries fruit there. The Judas
tree, after sulking for a few years, has got its feet down and is now
growing vigorously. But not a flower off the Nerine. What am I doing
wrong?

I can only speak from my own experience, having tried many times in
the past to get nerines to flower.
A friend had a clump in her sunny, well-drained garden which had
pushed themselves up out of the soil. She dug up part of the clump
for me. I sat the clump on top of some soil in a 10 inch pot, and put
it agaiinst the front wall of my house, east facing. They are just
flowering beautifully for the 4th year in succession. I've done
nothing to them, no feed, no water, and they look wonderful.

Pam in Bristol

I think they probably did, but would have hoped they had matured by now. I read that they liked being congested and was hoping that all these bulbs would help.

We prune the tree to keep it upright, and there is open ground to the south, so the tree isn't much different from a wall in relation to the bed at its base.

Anyway, I can think of somewhere where they would be genuinely at the base of a southfacing wall, so perhaps I'll dig them up and put them there. Though, I think that they might be better watered there...

How do I get Nerine to flower
 

On Tue, 27 Oct 2009 13:26:22 +0000, echinosum
wrote:


'Spider[_2_ Wrote:
;867975']" and b) might
the bulbs have disintegrated into daughter bulbs and therefore not of
flowering size?
I think they probably did, but would have hoped they had matured by
now. I read that they liked being congested and was hoping that all
these bulbs would help.

We prune the tree to keep it upright, and there is open ground to the
south, so the tree isn't much different from a wall in relation to the
bed at its base.

Anyway, I can think of somewhere where they would be genuinely at the
base of a southfacing wall, so perhaps I'll dig them up and put them
there. Though, I think that they might be better watered there...

Dig in some sand/grit if the soil is at all damp there.

Pam in Bristol

How do I get Nerine to flower
 

On 2009-10-27 16:11:39 +0000, Pam Moore said:

On Tue, 27 Oct 2009 13:26:22 +0000, echinosum
wrote:


'Spider[_2_ Wrote:
;867975']" and b) might
the bulbs have disintegrated into daughter bulbs and therefore not of
flowering size?
I think they probably did, but would have hoped they had matured by
now. I read that they liked being congested and was hoping that all
these bulbs would help.

We prune the tree to keep it upright, and there is open ground to the
south, so the tree isn't much different from a wall in relation to the
bed at its base.

Anyway, I can think of somewhere where they would be genuinely at the
base of a southfacing wall, so perhaps I'll dig them up and put them
there. Though, I think that they might be better watered there...

Dig in some sand/grit if the soil is at all damp there.

Pam in Bristol

Do they have a recognisable lifespan? In my son's garden there are
huge clumps of them that his grandparents planted. They've always
flowered really well in the past but recently have failed to do much at
all. I think the ground probably needs feeding but would that be the
sole reason? Are they just too old? I reckon these have been there 30
years, probably more.
--
Sacha
www.hillhousenursery.com
Shrubs & perennials. Tender & exotics.
South Devon