Acidanthera care

Umm, did a search for this and the jury seems to be out on this one (as far as care, as well as what they are officially named) I'm talking about the white flowers with the purple throats, sword like leaves and nice smell.

I planted some this spring to fill in a gap expecting mostly a foliage show, surprisingly they put on an amazing show (£1 well spent). Unfortunately I put them in the wrong spot so when they finished flowering I put them into pots in a sheltered area (they have started to flower again).

Question is, do I really need to remove them from the pots and store the bulbs clean and dry and frost-free over the winter (if I can avoid faffing and work I will !!!!) or can I get away with simply putting the pots into the shed/garage over the winter?

Thanks.

 

Fens, I would just put the pots in the shed and hope for the best next year. As you say, they are cheap enough.

 

Dai you are right, so I can take the lazy option :D

 

Fens - thats nice to hear that you had flowers not once - but twice. I bought some in the spring and have had some lovely foliage - but not a sign of a flower.

I would agree with Dai. In a pot in a shed they will almost certainly be frost free. Although the temperatue in the shed may fall below zero, they will be insulated by the soil in the pot. If in doubt just cover the pots in sacking or newspaper. I suspect they don't want to be too wet in case there was a danger of rotting.

 

Peter, I have not yet known anyone to grow them the second year and get them to flower.

 

Dai - are you saying that there is no point in overwintering them as they won't flower the following year?

Or did you mean to say you hadn't heard of anyone getting them to flower the first year?

 

Someone must get them to flower year 2 sometime, so why not Fens?

 

Peter sorry to hear about the lack of flowers, that's gardening for you.

Dai I will take that as a challenge and let you know the results next year.

 

I've grown Acidanthera for a few year and although they overwinter in the ground perfectly the successive flowering rate is definately hit-and-miss, they produce plenty of foliage but don't bloom - someone told me i wasn't keeping them moist enough when they showed the initial growth :(

About 50% of mine flower in their 2nd year, so i just plant new each year.

 

I just love this flower and have had a clump of them for several years in one of my rockeries. However, like Louise I did not have flowers the first year and possibly not the second, lots of nice strappy leaves, and also now they only flower in a hit-and-miss fashion. I had already decided I shall get some more of them and plant them in a different location.

Peter, I understand it can take several years for them to bloom! I don't know the secret of success because I haven't found it yet!

 

I believe that water is the secret - since moving I have many more pots and now water using a bucket and a good long soak. As a result the Acidanthera have failed to flower for me.

 

Have the same problem with Schyzostilis (maybe bad spelling) in my garden they flower occasionally and not too many blooms.