wet crocosmia

Has anyone had experience growing crocosmia in an area that is wet in late winter and early spring? My bulbs survived and put on a good show, but I don't know if it was a fluke and I am hesitant to try more in that area.

Hi
I am from the UK...............
If really depends on how cold it gets is the winter................... if it freezes when they are wet, then they will rot.................
Maybe you get mild winters where you are................. But be careful which crocosmia you get!! If they are Pottsii forms they will probably be ok, as they originally came from river banks in South Africa.

Mark

I live on the southern oregon coast and our winters are horribly wet. The crocosmia grow very well, I also have some growing in deep shade. They bloom just as much as in sun but a week or two later. Don't worry about the wet winter, mine were underwater in spots where I had poor drainage and they are all fine, as a matter of fact, I now have lots more!!
Rebecca

Mark, I'm in zone 6 so the winter does go below freezing, but the flood comes when the snow melts. Maybe that helps. I'm very interested in the suggestion of Pottsii.
Rebecca, are your crocosmia the pottsii variety?

Don't know, I have the Lucifer and I think its Emily McKenzie and a yellow one I think the name is Yellow Halliburton. There is also a smaller one that is invasive and grows around here as a weed, we call it Montbretia. Its got orange flowers and you CANNOT kill it.
Rebecca

while I'm on this thread,let me ask,I have Emily McKenzie,and they put on a beautiful show,this was my first year. have heard that the bulb multiplies from top to bottom,and the plants look less& less each year,until you dig and seperate.I don't know if this is really true,and question # 2,is how often do you separate,and re-plant.Thanks,Mike

Okay, I have had my Emily in for about 4 years and not seperated yet. They are beautiful. I am going to divide this year. Just wait till the flowers finish and the foliage starts to brown, then get a shovel and pull up the bulbs. I replant them about 3 nice sized bulbs to a spot and spread them out. Like I say its been 4 years and this was the best display yet, I am only dividing them because I want them in other spots. I have replanted Lucifer anytime during the year that I want, I would not do it if it was too cold, wet, or hot. But they are hardy and I don't think you can kill them. I like these bulbs because they are beautiful and soooo easy. By the way if you get Lucifer, it blooms earlier than Emily and you can have nice flowers all summer if you get both of them going.
Rebecca

Just to add a note here..I have yellow/gold bulbs now that I am looking for trades..if anyone is interested in this one. I have it pictured on the plant trading forum. I love them all, this one is a quick multiplier but does equally well in semi shade and sun...
JanetS

I have one clump of lucfer,and about 15 of the Emily McKenzie,that are only on their first year,but the beauty was wonderful,I will give them a few more years,and then seperate for the spread.I am going to have to find some yellow too.Mike

I will attest to 'Emily MacKenzie" being a prolific multiplier (o yes!) and to the fact that "she" will stop blooming if too crowded.

This can happen in just a few years, so it is wise to divide maybe every 3rd or 4th year, depending on how closely you set them originally.

Do give room between each corm. Each one will send out several (5-7 or more sometimes!) runners that will form a new corm. The rhizomes can be several inches long and they go in all directions.

I just dug mine because the blooming was so poor this year and they were a solid layer of corms across the width of their planting. Just masses of corms and all with more runners!

If you don't want to lose any of the developing corms, replant immediately, because if you let them sit, the rhizomes will dry up and die, even though your corm is OK. I have read though that it is difficult to save over the corms through the winter totaly dry, as they too will dry ou eventually unless stored cool and lightly moist. So, it pays to work quickly.

Robert.

This message was edited Oct 10, 2006 3:15 PM