As you can see from Tom’s post of the CODS show winners, I won the Mini Gold with Harold’s 03-036-8. This was grown in the open. Over three weeks ago, I posted a photo of 03-036-8 which had just opened, growing in a pot. There’s no way I would have considered that bloom a miniature. So my question to those of you who regularly grow in pots is, are blooms grown in pots usually larger than those grown in the open? My potting medium is Pro-Mix with some granite grit mixed in, and I fertilize with a liquid fertilizer about every 3 weeks. And of course the pots are protected from the worst winter weather. So is it the fact that the pots are protected and fertilized more than those in the open that gives larger blooms? Or something else? I’ve noticed a similar phenomenon on species bulbs. Blooms are larger than the same bulbs planted in the open.
Mary Lou
Hi Mary Lou,
I haven’t noticed too much difference in flower size with flowers grown in the open as opposed to those grown in pots but it does seem that you fertilise those in pots a lot. I tend to rely on the propriety potting mix having the correct fertilizer for two season’s of growth. What I have noticed though is that some cultivars will not flower when pot grown but are prolific in the open ground. Little Gem, Minnow and the species N cyclamineus come to mind.
Nice to see you regularly using Hunter 13/98 in your entries. John sold it off as he didn’t see much value in a miniature jonquil which I thought was rather nice.
Dave
Hi Dave,
Thanks for your response. I don’t think that Pro-Mix has any nutrients. It’s a peat-based mix with mycorrhizae fungi added. Maybe I’ll fertilize less often, even though I use it about half strength.
Mary Lou
I do see larger flowers in pots compared to the open for divisions 7 and 8 here. I believe it is the compressed Spring that reduces vigor of the plants with time. Kokopelli is a miniature 3 out of 4 years and several of the division 8 flowers which would be monsters are small with few florets when grown outside. In the greenhouse, they bloom of ‘normal’ size. I had a question from Naomi regarding a tazetta that has tons of flowers when grown in a favorable climate that has only 2 or 3 florets in the North. She asked if it was a miniature. I am having to think about that as it normally grows as one here, but would not grow as one inside or in another climate. What do others think?
In my climate, bulbs in the beds have larger flowers than those in pots, especially after they clump up which they do not do in pots.
Harold