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Fritillaria imperialis - Maxima lutea

james-HYumfQsjames-HYumfQs Posts: 68
in Plants
Hi Everyone, hope all's well. I planted some of the above bulbs and there are signs of the red variety - Royal Crown I believe - coming through. However, none of the yellows have made it. Can you buy these as plants in pots or does the UK tend to only have in bulb form? They're very striking so would have thought some garden centres would have planted some in pots to seel as plants? Otherwise, is I guess it would have to be from an individual. Does anyone have these fully fledged? 

Best
James

Posts

  • punkdocpunkdoc Posts: 15,039
    I have seen them in G/C's in the past.
    How can you lie there and think of England
    When you don't even know who's in the team

    S.Yorkshire/Derbyshire border
  • james-HYumfQsjames-HYumfQs Posts: 68
    Where is G/C's? 
  • PlantmindedPlantminded Posts: 3,580
    GC is an abbreviation for garden centre.
    Wirral. Sandy, free draining soil.


  • james-HYumfQsjames-HYumfQs Posts: 68
    Ah of course haha. I've never seen them as a plant in garden centres. Maybe too delicate to transport. I need to find someone who has some in their garden. Thanks 
  • DaveGreigDaveGreig Posts: 189
    I planted the red, yellow and Orange varieties for last season and both the orange and yellow flowered while the red grew healthily but did not flower. I gave them a very light top dress with high potash fertiliser after flowering and let them die back normally. This year the yellow hasn’t done much but the orange is flowering although I’ve lost one bulb. The red is looking extremely healthy but still no sign of flowers. 

    previous attempts to grow them have meant a couple of seasons of flowering then a gradual decline. Maybe containers is the way to go because you can control the drainage more easily. The bulbs are just so expensive these days.
  • james-HYumfQsjames-HYumfQs Posts: 68
    Thanks Dave. Very helpful. My red one was ready to flower, but now it's been trampled at the school, such a shame as was looking so healthy. I'll try again next year. Thought they would have been so striking. Maybe pots and plant out when they're healthy and steady them with stakes. Thanks 
  • Joyce GoldenlilyJoyce Goldenlily Posts: 2,933
    Why not grow in pots and then sink the pots into the soil while they are in flower rather than tipping out to remove the pots. Then you could lift the pots to overwinter under protection?
  • james-HYumfQsjames-HYumfQs Posts: 68
    I'll buy more end of the year and try again next year. Was looking forward to seeing them in bloom. 👎 Can't get the bulbs anywhere now as I was going to try and grow them in pots. 
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