Most of the decorative Alliums, like the Drumstick ones come from places where the temperatures can go down to -12c and rarely get above freezing in winter. I have a feeling that these ones would need the same treatment as Narcissus etc. to get them to start growing properly. I was going by the picture on the packet and the bulb size which you mentioned as to the kind of Allium you are trying to grow.
Edible onions and garlic come originally from a warm climate (Probably Egypt) so they can take heat.
You guys have confirmed my suspicion that these are not the big ones.
Berghill, drumstick alliums are hardy in US zones 4-11 and my weather is pretty close to zone 11. These are meant to be an experiment. Let's see how they do in my weather.
IN my Belgian garden aI grew several kinds of ornamental allium and most had broad leaves but the sphaerocephalum had fine leaves like your picture. You'll know when they flower.
Garden compost is made up of old leaves, weeds, green kitchen waste and maybe crushed eggshells and bits of paper and other, uncooked vegetative matter Vishu. It helps aerate your planting medium and manages to improve water retention but also drainage. It's also usually full of helpful microbes which help plants take up nutrients.
Last edited: 23 December 2016 15:30:30
Vendée - 20kms from Atlantic coast.
"The price good men (and women) pay for indifference to public affairs is to be ruled by evil men (and women)."
Garden compost is made up of old leaves, weeds, green kitchen waste and maybe crushed eggshells and bits of paper and other, uncooked vegetative matter Vishu. It helps aerate your planting medium and manages to improve water retention but also drainage. It's also usually full of helpful microbes which help plants take up nutrients.
I know and I do use compost for herbs and ornamental plants, just not in flowering plants...... Using chemical salts make it easier to control NPK ratio
Most gardeners over this way now try to avoid chemical fertilisers, pesticides, herbicides now as it's better for the environment and the plants. In the long run, looking after the soil looks after the plants and the planet. Many products are now banned and unavailable for use by amateur gardeners.
We use plants like nettles to make a "tea" which adds nitrogen and comfrey to make a tea that helps flowering and fruiting. Just adding these plants to our compost heaps improves fertility whereas chemical salts can kill off natural bacteria and microbes that would otherwise improve soil fertility.
Vendée - 20kms from Atlantic coast.
"The price good men (and women) pay for indifference to public affairs is to be ruled by evil men (and women)."
Don't worry, my friend, I don't use pesticides or herbicides........ Chemical fertilizer for only 35 or so pots........and very limited use........... Rest of the garden gets compost from waste from sugar mills and waste water treatment plants.......
If they do turn out to be chives vishu, they'll appreciate some shade and a more moist soil.
However, the bulbs seem enormous, so I don't know what you have!
A decent, free draining medium that doesn't dry out too quickly or get terribly waterlogged will be fine for most alliums. A reasonable balance is what you should aim for, and then you can tinker with it a bit once you know what you have. Your temperatures, and the aspect the plants are in, will also have a bearing, as Berghill has explained - ie the climate most of these plants grow in.
It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
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Most of the decorative Alliums, like the Drumstick ones come from places where the temperatures can go down to -12c and rarely get above freezing in winter. I have a feeling that these ones would need the same treatment as Narcissus etc. to get them to start growing properly. I was going by the picture on the packet and the bulb size which you mentioned as to the kind of Allium you are trying to grow.
Edible onions and garlic come originally from a warm climate (Probably Egypt) so they can take heat.
You guys have confirmed my suspicion that these are not the big ones.
Berghill, drumstick alliums are hardy in US zones 4-11 and my weather is pretty close to zone 11. These are meant to be an experiment. Let's see how they do in my weather.
IN my Belgian garden aI grew several kinds of ornamental allium and most had broad leaves but the sphaerocephalum had fine leaves like your picture. You'll know when they flower.
https://www.rhs.org.uk/Plants/870/i-Allium-sphaerocephalon-i/Details The descriptions say round heads but mine always had smallish, slightly ovoid flower heads compared to others like Purple Sensation, Christophii and so on. I think you may need to mix some well rotted garden compost or multi-purpose potting compost in your soil. See here for general cumtivation advice - https://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/profile?PID=316
You should be able to order reliably identifiable and packaged varieties of alliums on the Peter Nyssen website I gave you on the other thread..
Obelixx thanks for the links.....will check em out.
I don't use manure in my flowering plants...... Instead I use KCl, DAP, Urea, KH2PO4, FeSO4.7H2O, CSM+B etc.
Garden compost is made up of old leaves, weeds, green kitchen waste and maybe crushed eggshells and bits of paper and other, uncooked vegetative matter Vishu. It helps aerate your planting medium and manages to improve water retention but also drainage. It's also usually full of helpful microbes which help plants take up nutrients.
Last edited: 23 December 2016 15:30:30
I know and I do use compost for herbs and ornamental plants, just not in flowering plants...... Using chemical salts make it easier to control NPK ratio
Most gardeners over this way now try to avoid chemical fertilisers, pesticides, herbicides now as it's better for the environment and the plants. In the long run, looking after the soil looks after the plants and the planet. Many products are now banned and unavailable for use by amateur gardeners.
We use plants like nettles to make a "tea" which adds nitrogen and comfrey to make a tea that helps flowering and fruiting. Just adding these plants to our compost heaps improves fertility whereas chemical salts can kill off natural bacteria and microbes that would otherwise improve soil fertility.
Don't worry, my friend, I don't use pesticides or herbicides........ Chemical fertilizer for only 35 or so pots........and very limited use........... Rest of the garden gets compost from waste from sugar mills and waste water treatment plants.......
If they do turn out to be chives vishu, they'll appreciate some shade and a more moist soil.
However, the bulbs seem enormous, so I don't know what you have!
A decent, free draining medium that doesn't dry out too quickly or get terribly waterlogged will be fine for most alliums. A reasonable balance is what you should aim for, and then you can tinker with it a bit once you know what you have. Your temperatures, and the aspect the plants are in, will also have a bearing, as Berghill has explained - ie the climate most of these plants grow in.
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...