20-year-old Hipp 'Pamela'

carrielamont posted a thread recently that discusses some of 'Pamela's attributes, including its willingness to produce offset bulbs. Here's a picture of what my original bulb - acquired in 1985 or 1986 - became after years of ups and downs (photo taken last year). It would probably be even bigger (and nearly impossible to lift and carry around) if bulb fly larvae hadn't nearly killed it a few years after I bought it and if mealybugs hadn't nearly sucked the life out of it several summers ago.

No, that's not my greenhouse - I grow my amaryllis and other distractions at a friend's nursery. And I now know how to anticipate and control both of the insect problems.

Ray




This message was edited Jan 21, 2007 10:05 AM

That is amazing!

Wow!

NICE!

How do you control the insect problems in the greenhouse?

That's the way a blooming bulb in a container should look! Very nice--nicest Hippie pic I've seen. =)

That's a knockout!

I have never seen anything like that. amazing, especially the fact it does so well in that small pot. congrats.

Stellar plant and proof that great things come of care and devotion. Congratulations.

Magnificent!

Beautiful!! Mine are all in th eground except for a few new ones this year. Lorine

Thanks, everybody, for the kind words! Regarding pest control: the general spray program at the nursery's greenhouses keeps the bugs at bay (I haven't seen evidence of bulb fly in years). Stubborn cases of mealybug need a dose or two of horticultural oil before growth begins and usually one liberal application of Marathon (a controlled pesticide) soon after active growth starts. Knock on wood: there hasn't been a big pest problem for three or four years now.

Ray