Twin scaling: a step-by-step guide with Abbie and Mark Jury.
1
www.taranakidailynews.co.nz Friday, January 8, 2010 TARANAKI DAILY NEWS 11 G ARDENING www.taranakidailynews.co.nz Twin scaling: a step-by-step guide with Abbie and Mark Jury. Photos: ROBERT CHARLES 1 Some bulbs are constructed of layers of flesh like an onion, attached to the base plate at the bottom. The layers are the leaves in waiting. These types of bulbs can be multiplied by a process known as twin scaling. The bulb at front is a nerine and the layers are clearly visible in the demonstration onion. 2 Some bulbs, like tulips or this colchicum, are not layered because the bulb is the potential stem. You cannot twin scale these types of bulbs because they lack scales. 3 Trim and clean up the bulb, particularly around the base plate, removing any old roots. Cut into quarters or eighths, depending on the size of the bulb. 4 Peel off two scales together, attached to some of the base plate of the bulb. Use a clean, sharp knife to cut. It does not matter if you have three or more scales, but if you do not have part of the base plate attached, the process will not work. In due course, a small bulblet will form between the two scales on the base plate. 5 Plant the scales in rows in a tray filled with seed-raising mix, taking care to cover the scales entirely. Water them in and keep the tray in a warm, dark position until the spring. Don’t let the tray dry out. The bulblets will form through the autumn and grow away in spring, so you only twin scale when the bulb is freshly dormant. It is too late to twin scale autumn bulbs, because they are already in growth, but you can do the spring-flowering ones right now. Hydrangea Immaculata The most perfect floral display in our garden this week has been Hydrangea Immaculata – such an appropriate, if somewhat Roman Catholic, name. A smaller-growing, compact variety, being about a metre high and a metre wide, its moptop flower heads are pristine white. It is best grown in the shade, where it will light up a dark area, because it tends to burn in our intense summer sun. Beyond that, there is nothing fussy or difficult about this summer perfection. It is just one of the common macrophylla types and as the flowers age, they often develop a pretty rose pink tinge. Cuttings are easy to strike, even for the novice. Hydrangeas are a wonderful source of colour in summer and ideal in verdant Taranaki, with our combination of high sunshine hours and summer rain. Because our soils are acid, most are blue, though as you drive northwards through the Pio Pio and Te Kuiti area, you may notice the hydrangeas tend to pink, which indicates alkaline soils in that limestone country. We just happen to have an international hydrangea expert living in our midst. Glyn Church at Woodleigh Nursery and Garden near Oakura is probably better known overseas than here (ain’t that just the way?), but locals at least have the chance to see his garden in person. Mark was there a few days ago and can vouch that it is full of summer colour and looking great with some gorgeous hydrangeas. Bloody Marvellous was a showstopper in purple. Glyn is working towards being accredited as holding the national collection of hydrangeas in New Zealand, which means he has a wide range. He has targetted the summer garden and the floral display goes well beyond hydrangeas. His garden is open, but please phone first on 752-7597. – Abbie Jury quote of the wee k There is a dangerous doctrine – dangerous because it precludes endless gardening pleasures – that every plant in the garden should be disease-free, bug-free, hardy to cold, resistant to heat and drought, cheap to buy and available at any garden centre. Henry Mitchell, Henry Mitchell on Gardening (1998)
-
Upload
michael-jeans -
Category
Documents
-
view
1.064 -
download
1
description
A step by step guide by Abbie and Mark Jury first published in the Taranaki Daily News and reproduced here with permission as a PDF.
Transcript of Twin scaling: a step-by-step guide with Abbie and Mark Jury.
www.taranakidailynews.co.nz Friday, January 8, 2010 TARANAKI DAILY NEWS 11
GARDENING www.taranakidailynews.co.nz
Twin scaling: a step-by-step guide withAbbie and Mark Jury.
Photos: ROBERT CHARLES
1 Some bulbs are constructed of layers of flesh like an onion, attached tothe base plate at the bottom. The layers are the leaves in waiting. Thesetypes of bulbs can be multiplied by a process known as twin scaling. The
bulb at front is a nerine and the layers are clearly visible in the demonstrationonion.
2 Some bulbs, like tulips or this colchicum, are not layered because thebulb is the potential stem. You cannot twin scale these types of bulbsbecause they lack scales.
3 Trim and clean up the bulb, particularly around the base plate, removingany old roots. Cut into quarters or eighths, depending on the size of thebulb. 4 Peel off two scales together, attached to some of the base plate of the
bulb. Use a clean, sharp knife to cut. It does not matter if you have threeor more scales, but if you do not have part of the base plate attached,
the process will not work. In due course, a small bulblet will form between thetwo scales on the base plate.
5 Plant the scales in rows in a tray filled with seed-raising mix, taking careto cover the scales entirely. Water them in and keep the tray in a warm,dark position until the spring. Don’t let the tray dry out. The bulblets will
form through the autumn and grow away in spring, so you only twin scalewhen the bulb is freshly dormant. It is too late to twin scale autumn bulbs,because they are already in growth, but you can do the spring-flowering onesright now.
HydrangeaImmaculataThe most perfect floral display in ourgarden this week has been HydrangeaImmaculata – such an appropriate, ifsomewhat Roman Catholic, name. Asmaller-growing, compact variety,being about a metre high and a metrewide, its moptop flower heads arepristine white. It is best grown in theshade, where it will light up a darkarea, because it tends to burn in ourintense summer sun. Beyond that,there is nothing fussy or difficult aboutthis summer perfection. It is just one ofthe common macrophylla types and asthe flowers age, they often develop apretty rose pink tinge. Cuttings areeasy to strike, even for the novice.
Hydrangeas are a wonderful sourceof colour in summer and ideal inverdant Taranaki, with ourcombination of high sunshine hoursand summer rain. Because our soils areacid, most are blue, though as youdrive northwards through the Pio Pioand Te Kuiti area, you may notice thehydrangeas tend to pink, whichindicates alkaline soils in thatlimestone country.
We just happen to have aninternational hydrangea expert livingin our midst. Glyn Church atWoodleigh Nursery and Garden nearOakura is probably better knownoverseas than here (ain’t that just theway?), but locals at least have thechance to see his garden in person.Mark was there a few days ago and canvouch that it is full of summer colourand looking great with some gorgeoushydrangeas. Bloody Marvellous was ashowstopper in purple. Glyn is workingtowards being accredited as holding thenational collection of hydrangeas inNew Zealand, which means he has awide range. He has targetted thesummer garden and the floral displaygoes well beyond hydrangeas. Hisgarden is open, but please phone firston 752-7597.
– Abbie Jury
quote of the weekThere is a dangerous doctrine –dangerous because it precludesendless gardening pleasures – thatevery plant in the garden shouldbe disease-free, bug-free, hardyto cold, resistant to heat anddrought, cheap to buy andavailable at any garden centre.
Henry Mitchell,Henry Mitchell onGardening (1998)
