New products at Crocus
by Sarah - October 29th, 2009.Filed under: Crocus, New Products.
New items at Crocus
common myrtle £8.99
Position: full sunSoil: fertile, moist, well-drained soilRate of growth: average Flowering period: July to AugustHardiness: frost hardy (needs winter protection in cold areas)In mid to late summer, this bushy, evergreen shrub is festooned with fragrant, white, fluffy flowers, followed by round, purple-black berries. But it is an asset to the garden all year round, with glossy, pointed leaves that give off a fragrant aroma when crushed and provide a handsome backdrop for other flowering plants. A useful and pretty shrub for a sunny border or for growing against a south or west-facing wall. Garden care : Protect from cold, drying winds. Apply a 5-7cm (2-3in) mulch of well-rotted garden compost or manure around the base of the plant in early spring. Remove any unwanted growth in late spring.
amaryllis £4.49
Position: bright but not in full sunSoil: good quality potting compostFlowering period: September to DecemberFlower colour: dark maroonOther features: knock-out flowersHardiness: frost tenderA stunning amaryllis with deep velvety, dark maroon flowers with darker centres. An easy-to-grow indoor plant that will produce at least two stems of large flowers and will come back year after year. It also makes a wonderful gift too.Bulb Size: 26/28 General care: Fill a pot with good quality potting compost, setting the bulb in the compost so that the top two thirds are exposed. Water the compost only when the surface is dry, watering too much just after potting can cause the bulb to rot. Keep the plant in a sunny spot, though not direct sun and rotate the plant so as to avoid the flower stalk leaning towards the light.Once flowering has finished cut off the flower stalk 5-10cm above the bulb – don’t cut off the foliage. Water when the surface of the compost is dry and feed regularly with a balanced liquid fertiliser. Usually the best thing to do is keep watering it through the summer and in autumn stop watering and move to a dark, dim spot. This stimulates the drought season of the plant’s native South America. Allow it to dry out for a few months so that the foliage wilts and dies back. In November bring it back in to the light and start watering again. Old foliage should be removed though take care not to cut any new shoots off. In a few weeks a new flower shoot will appear and flower just in time for Christmas.