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The romance of summer bulbs

The romance of summer bulbs

by | Sep 21, 2018 | Gardening

When I think of summer flowering bulbs, it conjures up images of frilled petalled flowers, demanding to be seen. From bright colours to delicate hues, blushing among the green leaves. Bulbs have been romanticised over the centuries and as the meaning of the word Amaryllis so aptly describe in Greek translation “amarysso”, which means “to sparkle”, Greek mythology tells a tale of a shepherdess who shed her own blood to prove her true love, which inspired the naming of the bright red flower of the Amaryllis.

In recent times though, we don’t have to go to these extremes to prove our love, and with the multitude of new Sonatini hybrids derived from this plant, a gift of love in summer is at your fingertips. With hybrid names like Amaryllis Sonatini Harlequin and Sonatini Lemon Sorbet, you will invite summer straight into your garden or home. These hybrids are all true miniature amaryllis that produce a cluster of flowers, each individual flower being up to 10cm wide. These hybrids also have the potential of producing multiple stems. So just imagine, a compact bulb with multiple stems and nests of flowers on each of those stems in colours that not even oil painters could conjure up.

Often we think that having such prized possessions will take much “phaphing” over or extreme special conditions. Sonatini hybrids, because of its manageable size, can be grown straight in your garden, or in a beautiful glass bowl in your home.

Planting Instructions:

They are among the easiest, fastest and most spectacular of all plants to grow, producing huge blooms in less than five weeks from planting.

In the garden:

  • Plant the bulb without delay, before sprouting takes place.
  • Choose a location with sufficient sunlight.
  • Excess shade will result in extended leaves and reduce long-term flowering.
  • Plant with the neck exposed.
  • Sonatinis in garden beds look best in same- colour groups of 5 or more.

In a container:

  • Pot the bulb in any size container into which it will fit, provided it has a drainage hole. Use a good, well-draining potting soil.
  • The soil should be light, yet nutritious, and contain no tree bark or fresh manure. Sand can be added for improved drainage.

  • Hold the bulb so that its roots hang down into the pot, then fill in around the bulb with the potting medium.
  • Firm it down so that no air pockets remain among the roots.

  • The nose of the bulb should be above the pot’s rim, with its shoulder protruding above the soil surface.

After planting, water well and firm down the medium again. Roots and bulb should be seated firmly, but take care not to damage the roots. Place your potted Amaryllis in a light, constantly-warm position, as this will encourage immediate growth. Any room in which a normal summer home temperature of around 20°C is maintained, is ideal.

Never expose the bulb to temperatures below freezing. As the first floral stalk lengthens, rotate pot through a half turn every day or so. This keeps the stem from bending towards the strongest light source.

After the initial watering, do not water again during the first week. For the following two weeks, the soil should be kept only slightly moist by adding tepid water around the bulb if necessary and any water found standing in the saucer should be emptied out. Over-watering will inhibit root formation. A slightly dry medium will stimulate re-growth of the root system. Once the flower stalk is well out of the bulb, water more frequently.

Care:

Faded blooms may be pulled away from the top of the stalk by breaking the pedicels (small stalks between the main stem and each flower). Should you wish to maintain the plant after flowering, for re-growth and blooming next year transfer it to the garden in a sunny position.

In the garden bed water every 4 days, in a pot every 2 days. Feed it with bulb food and old compost occasionally. If necessary, stake the foliage and stalks. Keep the bulb well-watered and fed until late Autumn. Then stop watering and allow the bulb to enter dormancy.

You may leave the bulb in the garden if that location is expected to receive little or no water through the winter. Alternatively, lift the bulb, pot and all and place it on its side in a dry, dark, cool place. A temperature of around 13°C ideal. Allow the bulb to enjoy a well-earned rest, without food or water for three months. After this period, cut off the old foliage.

Remove the bulb from the pot and wash the bulb and the roots carefully in water. Now repeat the planting process as before. With proper care, it will flower again in spring.

May be harmful if eaten by humans or animals – Keep away from children and pets.

Beautiful Bulbs! And Where They Come From

Beautiful Bulbs! And Where They Come From

by | Apr 25, 2018 | Gardening

Bursting with promise

Bulbs have long been an invaluable asset to humankind, starting off as an essential part of our diet, as we have evolved, so has our appreciation for their many qualities.

Often the word bulb is used rather loosely, generally as a reference to any plant that stores nutrients and water in underground organs. These may take the form of modified stems (corms, tubers or rhizomes), tuberous roots or true bulbs. Most have a period of active growth during a wet season and then retreat into dormancy when conditions are too stressful for most plants to survive.

Origins

Most bulbous plants are found in countries where the winters are cool and wet and the summers hot and dry. Take our country, for example: South Africa holds more species of bulbous plants in her soil than any other area in the world and these are not just obscure varieties that are only of interest to collectors. More than half of all bulbs grown in gardens around the world have their origins in Southern Africa. Most of these come from the winter rainfall areas of the Western and Northern Cape, although some beauties, like the flame lily and arum lily, are from the summer rainfall interior.

bulbs

Most parts of South Africa experience a short, relatively hot spring, so some bulbs that have their origins elsewhere are just not suited to our climate. Crocuses are a prime example, and tulips are another. Of all the many stunning varieties of tulip available, only the Darwin hybrid will grow here with any success, and even then most will only flower for the first year. Most success is to be had with temperature manipulated tulips. These specially treated bulbs flower in August, a month earlier than their untreated counterparts and because temperatures are lower at that time the plants thrive, offering up long stems with larger and longer-lasting flowers. Another advantage that treated tulips have over untreated tulips is that there are not limitations as to the areas where they may be planted – they thrive both in full sun and semi-shade. These treated tulips don’t have a shelf life so they have to be ordered directly from the supplier. (Visit www.hadeco.co.za for details.)

People often think that tulips come from Holland. While there is one species, Tulipa sylvestris subsp. Sylvestris, which is native to the Netherlands most are native to Asia, particularly the Middle East. Even North Africa has some tulip species, Tulipa sylvestris subsp. australis for example and Tulipa primulina from the Aures Mountains of Algeria.

Seasonality

When planting bulbs in domestic gardens it is imperative that you take into account their origins. You don’t have to know exactly where they come from, but it is important to know whether they are summer or winter growing. For example, it is quite easy to grow many Western Cape bulbs on the Highveld as long as you mimic their winter rainfall patterns. When deciding to purchase bulbs, you also need to bear the seasons in mind. By the time the displays of daffodils are looking wondrous it will unfortunately be too late to buy the bulbs.

If you wish to create a spring display with bulbs you need to plan and execute in autumn. Spring bulbs are available from the end of February. They should be settled in their new home once the heat of summer has left your soil (usually around Easter), but no later than the last days of May.

bulbs

Hybridising

The ixia or tritonia growing in the wild will be a far cry from the ‘super’ bulbs you find on offer at a nursery. While their blooms may be eye catching, they might be smaller, their flowering time erratic or their disease-resistance lower. These bulbs would only be of interest to an ardent collector. Gardeners naturally expect good results from plants that they purchase so commercial bulb growers concentrate on the best strains and have managed to hybridise many of our endemic bulbs with excellent results. A visit to a nursery in autumn or spring will reveal a host of indigenous as well as many favourite exotics for sale, and any bulbs bought from a reputable bulb grower will have been specifically bred for their flower size, disease resistance and their adaptability to various climatic conditions. These bulbs will also contain all the nutrients necessary to flower successfully.