Bulb care 101: Making the most of summer
Flower season brings with it all kinds of possibilities for the garden. You can maximise the value of your bulbs by following some basic bulb care, and the wide variety of products on the market make this so much easier than ever before. If your indoor plants always seem to succumb to various problems, like wilting, or disease, or simply not thriving and slowly fading into nothing, there is always a reason for it. This is great news, because it means even the least green-fingered among us can have houseplants that thrive, with the right information, because knowledge is key, and of course, the right artillery! Here are a few examples and tips of summer bulb care for either out in the garden or inside your home.
Nerine
These very petitely shaped flowers are generally enjoyed in a pink colouration, but they are also available in white and the N. sarniensis is a brilliant, beautiful red. They are best planted in large groups because they do not flower every year, and they should only be transplanted during the dormancy phase if they are overcrowded. They can be planted quite densely when they are potted, although some species of transplanted Nerines may take a few seasons before they flower again. They are a tolerant species, handling both full-sun and poor soil fairly well if they must, but they really thrive in composted soil, with dappled shade.Galtonia candicans
These bulbs are native to the foothills of the Drakensberg mountains, with the G. candicans variety being the only ornamental one, flowering for 6 weeks during summer. These bulbs are winter dormant, frost resistant, and they do tolerate light watering provided the soil drainage is very good. They can be left to grow in one spot for up to four years, and need to be moved at that point. Give them fair amounts of water throughout spring and summer and feed them Hadeco Bulb Food occasionally.
Crocosmia aurea
These bulbs typically flower late-summer to mid-autumn, and other than demanding thorough, deep watering, caring for them is not particularly labour-intensive at all. Leave them in one location for many years, they dislike being moved or transplanted, so choose an area that they can call home indefinitely. They prefer a shady spot in the garden and you need to keep their roots moist. Keep track of whether or not you need to water with this Moisture Meter. Do also keep an eye open for red spider mite attacks to their foliage.Zantedeschia Persia
These tubers love full-sun to semi-shade and flower into a beautiful, dark lily. They do very well indoors in pots and flourish outdoors too. They enjoy good moisture and flower fairly easily without too much fuss, provided the correct amounts of water and light are provided. They enjoy a standard potting soil, and a spritz of Pokon Leafshine does wonders if you are looking for a decorative plant indoors. Plant your Zantedeschia in a Capi pot and rest assured that the soil will maintain an even temperature throughout the heat of summer. Knowing how to care for your bulbs is the hardest work, they require very little effort from us to look great, they just require very particular care! Knowledge is the key to garden and potted plant success. If you would love to have a coffee table book handy to reference whenever you want, order your copy of The Bulb Book, it’s a great reference point for bulb care and a beautiful coffee table piece.
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