A | B | C | D | G | H | I | L | R | S | More Commonly Asked Questions

Amaryllis
I just bought an amaryllis bulb and there are no instructions with it. Can you help me?
Examine that bulb and if you see any mold or soft spots return it for another. Select a container that is about an inch larger than the base of the bulb, place something over the drainage holes so the soil doesn't leak out, and fill it with a mixture of one part perlite and two parts potting soil. A small amount of a slow release fertilizer can be mixed in if not already in the potting mix.

Position the bulb so that only the bottom third is in the soil - this is the enlarged end that has the roots. Water thoroughly and put the container in a cool but sunny room — temperature between 55 and 65 degrees is best — to start the roots growing. Water only if you can insert a finger into the mix and it comes up dry (excess water can rot the bulb). Monitor this carefully, because it will dry out much faster as the plant grows. In about six weeks, a flower bud will begin to emerge (the bud usually emerges before the foliage). Once growth has started, turn the pot daily for equal sun exposure. As the stalk gets taller it may have to be staked. When it starts to bloom, keep the plant out of direct sunlight and the temperature even cooler.

After the bloom has ended, cut off the flower stalk but not the foliage. Place the plant on a sunny windowsill and water when it is dry. The continued foliage growth is necessary for next years bloom. Around the end of May, take the plant out of the container, place it in a sunny location in your garden, and keep it watered and fertilized. In fall, before the first frost, dig up the bulb but let the foliage die back on its own. The bulb is now ready to a rest in a cool area, 40 to 45 degrees F for about 15 weeks. After this, start the whole process over again.
top of page

Bulbocodium
What is bulbocodium?
It is a very small, bulbous plant similar to a crocus. The blooms shoots up very early in spring, even before the leaves, and often at the same time as snowdrops. The bell-shaped flowers are pinkish-purple. Bulbocodium vernum is an excellent plant for rock gardens as it needs to be planted in a well-drained, sheltered spot. Plant bulbs in the fall about 4 inches deep and mulch for winter protection against heaving.
top of page

Bulbs
Why are iris and dahlia roots called bulbs in many catalogs?
It’s a generic term for certain underground structures (not roots) that store food and keep plants alive in a dormant or semi-dormant state from one growing season to another. The underground  true bulbs and those that are not true bulbs; some (corms) are mistakenly called bulbs, such as corms, rhizomes, tuberous roots, and tubers.
True bulb. A bulb is a thickened, fleshy bud that is formed below the soil surface which carries the plant over from one season to the next. It may have fleshy layers (as in an onion) or thin, dry scales (as in a some lilies). Tulips, daffodils, narcissus, and lilies are bulbs.
Corm.  A corm is a short, thickened underground stem, usually covered with papery leaves. Corms are organs for food storage and in some plants (e.g., crocus and gladiolus) serve as organs of asexual reproduction. 
Rhizome. A rhizomes, or rootstock, is a thick, fleshy, creeping underground stem that produces roots and shoots. Buds that form at the joints produce new shoots, so if a rhizome is cut it will not die but becomes several plants. Irises, canna, and calla lilies are rhizomes.
Tuberous root. A tuberous root is a thickened root that is enlarged for food storage. Therefore, it is different in origin but similar in function and appearance to a tuber. Dahlias, sweet potatoes, and cassava are tuberous roots.
Tuber. A tuber is actually the enlarged tip of a rhizome that stores food. The eyes of a potato tuber will form new shoots.
top of page

Caladium
We would like to grow caladiums this summer. Someone said we have to start with a new bulb every year. Is this true?
No, some folks just don't have the time to fuss over storing the tubers. Keep the plant in the ground as long as you can. Then dig it up, put it in a pot and place it in an area with lots of light, preferably near a window. As soon as the foliage starts to deteriorate cut if off and store the pot where the tuber can rest. Don't water it as the tuber needs to dry out a bit. You can also pull the tuber, brush off the soil, and store it in a mesh bag or in a bag of vermiculite. Keep this in a dry place where the temperature stays between 55 and 70 degrees F. Make sure there is good air circulation to avoid mold problems. Once the soil warms up again, replant and enjoy all the colorful foliage this plant produces.
top of page

How do I overwinter my elephant’s ear? It’s been outside all summer.
Assuming that you mean Caladium, start by not watering it. Place the plant in a shady location and bring it inside when night temperatures drop into the 40s. By then the foliage should have started to dry or has dried up. Cut off foliage after dries. Store the tuber, either in the pot it’s in or loosely in peat moss, in a location where the temperature doesn’t drop below 50 degrees F for the winter. In March, new sprouts should start appearing so repot and begin watering. 
top of page

Daffodils
Our daffodils haven’t had flowers for the past two years. We fertilize with Osmocote plus the lawn applications of nitrogen. Can you tell us why we have no blooms?
At least you can’t blame it on the deer, they won’t touch daffodils. Well, one thing is the fertilizer…way too much nitrogen. Daffodils, like most bulbs, need a high reading of potash and potassium especially after they have finished blooming. The flowers and flower stalk need to be removed at that time so all absorbed nutrients will go to the bulb for next year’s bloom, but the leaves must stay on the plant until they die naturally. Also, if they are getting mowed, the bulb is being depleted. How long have the bulbs been in the ground? They may need to be dug up and replanted. They don’t just sit idle during the rest of the year, there are baby bulbs developing that need a couple of years to bloom. Without proper care, the older bulbs will just wither away.
top of page

When is the right time to plant daffodil bulbs in North Kingstown, RI?
The best time is between September 15 and November 15, at the latest; mid October is probably ideal. You can push past November, but the roots may not get established before the ground freezes.
First, incorporate some organic matter into the soil about a week or more before planting. You may wish to incorporate some fertilizer into the soil at this time, as well. Plant daffodils about 6 inches deep, making sure that the bottom of each bulb has good contact with the soil. Once the planting hole has been filled in, water well so that moisture reaches the roots. Remember to keep watering once a week until the ground freezes.
top of page

Dahlias and 'Bulbs'
How do I store my dahlias and other 'bulbs' for the winter?
Almost all bulbous, underground organs are referred to as bulbs, but there are actually true bulbs, corms, tubers, rhizomes, and tuberous roots. Many of these cannot remain in the ground over the winter in our region. Plants that must be stored for the winter include gladiolus, which have a hard skin (protective tunic) covering them (like an onion) and dahlias, which are tuberous roots. True bulbs — tulips, daffodils, hyacinths, lilies, and crocuses — can be left in the ground year round.

Two popular methods of keeping these 'bulbs' over the winter are ventilated storage and covered storage. Ventilated storage is good for 'bulbs' like gladiolus because exposure to the air keeps them dry and the sheathing helps to prevent them from drying out. These 'bulbs' are usually stored in mesh bags or loosely in boxes. Covered storage is for tuberous roots (e.g., dahlias) and 'bulbs' that lack a protective tunic (e.g., begonias) because they begin to shrivel if left exposed to air for too long after digging them up.

For your dahlias, start the covered storage process by cutting off the stems, digging up the tuberous roots, brushing off the soil, and leaving them in a cool, dry place to dry for about a week. Then, place them in a single layer in a milk crate or a cardboard box with holes in it, and lined with newspaper, and cover them with damp sand, vermiculite, sawdust, perlite, or peat moss. Make sure the bulbs don't touch. Store them in a cool (40-50 degrees F), dry place for the winter.

Keep an eye on your treasures continually throughout the winter, checking for mold or other problems. 'Bulbs' are mice candy, so try and store them where the mice have no access. Hint: use a permanent marker and write the flower color on the 'bulb'.
top of page

Gladiolus
Some of my gladiolus bulbs are sprouting in the basement. Will they be okay to plant?
Most likely they will be okay. See if you can slow down the sprouting by getting them into a cooler location. These corms (not bulbs) should be stored in paper bags at a temperature around 50 degrees F. Plant the ones that have sprouted first as soon as the soil warms up.

Of those that sprouted, if you have good size corms with more than one eye or sprout, you can divide them. Just cut the corm between the eyes and then let the corm heal for a couple of days before planting. It wouldn't hurt to give those corms a good start by mixing some dehydrated cow manure or compost into the planting area. Glads are very heavy feeders so plan on adding more when they start to bloom. When they are about a foot tall, loosen the soil around them and scratch in some high phosphorus fertilizer. This increases the bud count and flower size on each spike. Keep the soil moist and mulch to control weeds.
top of page

I stored Gladiolus ‘bulbs’ in the basement all winter and now they look rough and  sticky some are crumbling. Is this normal or have they dried up?
How was the temperature in your basement during the winter? Gladiolus corms should be stored in a cool (below 50 degree F), dry area. The stickiness might indicate that thrips found their way into the corms before storage last fall. To avoid this in the future, dust with pyrethrin before storing. The crumbling indicates bulb mites, but this generally shows up while the plant is in the growing stages. 

Cut off infected areas if they are not to large or discard the bulbs and purchase new ones. You can also soak the bulbs in a solution of Lysol, one and one half tablespoon to a gallon of water for at least six hours before planting. Also, plant your corms in a different location this year.
top of page

Hyacinth
When I receive a hyacinth plant as a gift, I plant it in the garden after bloom. I’ve been doing so for years but now some are becoming spindly and look weak. How can I help them?
The problem may be the type of hyacinth. Many gift hyacinths are the fragrant Dutch hybrid, Hyacinth orientalis. These bulbs require subfreezing while in the soil, that is, winter temperatures of 25 degrees below zero F or more. We don’t see that here in our Zone 6. When they don’t have this frigid cold, they quickly deteriorate. Roman or French Roman (H. orientalis albulus) varieties are better suited for our area. Another problem is that the bulbs are warmed considerably while inside the home. As soon as the flowers fade away in the spring, scratch in a 5-10-5, 5-10-10 or other combination of dry fertilizer that is higher in phosphorus and potassium (last two numbers) than nitrogen and apply it again in the fall; phosphorus is essential to build up reserves in the bulb for next year’s bloom.
top of page

Irises
Why did the leaves on my irises get brown spots that spread into red then yellow streaks after the plants bloomed?
That is a perfect description of leaf spot. The cause is a fungus that infects only irises and a few related plants. It attacks the leaves, stalks, and buds and it will weaken the rhizome if premature leaf death occurs each summer. With high humidity and wet leaves, the fungus produces spores that are spread by wind or water. In the fall, clean up all debris, including diseased foliage still on the plant, and when the humidity is high water the ground and not the leaves.

My irises have formed a big circle and need to be divided. When is the best time to do this?
It depends on the type of iris you have. If they are the bearded type — the type with long exposed rhizomes — divide and replant in July or August. These will grow outwards leaving a vacant hole in the middle. Replant by forming a small mound at the bottom of the planting area so the roots can ‘hang down’ but the top of the rhizome is still exposed at the soil line. Point the leafy end of the rhizome in the direction you want the plant to continue growing. Water well to establish soil contact. Beardless irises can be divided in late summer or early fall — early September to early October. You may need a machete and a spading fork if the clump is large. Replant by putting three or four rhizomes together for good establishment.  Dutch irises generally don’t crowd themselves out for many, many years but can be replanted in the fall.

There is something pink boring into the roots of my iris and it’s making the roots mushy.
It sounds like you have the iris borer (Macronoctua onusta), which is a shade of pink with a brown head, rows of black dots on the side, and a light stripe down the back. It is usually about two inches long. The young larva tunnel through the leaves and buds and work their way down to the crown of the plant where the soft rot you mentioned occurs. The eggs overwinter on old leaves, hatch in mid-spring, and feed for a few weeks.
top of page

Lilies
I planted lilies last spring and they rotted. Should I have planted them in the fall?
I believe it was the location and the soil and not the spring planting that rotted the bulbs. Lilies like moist but loamy soil that drains quickly, because if the soil is heavy the bulbs will rot especially if water doesn't run off. Mounding the soil into a raised bed helps to improve the drainage. Lilies must have their roots kept cool and moist so mulch with a shredded bark or leaf mold. They need a slightly acidic soil as well. Chose a spot with lots of sun and amend your soil with compost and some bone meal or superphosphate fertilizer to accommodate the lilies.

Plant your bulbs about 3 inches deep, or one inch of depth for each inch of bulb. The exception to this would be the Madonna lily which is planted only 1 inch deep. Lilies can be planted either in spring or fall. Again, the Madonna is an exception that is planted in late August. Keep them moist until they bloom then reduce the water but don't let them dry out.

As the first spears appear, scratch a tablespoon of low nitrogen fertilizer around each plant and water it in. As soon as the flowers have finished blooming, remove the heads but not the stalk. Stalks can be removed after they have turned brown.

Lily bulbs are like garlic so can we pull off each piece and plant it?
In a way, yes…it is called scaling. You do this in the fall after the leaves have died back. Make sure the bulb is still plump and has no signs of disease, holes, or anything out of the ordinary or it won’t work. Start removing the scales carefully, one at a time. The scales must have a white swollen section at the base. You can remove over three quarters of the scales from each bulb and that bulb will still produce a flower the next spring. Often the scales on the outside will be of no use and should be pitched.

Half fill a plastic bag with damp compost, add the scales, and shake the bag gently to assure each scale has contact with the soil. If using a zipper- type bag, don’t expel any air when you close it; with regular bags, blow some air into it before closing. Check the bag weekly and don’t let the compost dry out. After a few weeks you will see bulbils, or tiny white growths at the base of the scales. These will soon start to send out roots and a single leaf. As soon as the root forms, transplant the scale into a pot of it’s own. The scale will soon dry up when the bulbil has become a plant.

Don’t panic because during the first year, the leaves will look nothing like lilies. After the third year, these little lilies can be planted outside. Don’t plant them deep or you will have lots of leaves but no stems with flowers. It can take four or five years for each plant to mature enough to flower.
top of page

Rabbits, Chipmunks, Squirrels
How do you keep the critters from digging up my bulbs?
If you are establishing a new bed, use some landscape timber as a frame and lay down a piece of rabbit wire inside, on the bottom. Place soil on top and then put in your bulbs — the proper planting depth will be different for each type of bulb. Top this off with a second piece of wire and cover with mulch. This should keep those pesky rodents at bay.

For established beds, try placing pea gravel in the holes below and above your bulbs as you plant new ones. The gravel irritates the critters' feet and it discourages them from digging further. Make sure you put some soil on top of the gravel at the bottom of the hole so the bulb sits solidly. Critters do not usually disturb bulbs that have been in the ground for a couple of years - unless a chipmunk or squirrel is trying to bury a nut and finds some shallow bulbs.

If you have oak or nut trees in your yard, expect some problems. Freshly dug soil and loose mulch are very inviting. If you have large birds around beware when the smaller bulbs start to emerge. Fresh tender shoots are food for geese, wild turkeys, and crows and there is nothing more disturbing than to see your scilla or fritillaries lying atop the ground.
top of page

Star-of Bethlehem
Last spring our yard and flower garden were covered with what looked like chives. When we pulled them up there was a small bulb attached and the ones we missed had white daisy-like flowers. Are these wild onions?
I think you are talking about Star-of-Bethlehem (Ornithogalum umbellatum). It's a bulbous perennial that is still sold in many catalogs as a spring-flowering plant. When you pull them up there are clumps of small white bulbs at the ends.

By early summer they die back and disappear until the following spring, and they multiply like crazy. The bulbs renew themselves every year by producing bulblets. The flowers have six petals and a yellowish center. It has become a weed in our lawns and it is very noticeable due to the dark green stems.

Because it matures so early in the spring, chemical weed control is not an effective control. Pull or dig the clusters of bulbs out and dispose of them. Getting every bulb is almost impossible and just one left behind soon becomes another cluster. By the way, the bulbs are poisonous if eaten.
top of page

More Commonly Asked Questions:

top of page