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How to get success with bulbs?
Randommoose1
Posts: 99
Hello,
Can I have suggestions for how to get success with bulb plants as I am not having much luck? Two winters ago I ordered from Farmer Gracy as they seem to have a good reputation and about 2/3rds of the bulbs came up, most of those flowered and at least half of them have come up again this year. Last winter I ordered from the same place but hardly any of the bulbs have come up (for instance 1 anenome out of 20, none at all of most varieties, about 1/3 of the alliums). A lot of the bulbs arrived damaged, apparently as it was the end of the season but the majority were undamaged. I know there is no guarantee of crop when buying from this supplier so would appreciate suggestions for how to improve my luck in the future.
I am getting varieties that say they naturalise well, hardy varieties (allium, anenome, scilla, starflower, camassia etc). They are in soil where everything else is growing well. They are planted at the recommended depth for the variety. They are in different locations, sun, shade, a few in pots. So what am I doing wrong? Or is this just how growing bulbs goes? It is annoying to have spent about £60 and only have about 30 things come up out of 150+ ordered.
Thank you for any suggestions!
Can I have suggestions for how to get success with bulb plants as I am not having much luck? Two winters ago I ordered from Farmer Gracy as they seem to have a good reputation and about 2/3rds of the bulbs came up, most of those flowered and at least half of them have come up again this year. Last winter I ordered from the same place but hardly any of the bulbs have come up (for instance 1 anenome out of 20, none at all of most varieties, about 1/3 of the alliums). A lot of the bulbs arrived damaged, apparently as it was the end of the season but the majority were undamaged. I know there is no guarantee of crop when buying from this supplier so would appreciate suggestions for how to improve my luck in the future.
I am getting varieties that say they naturalise well, hardy varieties (allium, anenome, scilla, starflower, camassia etc). They are in soil where everything else is growing well. They are planted at the recommended depth for the variety. They are in different locations, sun, shade, a few in pots. So what am I doing wrong? Or is this just how growing bulbs goes? It is annoying to have spent about £60 and only have about 30 things come up out of 150+ ordered.
Thank you for any suggestions!
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In pots squirrels love them, some chicken wire on top of compost then another layer of compost works.
I don't know what sort of anemone's you had but I know some of them need to be soaked before planting.
I have given up on the larger Alliums as my soil is just too wet and heavy in winter. I have a friend who has a light soil and she has given me some seed heads. What I do know is the bulbs need to be a good size to flower. The only alliums I grow now is A cernuum. Alliums will seed bu then it takes many years for them to flower .
Another I no longer grow is Narcissus Bulbcodium as they need acid soil
One of my favourite bulbs is Iris Reticulata but they can be difficult year two as they start to make bulbils after flowering.
Camassii Galanthus Leucojum and wood anemones love my clay soil.
I think bulbs may be graded but not sure.
Alliums need different conditions from Camassias. The former need sun and lighter, freer draining soil, and the latter need soil that doesn't dry out. Best in some shade too.
What kind of anemone? There are loads.
What are star flowers? The correct names will also help with advice
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
The conclusion I have come to is to get bulbs to flower year on year go for Narcissus. Jetfire , February Gold, Thalia,Tete a Tete, Minnow, Cotinga all flower year on year in a clay soil.
Bed 1 - morning sun, afternoon shade, evening sun in summer. Loam over clay, medium moisture (neither wet nor dries out). Woodchip about 1-2 inches deep keeps moisture and temperature steady. I have planted here two years. Successful: white Scilla (lots of these), white Ipheion (sorry, thought this was known as starflower!) about 20 first year but only a couple second year, white Camassia (10 - about 5 grew), white allium (possibly Graceful beauty, can't remember, flat bottomed type, not full ball shape 10 - about 5 grew first year, I don't yet know if they have this year as no buds out yet), white ball allium about 6 inches tall (about 10 grew well first year, don't know about this year but definitely haven't come up in some places they were last year), big cream tulips (10 about 5 came up originally and have been bigger in the second year than the first).
Failures: Eremurus Pinokkio (3 - nothing came up), Fritillaria (30 - nothing), Anenome Mistral (planted 10, one has come up)
Unknown as no buds yet: Allium Graceful Beauty (20), Allium Red Mohican (6), Allium Azureum (25). But there definitely aren't that many plants! Maybe about 20 unflowered plants in the whole bed.
Bed 2 - full sun, same sort of soil but a bit shallower loam. Small gravel/grit covering (old). I have planted here just the one year but grape hyacinth have thrived there for years. I planted:
Allium Purple Sensation (20)
Allium Giganteum (5)
Allium Gladiator (5)
Allium Mount Everest (5)
possibly some of the Allium Graceful Beauty, I can't remember
Urginia maritima (10)
There are a total of about 10 plants growing, a few with a big bud (look like allium to me).
2 large pots - morning and evening sun, shady day, mix of compost and top soil. Gravel covering. I planted:
Allium nevskianum (6 - either all 6 or 5 have come up and are budding)
Iris George (about 10 - one flowered, 2 came up just as leaves)
Oxalis triangularis (15 - about 8 have come up and have a single leaf each so far)
All bulbs were the biggest size option Farmer Gracy do - the Urginia especially were huge, about 12cm across! The big alliums for the sunny bed were about 8-10cm across. Quite a few bulbs were damaged or sprouting a bit as it was November and the delivery took quite a while but I got them straight in the ground. There haven't been any ground freezes.
I haven't seen any signs of digging near the bulbs.
I read the Farmer Gracy terms and conditions and it says "We give no warranty, expressed or implied, as to description quality, productiveness or any other manner of any seeds, bulbs or plants we sent out, nor will we be in any way responsible for the crop." so I don't think there is any recourse there, it is something I need to work out what to do myself. The amount I have spent on them it might be better to swap to plants instead of bulbs! Everything else is thriving. But I really really like Alliums and so want them to work.