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Allium Care
Hi,
I am growing some alliums and in one particular ornamental pot I have 4 Globemasters and a dozen or so of drumstick alliums.
The pot only has a diameter of around 40cm so I probably have to many bulbs in there to be honest. That said they have all come up and looking very healthy although none have flowered yet (its only March).
The foliage of all these alliums have gone crazy and I can hardly see the soil below due to the mass of allium leaves. Would anyone consider this to be a problem, should one think about chopping back the leaves or shall I leave well alone?
Thanks
Chris
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Posts
Hi Torg
I would leave the leaves well alone - when they die down they feed the bulb for the following year.
I would let them flower, then feed them and let them die down - then perhaps split the clump up and replant giving them a bit more space.
Make sure they get enough water as if a pot is full of leaves rain will just run off and the soil will still be dry.
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
bulbs need feeding when they are in leaf. The leaves of alliums have often dwindled before flowering.
In the sticks near Peterborough
Can I feed them with Blood Fish and Bone, I bought some the other day? I would imagine they are getting a good watering today
Rainwater on its own does not penetrate pots, especially when covered by foliage. You need to give it good, regular drinks and, whilst covered in foliage, I would add a liquid feed. You need to leave the foliage to die down completely so it can feed the bulbs for next year's flowers so don't remove it till it's faded and gone brown.
I borders, you can disguise the leaves by growing the alliums through other plants such as hardy geraniums, geums, astrantias and so on. In a pot on their own there's nowhere to hide.
That's ok, im not offended by the leaves just worried that not enough sunlight was going to hit the soil or that it was overcrowded.
I take note regarding the watering thanks.
Soil doesn't need sunlight unless you want weeds to germinate and grow.