Winter Season Magic

- Waking The Sleeping Bulbs -

Lily of Peru
A magnificent flowering plant for the patio or indoors is the handsome lily of Peru. It tops off a slender 3-foot (90-cm) stem with a massive cluster of lavish azalealike flowers in flaming tones of yellow and orange with flickers of red and rust. Slim, shiny green leaves scattered along the stem complete the picture.

It produces four to five flower stalks in late spring, and blossoms in early summer. This plant needs a lot of room and requires a large container. Despite its name, lily of Peru is a native of Chile.

Lily of Peru grows best with very high light with a temperature of approximately 65° to 80°F (18° to 27°C) and an average humidity of 25% or more. Can tolerate 35°F (2°C) without damage. During dormancy, maintain 45°F (7°C) if possible.

Special Notes: Allow potting mixture to dry when foliage turns yellow and withers.

In addition, check carefully for spider mites on undersides of leaves; if present, spray with appropriate pesticide

 
 

Hyacinth
The loveliest part of growing hyacinths indoors is the sweet fragrance that fills the house, lasting as long as the masses of blossoms. Whether you choose a glorious blue-violet, a sugar-pink, red, or white, all give the same heady smell of spring.

You can purchase pre-treated bulbs, or force your own, to have hyacinths blooming indoors during winter, bringing their precise, sculptured beauty to a sunny windowsill. To treat the winter doldrums, group flowering hyacinth, tulip, crocus, and narcissus bulbs together, and stare!

Hyacinth grows well in high to very high light with a temperature of approximately 70° to 80°F (15° to 21°C) and an average humidity of 25% or more. Keep the potting mixture moist, but plant can tolerate some surface drying without damage.

Special Notes: Pot bulbs in well-aerated potting mix- ture containing 50% or more organic matter.

Also, if flower buds stop growing, move to cooler location.

 
 

Daffodil
The familiar daffodil has a long, fluted trumpet framed by a sextet of rounded petals. Golden daffodils have relatives that are white, cream-colored, pale yellow, or two-toned, with the trumpet a different shade from the petals.

Native to the woods and rocky areas of Western Europe, the daffodil will send up three to five smooth, slender leaves, followed by a stalk with a single, familiar flower.

Enjoy its brilliant, sunshiny color during the grey days of winter, then plant outside where winter temperatures are below 32°F (O°C) for several weeks.

Daffodils grow best with high to very high light with a temperature of approximately 60° to 70°F (15° to 21°C) and an average humidity of 25% or more. Keep the potting mixture moist, but plant can tolerate some surface drying without damage.

Special Notes: Pot bulbs in well-aerated potting mixture containing 50% or more organic matter.

Also, if new leaves are light green, move to higher light. If foliage is extensive, move to cooler location.

 
 

#6 Awaking Winter Bulbs
Like magic, the mystery of having spring bulbs bloom in January and February just consists of knowing how it is done. The secret is the process known as "forcing" which means to bring to bloom at an earlier than normal date. This is done by providing and controlling the correct temperatures at the crucial times so that bulbs will produce roots, leaves, and their exquisite flowers.

• Begin in September by selecting the largest, best-quality bulbs available.
• Store in a cool room, basement, or garage, or pot them, using a clay container that's twice the height of the bulb.
• Fill the container half full with a well-aerated potting mixture; then place bulbs flat side down. The neck or tip of the bulb should rest just below the pot rim. Fill the pot, leaving .5 to 1 inch (1 to 2.5 cm) between the bulbs. You may be able to plant a dozen crocuses in a small pot. It all depends on the bulb size. Cover the bulbs so that just their necks are sticking out, and slowly water until the water runs out the drainage hole. Insert a label to identify what you have potted.
• Move the potted bulbs to a cold area where temperatures are about 40° to 45°F (4° to 7°C), and see that they are protected from light. The ideal spot is an extra refrigerator set at 40°F (4°0. (For freesias, set temperature at 50°F, or 10°C.) Avoid temperatures below freezing, as bulb growth will stop.
• Leave the potted bulbs in their cool dark home for at least ten to twelve weeks, but remember to keep the potting mixture moist.
• Before removing the bulbs from cold storage, check the roots (look through the drainage hole or gently knock the soil ball out of the pot). A mass of white roots should cover the bottom, and 2 to 4 inches (5 to 10 cm) of shoot growth should be visible. If the roots are well established, bring the bulbs into a bright room (no direct sun yet).
• When the bleached shoots turn green, transfer the bulbs to a sunny area. Once the flower buds begin to show color, move them out of the direct sun. At night, return them to an area where it's 60° to 65°F (15° to 18°C).

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