Handout from 4 April RHS event
April 4 2011 – Bulbs for colour throughout the year – Part 2.
Late Spring Bulbs.
Muscari – Grape Hyacinth – Propagation method – Division in autumn. Multiply readily. Don’t plant with small delicate plants.
Fritillaria – Propagation – Division in autumn, seeds in autumn. Big range of varieties. Species come easily from seed. Need fluctuating temperatures to germinate.
Narcissi – Propagation – Division in autumn. Seed in late summer/autumn. Gather seed capsules when they split. Sow immediately in deep pots. Germination in autumn. Keep cool and frost free through winter.
Tulips – Propagation – Division in summer/autumn. Seed in autumn. Seeds need frost to germinate. Can take up to 6 years to flower. Plant tulips deep.
Camassia – Propagation – Division in summer/autumn. Seeds in autumn. Will self sow.
Trillium – Propagation – Division after flowering. Can be slow to establish. Need acid soil. Seed when ripe but germination is slow and seedlings take up to 5 years to flower.
Roscoea – Propagation – Division in early spring or autumn. Seeds late summer, autumn or spring. Will self sow. Hybrids only by division. Can rot in wet soils.
Late Summer Bulbs
Dahlia – Propagation – Division in spring. Seeds in spring. Cuttings in spring. Basal stem cuttings from stock plants.
Dierama(as shown) – Propagation - Division in autumn. Seeds in autumn. Seeds germinate best if soaked before sowing. Resent disturbance so can take a couple of years to settle down after splitting.Watsonia (Watsonia pillansii image as shown) – Propagation - Division in autumn (evergreen varieties) or in spring if deciduous. Seed
in autumn. Keep warm.
Gladiolus – Propagation - Division in autumn or early spring. Seeds in late summer. Keep warm and growing through winter.
Crocosmia – Propagation - Division in spring or late summer. Best divided every 3 – 4 years to maintain vigour.
Cyclamen – Propagation - Seed as soon as ripe.
Nerines – Propagation – Division in spring. Seeds in autumn. Sow as soon as ripe. Keep seedlings frost free through the first winter. Flower in 3 to 5 years.