Sometimes you might get a bulb for a gift, or something goes awry while it's growing. Here's a guide to the most common issues you might encounter:
The bulb is already sprouted when you get it.
Soak it and plant it as soon as you can. The bulb needs to grow roots to support the green growth which is already growing using the stored food in the bulb. (Think of the onions which surprise you by sprouting in your cupboard!)
It has been weeks and no green is emerging from the top of the bulb.
Is the bulb planted too deep? Remember you should have about 1/3 of the bulb above the soil line. Remove some of the soil around the top.
Is it overwatered? Push on the bulb just at the soil line. Is it slimy or squishy? If yes, it is rotting. Pull it out of the pot and see how bad the damage is. If there is some firmness and good roots, replant it and be especially careful of overwatering.
Is it really squishy? I suggest just throwing it away. Soon it will start to smell.
I have only leaves and no flower stem.
Sometimes this just happens, at times a flower stem will form later. You have 2 options, toss it, or grow it like a houseplant.
It is leaning and starting to uproot from the soil.
Stake it in several places to support it and keep it from further uprooting.
The whole thing fell over and uprooted because of the weight of the flower.
Gently loosen all the roots and pull it out of the pot. Dump the soil onto newspaper and replant the bulb much deeper. Stake it in several places, water it well, set it in less light for a day or 2 and then return it to it brighter location. This may shorten the life of the blossoms but you have saved the plant.
No comments:
Post a Comment