Under the name of bulbous flowers are meant only those plants in which the bulb is an independent bud of the plant. The main difference between bulbous plants and all others is that it is in the bulb that a certain number of leaves are laid, which it will develop. On one side of the bulb you can see the bottom with the rudiments of future roots on it. These roots will begin to grow as soon as the bulb is planted in the ground. For bulbous bulb plants, a bulb is a storehouse of water and nutrients that allow the plant to be independent of the time of the year and bloom when the flower grower wants it: in spring, in autumn or even in winter.
All blossoming bulbous houseplants are divided into two groups:
- plants that have a period of rest;
- plants that partially discard foliage at certain times of the year.
Plants of the first group can carry a period of rest even without land, for example, tulips, lilies, daffodils. And plants of the second group need to reduce watering during the weakened vegetation period: these are, for example, clivia, haemanthus.
Planting of bulbous houseplants
Bulbous house flowers like light, coolness and do not like waterlogging the soil. If you want to buy bulbs for planting, then do it best in the fall. When choosing a bulb, pay attention to its appearance: it should look strong, healthy, do not be loose or wrinkled. Before planting all the bulbs must be disinfected with a 1% solution of manganese for 30 minutes. The height of the pot for the bulb should be equal to its length. In too large pots with lots of ground, the bulbs will develop poorly and may even get sick. The most suitable pots for planting bulbs are thin-walled porous clay pots. And the walls of such a pot should not be glazed - this is important.
At the bottom of the pot you need to lay a layer of drainage - small stones, expanded clay or gravel. And on top you can put a mixture of moss and charcoal. And only then lies a layer of earth about five centimeters. The land should be light and well-fertilized. Plant an onion in a pot and sprinkle it with soil about half the height of the bulb. A pot with a planted onion is placed in a cool place on the windowsill. Strongly water the bulb is not necessary.
When there are sprouts, the pot must be transferred to a light window. During the flowering period, you need to water more often, but do not fill the plant.
Care for bulbous indoor plants
Like any flowering plant, all bulbs like regular feeding, consisting of nitrogen, potassium, phosphorus.
After the plant fades, and the leaves on it begin to die, the bulb should be left in the pot, and watering is reduced to a minimum. And in this condition, the bulb will be until the spring, when the leaves again begin to grow. Some bulbs, such as, for example, tuber begonia, canna, are stored in moist peat. And they are planted in pots just before the very beginning of vegetation.
With caution should be treated to watering bulbs, they do not like excessive moisture, with its excess can even rot. Especially it concerns bulbs of the Dutch hyacinths.
Today, rare exotic bulbous houseplants are very popular.
A number of advantages - winter flowering, wonderful coloring of flowers and their amazing smell - makes bulbous houseplants one of the most popular among all florists.