Indoor Bulbs Provide Long-lasting Display

Press, Volume CVIII, Issue 31635, 22 March 1968, Page 6

Indoor Bulbs Provide Long-lasting Display

Bulb* lend themselves admirably for pot and bowl growing and will provide long-lasting attractive displays, especially In late winter and early spring, when flower* are scarce and expensive to buy. Daffodils, tulips, Dutch iris, hyacinths and lachenalias are suitable for this purpose.

Small bulbs are more successful when grown in pots

out of doors and then brought into the bouse when they begin to flower. These include chlonodoxa, dwarf narcissi, crocus, scllla. Iris reticulata and snowdrops. Containers must have holes in the bottom to permit drainage and while the clay pot can be used there are so many very much more attractive bowls available today that a visit to a shop may reveal just the one. Although drainage holes are important a bowl which is at least twice as deep as the size of the bowl will suffice, but because of lack of free drainage special attention will have to be paid to watering. Irrespective of the type of container some drainage material must be provided in the bottom of the receptacle. Broken crocks or Jin to jin gravel is useful for the purpose. Where there is a drainage hole it is sufficient to just cover the hole with the material but a layer of jin should be provided otherwise.

As bulbs are relatively selfsupporting in their food requirements a rich growing medium is not necessary. A suggested mixture is, 3 parts peat, rotted sawdust or leaf mould; 1 sharp sand, fine gravel or poultry grit; and to each bowl should be added about one ounce of blood and bone and a few pieces of charcoal. This composition should be thoroughly mixed and evenly moist throughout. Partly fill the bowl or pot with this compost and space out the bulbs on top. Then top up, working it around the bulbs with the fingers to ensure that they are firmly packed in. The top of the bulb should just protrude from the soil surface which should be levelled off about jin from the top of the container. Water each container when filled until the water runs freely out of the drainage

hole(s). Bowls without drainage holes should be carefully held on their sides to allow surplus to run off after they have been allowed to stand for a minute after watering. The bowls should be placed in a cool, dark position for six to eight weeks to force rooting. Occasional inspections should be made and water applied if necessary. The appearance of moulds on the surface should not cause alarm as they are harmless and will disappear on exposure to light A light application of thiram will counteract their presence. After the prescribed period of darkness has been observed the bulbs can be brought out. Place in a position where the growing bulbs gain maximum exposure to light. It will be necessary to turn the bowls daily to prevent growth'bending towards the light source. Watering continues to be important and should not be overlooked. The type of container used and the temperature of the room will dictate the frequency of application.