GROWING OF FLOWER BULBS, RHIZOMES, TUBERS AND CORMS

Cut flowers produced from bulbs include a wide range of ever admired varieties like lilies, gladioli, arabicum, tulips, irises, calla lilies, tuberose, and liatris.

Strictly speaking lilies are bulbs, Alstroemerias are rhizomes, calla lilies are tubers, gladioli are corms, but they have many qualities in common.

LIFTING OF FLOWER BULBS

Lifting involves the removal of the underground reproductive organs from the soil.

Once they are lifted they need to be separated, washed, sterilized, and stored in the approved manner until replanting in the next time of year.

Why flower bulbs are lifted

To obtain the finest grades of cut flowers, lilies, gladioli and tulips should be lifted after every growing season.

Others like tuberose and Alstroemeria only need to be lifted after a few years.

The quality of reproductive organs determines the quality of flowers. Lifting of underground flower organs allows the grower to select the best seed for subsequent planting.

Larger bulbs or corms typically produce larger flowers or flowering stems; once bulbs are lifted, separate them into various sizes. They are as well planted in blocks of according to their varying sizes.

When the bulbs flower, a more standardized production of flowers per block is achieved; this facilitates to great extent actions like grading.

DRAINAGE REQUIREMENTS FOR RHIZOMES, TUBERS AND CORMS

All these types of flowers have a preference for well drained soils. They don’t like waterlogged conditions, on the other hand, they don’t like the soil to dry out completely.

The soil should be moist and cool, but not drenched or soaking.

Mulching encourages luxurious growth; thus high quality flowers are achieved.

This is because mulch is wonderful in maintaining dampness in the soil and reducing the soil temperature around the root and bulb region.

Bulbs grow best in sandy soil because drainage is better in such soils than in clayey soil. The process of bulb expansion is favored in sandy soils or very loose soil.

Plants like Alstroemeria, Gladioli and Calla lilies can handle heavier soils than lilies and tulips, but thrive in loose, well manured soil with lots of organic matter.

DISEASES OF FLOWER BULBS, RHIZOMES, TUBERS AND CORMS

All bulbs are relatively susceptible to soil borne diseases especially when the drainage is not good and when regularly exposed for extended periods in wet and soggy soils.

CLEANLINESS OF THE FIELD BEFORE PLANTING FLOWER BULBS, RHIZOMES, TUBERS AND CORMS

Ensure the soil is devoid of diseases; inoculate soil with ‘good micro-organisms’ after sterilizing the soil.

Planting material of all these bulb and rhizomes is very expensive because of the many farm operations conducted to raise them.

Bulbs take 2-3 years before they flower, during this time the grower must lift, clean and replant them; all this trouble contributes to the cost of planting material.

When buying planting material, make sure you have correct bulb size so as to produce the quality you desire.

CARE OF FLOWER BULBS, RHIZOMES, TUBERS AND CORMS DURING FLOWERING

With the exception of rhizomes, all bulbs and corms produce only one flower per season.

It is very easy to damage the emerged growing point during planting. You only get one flowering stem per bulb per season; meaning, once the bulb is damaged, you have lost the flower for that season.

Handle the flowers with care after harvesting to minimize post harvest loses and improve their vase life.

PRODUCTION REQUIREMENTS OF FLOWER BULBS, RHIZOMES, TUBERS AND CORM

I. LILIES

Grow best under 40% shade cloth during summer. Plant 48-64 bulbs per M2 depending on the bulb size and time of the year. When the bulb size is small plant more of them.

II. GLADIOLI

Grow well during summer months in the open field. When temperatures get too hot, they suffer from leaf burn.

They do well under a shade cloth that helps to break the worst heat. Plant 40-70 per M2 depending on corm size and the time of the year.

III. TULIPS AND IRISES

They don’t like heat at all; they need to be grown in the cool areas of the country, 150-250 bulbs per M2

IV. CALLA LILIES

They don’t like excessive heat and do best under shade. Plant around 15-30 tubers per M2 depending on size.

VI. TUBEROSE

Planting densities can vary from 50-120/ M2 depending on variety.