What are bulbous plants? What kind of soil are used for bulbous plants? How to cultivate bulbous plants?

What are bulbous plants?

1. Bulbs

The shape of the underground stem is spherical or oblate, with lateral buds on the nodes, an outer membranous sheath, and a terminal bud. developed. There are fine roots at the base, which can grow into thick traction roots before and after flowering, which support the aboveground part and prevent the new balls from being exposed to the ground.

Such flower bulbs include gladiolus, freesia, Spanish iris, etc.

2. Bulbs

Thick and fleshy leaf deformations, the scales are fused together to form an underground stem, and there are scales on the stem disk, from which axillary buds develop, and when the axillary buds become hypertrophic, they will become New bulbs.

Bulbs are divided into two types: skinned and skinless bulbs. Common skinned bulbs include daffodils, tulips, hyacinths, etc., and skinless bulbs include lilies.

3. Tubers

The shape of underground stems is blocky, with no annular knot marks on the surface. Roots develop at the bottom of the tuber and there are several germination points at the top.

Such bulbous flowers include Pulsatilla, calla lily, cyclamen, bulbous crabapple, ranunculus, etc.

4. Roots

The underground taproot is very fat and lumpy in shape. There are dormant buds growing near the root neck, from which new shoots sprout. After the new roots elongate, many new roots are formed in the lower part.

Such flower bulbs include dahlias, peony, etc.

5. Rhizomes

The underground stems are very fat and root-like in shape, with obvious nodes and internodes on them. There are degenerated small scale leaves on the nodes, and axillary buds on the leaf axils, especially the multiple lateral buds at the top of the rhizome, from which the above-ground branches develop and adventitious roots are produced.

Such bulbous flowers include canna, lotus, hosta, etc.

What kind of soil should be used for bulbous plants?

Different types of bulbous plants have different soil requirements, but there are also similarities. So what kind of soil do you use for bulbous plants?

Most bulbous plants have well-developed fleshy roots and few root hairs, so their root growth and absorption capabilities are poor. They should choose sandy loam with higher and dry terrain, good drainage, deep soil, loose and fertile soil.

Bulb plants are more afraid of water accumulation in the soil. If they are planted in low-lying areas or in long-term wet areas, the bulbs will rot. The planting depth varies depending on the species. Generally, the soil covering thickness is 2-3 times the diameter of the bulb. Large balls are generally suitable for planting in holes, while small balls usually need to be planted in furrows. After planting, the covering soil should be compacted to prevent the bulbs from hanging dry.

How to grow bulbous plants

1. Covering depth

Except for amaryllis, the size of the bulb can be used to measure the depth of planting. About 3 balls high, potted plants 2 balls high. Taking tulips as an example, the height of 3 balls is about 10 cm, and the height of 2 balls is about 6 cm. For grape hyacinth, the height of 3 balls is about 6 cm, and the height of 2 balls is about 4 cm. Burying deeply can improve the plant's cold resistance and make the plant shorter and stockier.

2. Close planting

When potting, plant the bulbs one by one closely to achieve excellent ornamental value. Close planting is perfect for tulips. For other varieties that are easy to re-flower, it is recommended to space each bulb at a distance of 1 bulb when planting to leave a certain space for re-flowering.

3. Combined potted bulbs

It is not recommended to plant bulbs of different varieties together because they have different flowering times, making it difficult to bloom at the same time. However, staggering the flowering period can extend the viewing period of potted plants. Under normal natural temperatures, the flowering time of several types of bulbs in Jiangsu and Zhejiang areas starts from mid-to-late February and lasts until April: tulip bulbs, crocuses, grape hyacinths, hyacinths, daffodils, natural tulip bulbs, amaryllis, etc. hyacinth.