Flowers are among the things that bring people the most joy from plants. Whether it be daffodil or iris flowers, these are among the most popular plants for people to purchase. Just in the UK, over 4000 hectares of land are dedicated to the growing of daffodils, and the sale of the flowers represents a large area of commerce. Daffodils are by no means alone; when you include the growth of all other flowering bulbs, this number exceeds 10,000 hectares of land. A little known secret, however, is that growing your own daffodils and iris bulbs is actually a very simple process that even amateur gardeners will find a simple process that will see your garden and living space beautified. It is also a more affordable option when compared to purchasing fully grown plants, and is a great option for those who want to grow a significant stock of flowering bulbs. It can also be a tremendous opportunity for those that aim to expand their stock through the natural multiplication of plants, which could then be an opportunity for giving away to loved ones as gifts or even sold.
In order to grow your own flowering bulbs, the first step is to make your purchase. Besides the species variations, such as daffodil or iris bulbs, there are also various cultivars that can be confusing when you’re making your purchase. The difference here is perhaps the most important, as different cultivars, which is kind of like a breed for those unfamiliar with the term, will produce different flowers in terms of size and colour that they produce. Take iris bulbs, for example, these can produce flowers from a light blue to a deep violet, and if you have a particular preference, selecting the matching cultivar for your preference is paramount. Different varieties can also be more or less suited to the environment that they’re growing in. Some variation in the ideal soil quality, moisture and light exposure is to be expected.
When you’re looking at this information, it may be worth bearing in mind that a garden centre may not have the complete catalogue of available options regarding species and cultivars that are available to you. If this is the case for your ideal varieties, then you should have a look at online shops. Often times, these are essentially the wholesalers of the large garden centres anyway, which means that you may be able to take advantage of wholesale prices and even purchase iris bulbs and the like in bulk.
The next step in the process is to look at the growing directions of the plant. This isn’t an area where we can directly provide advice as the extraordinary variety of flowering bulbs out there isn’t something that can be covered in a short article when they all have different strategies. For example, iris bulbs like to be planted in the groups of at least three individual bulbs. There is also variation in soil quality as well. The one area where there is some preservation of strategy across species is the depth that you should place the bulb, whereby the length of the bulb should be tripled, and the bulb placed at the bottom. You may also notice that the bulb is tapered at one side, perhaps even with a growth coming out on one end. This is the preliminary shoot that the plant produces so that it can reach the surface, and ideally this growth, also called a nose, should be placed upwards so that the plant doesn’t have to turn around. This will shorten the amount of time and energy the plant needs to reach the surface, and will make the process more successful.