How to Grow Winter Bulbs

HOW TO GROW WINTER BULBS

There are many varieties of bulbous plants that can be grown in the winter months of Delhi NCR to provide a profusion of flowers from end of January and through spring. Many of these can be kept, rewarding the grower with a profusion of colourful displays for years to come. They can be grown both in pots and the ground.

Sowing Time

Plant these bulbs from October to December for springtime flowering.

Soil preparation for potted bulbs

Prepare the following potting mix:

    • 1 part compost + 1 part garden soil. To this add 1/20 part neem cake powder and 1/20 part bone meal.Add 5 gram fungicide  and 2 gram micronutrients per kg soil mix. If the soil is too clumpy or hard also add about 10% coarse part of washed river sand.
    • If possible, also add 1/10 part leaf mould and 1/10 part small bits of charcoal to the potting mix.

How to plant and grow

    • Use terracotta or plastic pots with ample holes at the bottom. Fill about an inch of the pot with broken pieces of pots or pebbles (rori)
    • Plant bulbs only upto their height, leaving about 2-3 inch on the top in the pot, top up with more potting mix after 3-4 leaf stage.
    • First watering after sowing bulbs should be with water mixed with a little fungicide ( cinnamon powder). Keep in semi shade if the sun is too harsh (above 30 degrees in the day) and move to sunlight post sprouting.
    • Generally 6-8 hrs per day of sun is needed for flowering in winters.
    • Water as per requirement of the plant, do not over water, also do not let the pot to go fully dry.

Post 3/4 leaf stage

    • Add 2 gram NPK 20-20-20 + 2 gram fungicide + 0.5 gram micronutrient powder, mix in one litre water and feed every 10 – 15 days.
    • Flowering happens between 90 to 120 days.

Tips

    • Cover with newspaper post sowing and watering.
    • Ranunculus and anemone – soak the bulbs overnight in room temperature water before sowing to expedite germination. Mix one ml humic acid and a pinch of fungicide powder ( cinnamon ) in the soaking water.
    • If they don’t flower by February then add 1 teaspoon of potash around the sides of the plant and water immediately.
    • If you want to save bulbs then post flowering let them grow, keep feeding and stop when the leaf turns yellow. Then take out the bulbs, dry and keep them in paper bags in a cool dry area of your home. Remember to label the bags with the plant name and the date.