Repotting Bulbs

On this weekend I repotted the two bulbous plants which are not hardy here (at least in pot). They usually overwinter in their pot in the cellar, in dry conditions. In early spring I repot them, water and wait for the new shoots to water again. After the repotting they are placed in the more luminous but cool staircase until May when they take up their places on the balcony.

The truth is that I make every year another potting mix, because I don't like to tear about for ingredients so I mix it from what I have at home. Important is to contain some nutrients and to have good drainage. This year's potting compost: 

• 1 part humus bought from nursery
• 1 part ready made, peat based, "general" potting compost also from nursery + some old compost
• 2 parts perlite

Habranthus robustus

Two years ago I've got 5 bulbs from a kind old lady also living in this house. Alas, she is so kind that she waters sometimes the bulb pot in the cellar during the winter. So the bulbs cannot really go dormant, they have some green shoots all the winter. I am not happy with this, because the repotting is more difficult and I think this is the reason why the bulbs do not flower as abundantly as they should.  

She's bulbs are in a more shallow window box and the compost not covered with grit as mine, so she gives them water for the compost not to dry out completely. I told her already two times to leave alone my pot but it was to no effect :)

From the 5 flowering sized bulbs I have already 10 and also many little new bulbs (on the left picture).

Nerine bowdenii

This plant comes from our Vera Csapody Hardy Plant Society. I've got two not flowering sized (min 12 cm circumference) bulbs last spring. Now I have 2 flowering sized and 3 little bulbs with healty roots.

There is an interesting point with the Nerine. In Hungary it is not really hardy, Hungarian books say that it must be planted deep to overwinter safely. BUT, I've read some English opinions that it will not flower when planted deep in the soil, and that the upper 1/3 part of the bulb must be out of compost just like Amaryllis, because it needs much air. As I grow it in pot and put it inside for winter, I follow this latter method and we will see. The upper 1/3 part is covered only with grit.

I always cover the compost in every pot with grit or pine bark. It depends on what passes more for the plant in question. It looks nicer than bold compost and is drying out more slowly. And it is also easier to water. The weeds come out anyway, covered or not. Mosses we don't quite have at our balcony, it is too hot and dry for them.