Bulbs, Corms, Rhizomes and Tubers all store their food in their underground storage organs. Bulbs prefer cold winters and dry conditions during their dormant period and appear above ground when the conditions are suitable for their growth.
They produce the most colourful and fragrant blooms and add freshness and flamboyance to the garden. Most of them will continue to flower each year requiring very little attention, hence their popularity.
Nearly all bulbous plants like almost perfect drainage although they will accept a variety of soil types, generally with the acidity factor close to neutral.
Soil preparation for planting should be thorough with the bed dug to half a metre at least twice.
Clay soils should have course sand and well rotted organic matter mixed in to improve the drainage.
Sandy soils require copious quantities of animal manures and organic compost to improve the texture and to assist in lowering the summer soil temperatures.
If the soil tends to be rather acidic, then you will need to add a light dressing of Dolomite and work well in.
Also add a handful of complete fertiliser per square metre and work this into the top layer.
If your soil has rather poor drainage this can be also be rectified by building up the bed to around 25cm above the ground level.
After watering the soil using a fine spray, leave the bed to settle for two or three weeks before planting out.
At planting time make a hole with a hoe to the planting depth recommended, plus 2cm, and sprinkle some complete fertiliser at the base of the hole. Cover this with 2cm of fine soil and firm down, and around the bulb.
Water thoroughly with a fine mist spray and place a few cm's of well rotted compost or organic material on the surface as a mulch.
When bulbs die down after their flowering period the stems should be left intact so that the bulbs can draw on these stems for the next seasons nutrients.
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