Summer Bulb Collection.

Good evening people.
Due tomorrow is my eagerly awaited bulb collection including:
15 Gladioli
15 Garden mixed Freesias
15 mixed Iris
25 Sparaxis
15 Tiger flowers
15 Croscomia

I'm obviously hoping for a good batch from a new to me, company (hopefully with planting advise)but does anybody have any planting advise, positioning, growth rates for any of the above? I'm just wishing to provide colour in borders and baskets.
Many thanks, Russ

 

Hi Russ, lovely lot of bulbs there .
Freesias are my mums favourite flowers .

I don't have much experience with all of those bulbs, ive grown gladioli & mixed iris before, when I plant bulbs I always put a bit of bulb fertiliser in the hole, give it a dig in then pop in the bulbs.

 

Agree with the remarks about Freesias @JWK . My late father sourced some really special/expensive bulbs for me as they are one of my favourite cut flowers. I treated them like royalty and got nowt/ziltch/denada much to my annoyance! Also concur re the rest of the bulbs except Gladioli as have never tried growing them so cannot comment.

 

Only had one glad corm last year (pinched it off a neighbour!), planted as if it were a daff bulb, it grew no problems and pulled it up about 5 weeks after flowering.. so I'm hoping that's the case as I bought 40 more corms lol. Crocosmia were already in my garden before I moved in, space them out a bit cuz they multiply well and I have had a few rogue ones that have popped up in the lawn over the years, easy to spot though. Did put sparaxis in the front lawn last year but other half strimmed them before the flowers came. Sorry can't be much help.. Have some mixed iris that need to go in too so would like to know about them

 

Thanks people. Great advice as usual.

 

Hi Rustler,

The main thing to remember with all bulbs/corms is the planting depth. This is generally ( and I mean generally as you will find others with different requirements ) to plant them 2/3" times their own depth. E.G. If a bulb is 1" high then you'd plant it so it is about 2 or 3 inches deep.

I agree with the comments above about the Freesias I've never known these as a garden bulb, much better in a pot.

The Tigridia Pavonia ( Tiger Flowers ) aren't completely hardy so will need digging up before winter sets in. I get them up as they start to die off, let them dry completely remove all signs of growth and store them in a paper bag over Winter. ( PS.... If you look through last years Iris Family thread you'll see photos of mine last summer ).

The Iris really need to go in as soon as possible. I always plant mine in the late Summer early Autumn as they grow through the Winter and make sturdier plants.

 

Thanks Anthony. Will take your excellent advise as usual. So many mistakes can be made but all the knowledge and comradeship on this forum is so welcomed and needed.