Friday, December 02, 2011
EVERY corner of the garden is sopping. The glare is feeble and the colour has drained from everything apart from some frosted hydrangea blooms and chrome yellow phormiums; pale beacons among the expanding brown and green.
They remind me of streetlamps in fog. Nothing moves in the persistent drizzle, nothing stirs anywhere! In desperation I reflect on the only urgency over the coming days; the removal of fallen and decaying leaves from gutters, drains and pond, along with potting a pair of Hippeastrum bulbs (Amaryllis) sourced from Aldi across the road.
Why do so many fail to bring these into bloom the year after purchase? These over-sized bulbs are usually found in garden outlets in the run-up to Christmas; huge fattened things, some as large as swede turnips (and weighing almost as much) either stuffed into ridiculously small pots containing just a fist-full of compost, or displayed heaped together, one on top of another in spacious brown wicker baskets.
Much of the failure rate has to do with heat (the lack of it) for it they are to be flowered during early January and later adequate temperatures and perfect light must be provided from the outset. However, if you are prepared to wait until April for those mighty trumpet-shaped blooms, (three, four and even five to a stem), then they can be stood on a bright windowsill and allowed to perform in their own good time.
Hippeastrums, unlike the majority of bulbs, begin their cycle of growth by flowering. A stout naked stem (or stems) rise up from the neck of the bulb to two feet and more, terminating eventually in a group of buds which open to reveal several trumpet-shaped blooms of massive proportions. The whole spectacle is wonderfully impressive. Later, the long strappy leaves arrive and it is then that watering and feeding must commence and be diligently maintained right through to late summer. Towards August, watering can be restricted so that the leaves yellow and die away naturally and the bulb goes into a state of rest for all of September and October.
As soon as mid-November arrives, the tips of fresh young foliage will once again be noticed emerging from the neck of the half buried bulb, and the cycle of growth and flowering can begin all over again. However, some re-potting will be needed for the compost (now in its second season) will contain very little by way of nutrients. If the old compost is gently teased away from around the base of the bulb using an old biro or pencil as a scraper, the exercise will only take minutes. Top up with fresh "Seed and Potting" compost (allow the top one third of the bulb to remain uncovered) water to settle, and replace into its bright, warm position. Don’t water again until active growth commences for the main danger to successful blooming will be from overwatering. Too much too soon would end in a sorry mush. To play their game properly, attention to feeding, watering, and re-potting will have to be diligently attended to.
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