Looking to grow beautiful bulbs? Well here's a little secret; even newbies can successfully grow bulbs successfully. So, learning about the different types of bulbs is certainly a good place to start. Gardening needs commitments and is definitely serious business. It will help if you were willing to get your hands dirty, literally. Once you have the right tools and equipment, all you'll have left is having to decide which type of flower bulbs you want to grow. With many options in the market, it may be confusing knowing which flower bulbs to get. But don't panic; to help you on your quest, learn about the different bulbs and choose according to your gardening needs.
A bulb is any plant that has an underground storage structure and completes its entire life cycle in it. The biggest purpose of these storage structures is to store essential nutrient reserves. This ensures that the plants’ survival chances are high.
You’ll find several types of plants sold under the general term flower bulb, and they’re all a little bit different. Not only flowering plants spring from bulbs and other storage structures. The most well-known, however, are the flowering types. That said, potatoes come from tubers, bamboo arises from rhizomes, and elephant ear plants have tuberous bulb-like structures.
Bulbs can be differentiated into two main types: spring and summer.
Also called hardy bulbs, these bulbs are planted in fall, spend winter in the ground, and flower in spring, the reason for their name. Some of the more common spring bulbs are tulips, irises, daffodils, hyacinth, allium, and crocus.
These are also called tender bulbs, which are planted in spring and flower or leaf out in summer. Some will bloom later in summer or for a longer time. Gladiolus, lilies, caladiums, and elephant ears are common examples of summer bulbs. Summer bulbs aren't tolerant of cold temperatures and should only be planted after the ground warms up.
Bulbs have five main storage structures, including true bulbs, corms, tubers, tuberous roots, and rhizomes. The different bulb types are more accurately called geophytes and encompass a wide range of plant types.
The true bulb is a layered structure with a plant shoot in the core. Common true bulbs include daffodils and tulips.
Tunicate : These bulbs all have outer skin. This papery cover serves as protection of the interior scales where the food sources are stored. This type of bulb requires moisture before being planted.
Imbricate : Contrary to tunicate, these bulbs do not have a paper covering. A good example is lilies.
Corms may look like bulbs but are solid inside. Crocosmia grows from corms, spreading rapidly and easily, as do gladiolus, crocus, and freesia.
A tuber is a swollen stem with growth nodes or eyes. Daylilies and cyclamen are examples of tuber types of flower bulbs. Tubers are spread by planting a piece of the tuber with several healthy eyes. There are exotic and urbane types of flower bulbs that can elevate any garden.
There are also tuberous roots; these usually are thickened roots that hold food sources. An example of this is the tuberous begonia.
They are underground stems that also store plant food and can sprout new growth. These are easy to pull apart and start new plants. Common examples of plants that grow from rhizomes include canna lily and iris.
In colder climates, summer-flowering bulbs should be planted in mid to late spring. While spring-flowering bulbs can be planted as soon as the ground is cool, and it is at least 6 to 8 weeks before the ground freezes.
In warmer climates, summer-flowering bulbs can be planted early to mid-spring. And spring-flowering bulbs will need to be chilled in the refrigerator for 6 to 10 weeks until the ground cools enough for planting.
The beauty of bulbs is that you can plant them just about anywhere you like. All you have to do is ensure that your bulbs have good drainage and sunlight.
Asiatic Lilies are freshly dug beautiful perennials! Your garden should not be without them. Prefers well-drained soil in full sun to partial shade. 12-14 cm bulbs.
Features:
Gladiolus (from Latin, the diminutive of gladius, a sword) is a genus of perennial bulbous flowering plants in the iris family. Glads actually do not grow from bulbs but the corm. The Gladiolus flower signifies remembrance. It also expresses infatuation, telling the receiver that they pierce the heart.
Features:
Surprisingly mixed tulips will bring you rich and sturdy bold flowers. Tulips are long-day, sunny, and windproof. They prefer humid winters and cool, dry summers. It can grow normally above 46°F (8°C) and can usually withstand low temperatures of 7°F (-14°C).
The purple-leaf shamrock, Oxalis triangularis, is a low-growing foliage plant for the garden that also makes for an attractive indoor plant with rich, vibrant, purple leaves. Smart gardeners have gravitated to this beautiful foliage plant to add color indoors and outdoors for several decades.
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