Summer Bulbs

SUMMER BULBS

Tender summer-blooming bulbs are the ammunition that Gardeners have to bring excitement to the garden through the growing season. The culture of these bulbs is often fairly labor intensive, but usually not difficult, requiring that they be bought fresh each season, started up in spring and planted out; or to be lifted in autumn, cured, and stored through the winter. They are dramatically beautiful in flower and offer a complexity of form missing in other summer flowers.

Acidanthera bicolor -Abyssinian gladiolus or Peacock Orchid SU-PS

Allium spp. - Flowering onions SU-PS

Arisaema spp. - Jack-in-the-pulpit PS-SH

Begonia tuberhybrida hybrids - Tuberous Begonias PS-SH

Caladium spp. – Caladiums SH

C. ‘Canadidum’

C. ‘Freckles’

Camassia spp. – Camassias SU-PS

Canna spp. – Cannas SU

C. ‘Pretoria’

C. ‘Tropicana’

Colocasia esculenta - Elephant ears or Taro PS-SH

C. ‘Jet Black Wonder’
Crocosmia x crocsmiiflora hybrids – Crocsomias SU

C. x c. ‘Emily McKenzie’

C. x c. ‘Lucifer’

C. x c. ‘Solfaterre

Dahlia hybrids – Dahlias SU

decorative, semi-cactus, cactus, pompom, collorette,
anemone-flowered

Eremurus spp. - Foxtail lilies SU

Galtonia candicans - Summer Hyacinth SU-PS

Gladiolus spp. hybrids – Gladiolus SU

Gladiolus callianthus ‘Murieliae’

Gloriosa rothschildiana - Gloriosa lily SU-PS

Hymenocallis x festalis - Peruvian Daffodil SU-PS
H. var. ‘Sulphur Queen’

Lilium spp. and hybrids – Lilies SU-PS

Ornithogalum sandersiae - Star of Good Hope SU-PS

Polianthus tuberosa – Tuberose SU-PS

P.t. ‘The Pearl’

P.t. ‘The Pearl Double’

Sandersonia aurantiaca - Chinese lantern lily SU-PS

Sparaxis tricolor - Harlequin flower SU

Trigridia pavonia - Tiger Flower SU-PS

Zantedeschia aethoipica - Calla lilies PS-SH

Zephryanthus spp. - Zephyr lilies SU-PS
SU = sun PS = partial sun or partial shade SH = shade

STARTING EARLY:

Since most of these bulbs are not hardy in zone 5, and would not survive temperatures below freezing, you must wait until the danger of frost has passed before planting them in your garden. By starting them inside 6-8 weeks before the average last frost date of spring, you can extend your bloom season and flower display in your garden.

Method:

Always use a well draining potting mix, as many of these bulbs are prone to rotting if the soil is too wet. They can be started in individual pots or flats. Place the bulb on the surface of the soil or just below the surface. Water the soil well and then allow the surface of the soil to get dry before watering again. When new growth begins, use a diluted (half-strength) fertilizer each week. Expose the plants to bright light conditions (natural or artificial). Note the requirements of each specific bulb for length of exposure. As the bulbs develop and grow, transplant into larger pots until it is time to plant them outdoors in garden beds or in containers. Enjoy the flowers 4-6 weeks earlier than if you had waited to plant them outdoors initially.