Growing Bulbs Indoors

Nothing brings greater joy than to have spring flowers flourishing in the house during the winter. Some people are eminently successful in growing bulbs indoors, while others fail miserably. There is, however, little for the latter to fear if a few simple rules are faithfully adhered to.
Most commonly grown bulbs are expendable and only serve to give a display once, after which they have to be planted in the garden. There are a few bulb plants that are permanent house plants and more details of these may be found on page 97.

When buying bulbs it is important to buy first-class quality. It must also be realized that bulbs that will be in bloom on Christmas Day have been specially cultivated and stored under controlled conditions of humidity and temperature, which develop the embryo bud in the bulb.

There are several methods of indoor cultivation. Hyacinths and crocuses, for instance, can be grown in the familiar, specially designed bulb glasses, which have an annular shelf in the upper portion on which the bulb can rest. The lower part is filled with water, containing a few pieces of charcoal, at first to a level that touches the bulb. It is then kept in the dark for about eight weeks, by which time the roots will have formed. From this time onwards, the water level is lowered so that there is an air space above it, which prevents the bulb rotting. The glass is then placed in semi-shade for a few days before being moved to a lighter position.

A type of narcissi, bunch-flowered narcissi, can be grown on pebbles in water. A layer of pebbles is placed in a bowl to a height that is two inches below its rim. On this the bulbs are stood and supported with more stones placed between them and the container nearly filled. Water, preferably rainwater, containing a little charcoal, is put in to a level just below the bottom of the bulbs. This should be done in early autumn. The bowl is placed in a cool place (about 45°F (7°C)), either dark or light for about six months. After this, the plants should be given an airy position on a window-sill at a steady temperature of 50°-55°F (io°-i3°C). It should not be near a radiator. By mid-winter they should bloom and continue to do so for a long time afterwards.

Lastly, of course, bulbs are commonly planted in indoor bowls and other containers. The growing medium is usually specially prepared bulb fibre, which is essential in pots that have no drain holes.

When planting bulbs, the depth at which they should be placed often worries people. A good guide is for hyacinths, daffodils and narcissi to have their noses just visible, tulips to be just covered and small bulbs to have their tips ^ to \ inch below the surface.

Planting Bulbs in Containers
Although there may be some small variations, which are mentioned later under the bulb concerned, it is possible to lay down a standard planting procedure that is likely to be successful for most bulbs. The different stages, which are shown in the photographs on page 98 are as follows:

Moist, but not soggy, bulb fibre is placed in the container to such a height that it will support a bulb standing on it at the correct level on completion of planting.

The bulbs are stood on the fibre, a little way from the edge of the bowl, fairly close together, but not touching.

The spaces between the bulbs and that between them and the sides of the container are gently packed with moist fibre. The bowl is then filled to the necessary height and the fibre firmed in.

The bowl is then 'plunged', i.e. placed in a cool dark place for eight to ten weeks, or until the flower buds show colour in the case of crocuses and other small bulbs. This can be done in various ways. The bulbs can be placed in a cool, shady place in the garden and covered with a few inches of moist, but not wet, peat, sand or soil. A rather tidier way is to make a wooden box of suitable size, into which the bowl is placed and covered with sand or other similar material. In both these cases, the bowl of bulbs should be first put in a well-perforated plastic bag or wrapped in newspaper to keep the fibre clean. Those who have little or no garden can place the bulbs in a cool, dark cupboard or cellar; a flat-dweller, with a balcony or suitable paved area, can bury them in a box of moist sand as described above. Failing everything else, the container can be kept in a dark corner covered with an upturned cardboard box or a black, polythene tent.

After spending the appropriate period in the dark, the bulbs, which will by this time have one- to two-inch long blanched shoots, are put in a cool, shady place indoors, when this growth will green up.

Seven days later, they are moved to a warmer, lighter, draught-free position, where they are intended to flower. This should not be near a fire or radiator.

The bulbs should be watered freely, continuing all the time they are in flower. Sometimes staking is necessary, In order to ensure even growth, the bowl should be regularly turned so that all the plants get equal light.

A Selection of Bulbs for Indoor Cultivation
Annual Bulbs. If treated in the above manner, subject to any special modifications indicated, the following bulbs can be successfully grown indoors:

Daffodils, if planted during the summer, will bloom about five months later. They should be plunged for ten to twelve weeks. They they require to be kept in the light at a temperature of 40°-5O°F (4-50-7°C) until the flower buds appear and then at50°-55°F(io0-i30C).

Crocuses. The large flowering types are suitable and very attractive for indoor culture. The spring-flowering crocuses should be planted during the autumn, and the autumn-flowering in late spring. Both will flower five months after planting. They are kept plunged until the buds just show colour.

Hyacinths. For flowers in mid-winter, the specially prepared bulbs are planted in the summer; for flowering during early spring, they are planted during the autumn. While they are plunged, the temperature should not exceed 45°-50°F (70-io°C). In about seven weeks, the hyacinths will have thrown up sufficient growth and they are put in a dark cupboard with a temperature of 65°-7o°F (i8°-2i°C) and generously watered. When the flower buds stands well out, the container is transferred for a few days to a place with subdued light, and covered with newspaper to lengthen the flower stem. Any unwanted side shoots and flowering stems are cut off. After this the bulbs can be given more and more light and finally put into their flowering position.

Narcissi. With the specially prepared bulbs, these can be in bloom at Christmas if they are planted in very early autumn and kept in the dark until the beginning of winter. They should then be put into full light and kept at a temperature of5o0-55°F (io°-i30C).

Snowdrops can be in bloom in the house in mid-winter if they are planted in late summer.
Tulips. Suitable varieties, such as Brilliant Star Maximus, Christmas Marvel and Marshal Joffre, can be in bloom in mid-winter if planted in late summer and plunged for three months, when they should be put in a dark place indoors at 65°F (i8°C). When their shoots have grown two inches, they should be given light and a steady temperature of 68°F (20°C). If they are required to flower later, they should be planted in early autumn.

Permanent Bulb Plants. The most common among these plants that will last from year to year, are:
Amaryllis (Hippeastrum). The roots and lower part of the bulb are soaked in lukewarm water for several days. Sufficient compost, which is best composed of good loam and leaf-mould, plus a little silver sand, is placed in the container to form a cone, on which the bulb should be stood with its roots spread out. This cone should be of such a height that on completion of planting, the bulb will be half-way out of the soil. The pot is given bottom heat, which encourages development, by placing it on a warm mantelpiece or radiator shelf. When the buds are formed, it should be transferred to a sunny window-sill. For a fortnight afterwards, watering should be sparse and then it should be given tepid water from the top, never from the bottom.

After flowering, the plant should be put in a cool place. It should be given water while it grows but once it has finished growing the watering should be gradually diminished to almost nothing during the winter. It should then be put in a cool, frost-free place.

In early spring the pot should be top-dressed with fresh soil and put into a warm place. Watering should be gradually increased. From the time the buds appear until foliage growth stops, it should be regularly fed with liquid manure. Serine bowdenii is a very elegant pot plant, that is treated in exactly the same way as an amaryllis.

Vallota speciosa, Vallota purpurea (Scarborough Lilyj is a beautiful permanent bulb plant, that has heads of red trumpet-shaped blooms in late summer and elegant foliage that does not die in the winter. Thus, although after flowering, watering should be lessened, it should not cease entirely during the winter. The Scarborough Lily is easy to grow and will remain in the same pot for three or four years. It should be top-dressed with soil in the spring, followed by feeds of liquid manure until flowering time. It likes plenty of sun and water.

Plunging bulb bowls (above)
(a)    A box of suitable depth may hold several bowls.
(b)    If the bowls are placed in a box together, their fibre can be protected with a large sheet of plastic.
(c)    The plunge bed is then covered with sand.
(d)    Finally, the sand is firmed over and the box placed in a cool, dark place.

Planting bulbs (right)
(a)    Moist bulb fibre is placed in the bowl.
(b)    The bulbs are placed in the bowl a little away from the edge.
(c)    More moist bulb fibre is worked gently between the bulbs and between the sides of the bowl.
(d)    The moist fibre is firmed around the planted bulbs
(e)    The planted bowl is placed in a perforated plastic bag to protect the fibre surface
(f)    The bowl is now ready to be placed in the plunge bed