Indoor flowering bulb plants

What could be better than beautiful blooming Houseplant BulbsA bulb is that part of a plant that contains the tender shoots of a new plant. Many flowering plants such as tulips, hyacinths, and lilies are propagated by bulbs. The energy a new plant needs to develop is stored in the bulbs. There is a large variation in the size of houseplant bulbs. They can be as small as a pea or as large as 15 pounds (7 kg).  Plants that develop from bulbs produce leaves and flowers each season, then gradually die back and go dormant for a few months. During this dormancy or resting period, the plant stores the nutrients that will help it bloom again the following year. Bulbs can be forced to bloom almost any time indoors, brightening up your house during the cold winter months. to brighten your home and office this winter?

Amaryllis

Hyacinth

Paperwhite

If you are buying new plant bulbs, they can be planted in any small, clean clay or plastic pot that has drip holes in the bottom. The soil does not dry out as quickly in plastic pots and they are much lighter to handle than clay pots. I like to make a soil mixture for my winter bulb plants using one part sand, two parts peat moss, and one part garden loam. You can fit 3 hyacinth bulbs, 15 crocus bulbs, 6 daffodil bulbs, or 6 tulip bulbs in a pot with a 6” diameter. Always buy large, good quality bulbs. Never select a flower bulb that is soft or has started to sprout. The quality of the bulb is extremely important because it contains the food needed for the flowering plant to eventually grow.

If your flowering, plant bulbs from last year have been resting in a cool area for at least 12-15 weeks, it’s time to re-plant them. The longer the plant bulbs have been “resting” the larger the plants will be. Plant bulbs that have been dormant in a cold area for less than 12 weeks, produce smaller plants that may not bloom.

Place your newly planted bulbs in a bright, cool area (50°- 60°F ( 10°- 15.6°C), water well, and feed with an all purpose plant food at ½ the recommended strength. Once leaves and buds appear, move the containers of bulbs to a warmer, brighter location, 65°-75°F (18.3-23.9°C). Never put the bulbs in direct sun. Keep the soil damp but not soggy.

After the plant has finished flowering, plant the bulbs outside in your garden or store them in a cool place to be used again next year.