Garden Preparation
An appreciation of the conditions under which bulbs grow in nature is of considerable help in understanding their needs in cultivation, but is by no means all-sufficient. When plants are grown away from their native homes-and perhaps are accommodated in pots indoors-they may respond to quite different soils, temperatures, moisture conditions, etc., than those to which they are subjected in the wild.
- Handle bulbs carefully. Any scarred or punctured bulb is more susceptible to decay or infestation.
- Make sure that the soil is the proper one. This might be hard to achieve, but generally an earth midway between sand and clay and containing a generous measure of organic matter is what most plants want.
- All plants need watering, but you should also provide good drainage. An overabundance of water around bulbs during the dormant period is particularly harmful.
- Plants respond to fertile soil, but fertilizers must not be used carelessly. Improper dosage can do more harm than good.
- When dealing with insects and diseases, proper diagnosis of the trouble is of primary importance.