Biodiversity
Introduction
Now is the time to start planting your bulbs indoors.You can even start to think about growing your Christmas presents and begin by decorating the container you are planting the bulb in.
Decorating your pots
If using terracotta pots you can decorate them with water based emulsion paint. It is a good idea to have at least two colours. You will need wide and thin paint brushes. You do not need to paint the base of the pot and only have to paint the inside down as far as where the compost comes up to. When you have decided what design you want to paint, you can paint it on with the thin brushes. If using two colours you will need to let the first coat/colour dry first. You can paint on stripes, dots, flowers, anything you like. Let your imagination go.
All kinds of flower bulbs have had fascinating journeys from the country where they originated to where they are now grown worldwide. Find out where your bulbs came from originally.
Three great plants you can sow now are Indoor Hyacinths (make sure you buy the indoor ones) Paperwhites (beautiful perfume) a member of the Narcissus family and the wonderful Amaryllis.
Hyacinths can be grown either in a potting compost or over water. Specialised glass containers are used to suspend the Hyacinth bulb over the water.
Materials needed:
- You can buy bulbs, containers and potting compost in your local garden centre. Your containers can be any waterproof item, Metal, Terracotta, Plastic.
- For Paperwhites you will need a container without holes and small pebbles
- For Hyacinths you will need either a container with holes and good draining potting compost or a special Hyacinth Glass Container
- For your Amaryllis you will need a container with holes that is about 3/4 inch larger than your bulb size and good draining potting compost.
Enjoy!
Paperwhite
Fill your container without holes with small pebbles up to an inch from the top. You can use a plastic, terracotta or even tin container. Think about recycling.
Plant the bulbs. Place the bulbs on the surface of the pebbles. Crowded them together but not quite touching. Add more pebbles around you bulbs, up to about one third of the bulb. The pebbles will support the bulbs as they grow. The bulbs need to stay above the water as they might grow mold. Water and wait for the roots to grow. Leave the containers in a cool site, about 60 degrees with little or no light. This is a time for the roots to grow. Continue to water sparingly. After a week or two tug slightly to see if any roots are developing. Be careful not to tug too hard Once they feel well rooted move them to a bright spot, but not in direct sunlight. They should flower within four to five weeks.
Hyacinths
It is best to plant these bulbs in groups of 3 or 5. A six inch container will take a group of 3 without touching. Fill the bottom of your container with potting compost and push your bulbs into it gently. Fill the container up with compost and leave the top of the bulb sticking out. Leave about an inch below the top of the container so that you can water without spilling. Water the compost twice and settle the compost around the bulbs.
Place your watered container in a cool dark place, a shed is a great place. Keep the compost watered, but not too much or the bulb will just rot. Within six to eight weeks green shoots will appear. When they are about two inches high, bring the bulbs in a cool room with lots of light.
Amaryllis
Plant your bulb up to its neck in potting compost being careful not to damage the roots. Amaryllis only like to have a little space around them. Press down to make sure the bulb is firmly in place.
Place the potted bulb in a warm place with direct light, since it needs heat to develop its stem. Water lightly until the green stem appears. Water more when the buds and leaves appear. Bulbs will flower after about seven to ten weeks.
Now is the time to start planting your bulbs indoors.You can even start to think about growing your Christmas presents and begin by decorating the container you are planting the bulb in.
Decorating your pots
If using terracotta pots you can decorate them with water based emulsion paint. It is a good idea to have at least two colours. You will need wide and thin paint brushes. You do not need to paint the base of the pot and only have to paint the inside down as far as where the compost comes up to. When you have decided what design you want to paint, you can paint it on with the thin brushes. If using two colours you will need to let the first coat/colour dry first. You can paint on stripes, dots, flowers, anything you like. Let your imagination go.
All kinds of flower bulbs have had fascinating journeys from the country where they originated to where they are now grown worldwide. Find out where your bulbs came from originally.
Three great plants you can sow now are Indoor Hyacinths (make sure you buy the indoor ones) Paperwhites (beautiful perfume) a member of the Narcissus family and the wonderful Amaryllis.
Hyacinths can be grown either in a potting compost or over water. Specialised glass containers are used to suspend the Hyacinth bulb over the water.
Materials needed:
- You can buy bulbs, containers and potting compost in your local garden centre. Your containers can be any waterproof item, Metal, Terracotta, Plastic.
- For Paperwhites you will need a container without holes and small pebbles
- For Hyacinths you will need either a container with holes and good draining potting compost or a special Hyacinth Glass Container
- For your Amaryllis you will need a container with holes that is about 3/4 inch larger than your bulb size and good draining potting compost.
Enjoy!
Paperwhite
Fill your container without holes with small pebbles up to an inch from the top. You can use a plastic, terracotta or even tin container. Think about recycling.
Plant the bulbs. Place the bulbs on the surface of the pebbles. Crowded them together but not quite touching. Add more pebbles around you bulbs, up to about one third of the bulb. The pebbles will support the bulbs as they grow. The bulbs need to stay above the water as they might grow mold. Water and wait for the roots to grow. Leave the containers in a cool site, about 60 degrees with little or no light. This is a time for the roots to grow. Continue to water sparingly. After a week or two tug slightly to see if any roots are developing. Be careful not to tug too hard Once they feel well rooted move them to a bright spot, but not in direct sunlight. They should flower within four to five weeks.
Hyacinths
It is best to plant these bulbs in groups of 3 or 5. A six inch container will take a group of 3 without touching. Fill the bottom of your container with potting compost and push your bulbs into it gently. Fill the container up with compost and leave the top of the bulb sticking out. Leave about an inch below the top of the container so that you can water without spilling. Water the compost twice and settle the compost around the bulbs.
Place your watered container in a cool dark place, a shed is a great place. Keep the compost watered, but not too much or the bulb will just rot. Within six to eight weeks green shoots will appear. When they are about two inches high, bring the bulbs in a cool room with lots of light.
Amaryllis
Plant your bulb up to its neck in potting compost being careful not to damage the roots. Amaryllis only like to have a little space around them. Press down to make sure the bulb is firmly in place.
Place the potted bulb in a warm place with direct light, since it needs heat to develop its stem. Water lightly until the green stem appears. Water more when the buds and leaves appear. Bulbs will flower after about seven to ten weeks.
