OT Ping Chris Hog

Chris: I have bought some Mirabilis bulbs for my front garden. Do I plant them with the pointed end down? The pointed end has what looks like a tail sticking out of it. Google is not a lot of help. Taa.

Reply to
Mr Pounder
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Pointed end down, like a carrot or parsnip. See

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and scroll down.

If ever you're in any doubt as to which way up to plant a tuber or bulb, plant it on it's side. It will know which way to grow.

PS: It's Hogg with two g's BTW!

Reply to
Chris Hogg

Ahhh, thanks. I did plant some spring flowering bulbs on their side a while ago. A million apologies for spelling your name wrong :-)

Reply to
Mr Pounder

Up I'd say. Brian

Reply to
Brian Gaff

Not sure about that bit.

I did this with some Daffodils when i was a young un, and only one came up. Brian

Reply to
Brian Gaff

Seems its down. I also once planted daffodil bulbs with the pointed end down; nothing happened. I won't mention the watering of weeds. Mr Hogg is The Man!

Reply to
Mr Pounder

I don't think they are bulb - but some form of tuber. We have had some grow fine when planted "sideways" and, I suspect, some were upside down.

Reply to
polygonum

Yes, they are tuber. My mistake. There is only 3 of these bulbs er, tubers in a packet. Do they propagate? I think that means spread out or something.

Reply to
Mr Pounder

To some extent, yes. And they can grow from modest size we buy to a kilogram or more.

Reply to
polygonum

The tuber gets bigger over the years and extra tubers grow from the original, a bit like a dahlia, assuming it survives winter frosts (they're not totally hardy). Some recommend lifting it in the autumn and storing in a frost-free place, again rather like a dahlia tuber. Propagation is most easily done by sowing seed. Older plants can be lifted in the Spring and the tubers divided up. See

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for Bob Flowerdew's description, or
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for loadzalinks to related articles.

Reply to
Chris Hogg

I have some other sort of bulbs dug up from last year in long plastic troughs in my garage. These troughs are gonna be put in the garden when it gets warmer. You said that this was okay a few months ago. There seem to be little toadstools growing in the troughs. Do I just leave them be?

Reply to
Mr Pounder

The toadstools are the fruiting bodies of a fungus growing in the soil. In themselves they will do no harm, but you can pick them off and throw them away if you like. Wash your hands after, just to be on the safe side.

Reply to
Chris Hogg

Reply to
Mr Pounder

Taa, I may as well just leave them alone. I put a little water on the soil this morning. The soil seemed to be damp but I've not watered it for ages.

Reply to
Mr Pounder

Sounds good. Alliums, IIRC. Just very slightly damp is what's needed to keep them from drying out but not so damp they rot.

Reply to
Chris Hogg

10/10 for remembering the names. I was too lazy to go out to the garage to check the old bulb packets.
Reply to
Mr Pounder

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