Bulbs: Oxalis from seed?, 0 by dmj1218

dmj1218 wrote:
I just dumped 3 pots of Oxalis last night that had gone dormant--2 S African species and a Texas native. I use one of those cardboard case boxes the vitamin water comes in (I'm a big consumer of vitamin water--lol--but beer and soda cases work just as good) and turn the pots over and gently spread around the potting soil (it should be dry). Pick thru it carefully--the bulbs can hide. I'm always amazed at the number of offsets--these 3 particular species were about the size of pencil erasers. So if you don't need zillions of them and you just want your collection in small pots (which is what I do); give them a season and they will rapidly increase for you--2 seasons and you'll have enough for in the ground if that's what you want.

Usually I do this every 2 years--sometimes every year if I know I put too many of them in the small pot to begin with. I have winter and summer growing species but I really like the winter growing ones the best.

It amazes me how you get so much growth and flower from pencil eraser sized bulbs.

I really only mess with seeds these days if its something I don't already have--usually seeds from seeds exchanges in various organizations I belong to.

Another thing that's nice about them--most of the species anyway (not sure on the hybrids), really don't like much if any fertilizer--grow them lean. Just make sure the potting soil is good quality and has excellent drainage. That's the key with the Oxalis species anyway, excellent drainage. And bloom will be better in sun.

Its also a very "portable" collection if you need to move.

This Oxalis brasiliensis is coming out of the ground and into a pot just as soon as it goes down. I know it will get lost in the mulch and weeds next season.