I'm going to collect South African small bulb plants little by little. At the beginning, I sow lachenalia seed and now they've come out!! I have a question of transplant. When should I transplant them in several? Should I do that right away or wait until spring? And then, please someone tell me how to care after the transplant.
Thank you.
The only problem with Lachenalia is they dont adapt to the northern hemisphere ie the continue to grow and flower when the heat of summer has past. During the autumn the bulbs come to life and flower around Christmas. They then need good light conditions to make next years bulb and flower. When the leaves start to turn yellow stop watering them and set them away out of the way. Around September give them a little drink to wake them up and when the leaves just poke out of the soil water a little more and after about two weeks get into a regular cycle of watering them.
make sure the soil your seedlings are in is very well drained ie top soil and grit in a 50/50 mix and top dressed with grit. Leave them in the pot until their leaves die down and carefully knock them out to see how they are doing. They can grow fast. I grow 6-10 in a 6inch clay pot.
This message was edited Nov 5, 2003 5:20 PM
I agree with Mark, wait til the leaves die down. You may find that they don't die back in the first year, they don't seem to mind being crowded so just keep them where they are until the leaves do die back.
I must admit, I wait until the leaves poke above the soil before I water them, mine also like a slightly moist soil when they are in growth and kept completely dry when dormant.
Maybe in time we could have an South African plant forum here to discuss their wonderful flora more.
good idea but I dont know if there are enough specialists here
Hello mark and Baa.
Thank you for your detailed account. It helps me a lot! I'll track growth in the seedlings until the leaves do die back. And then, I'll replant them into very well drained soil.
Baa,
I also think it'a good idea! South Africa is a treasure house of plants:)
