Growing bulbs for showing

Daffodils

Plant all bulbs in pots. Use any non-soil based compost. Plant late flowering varieties first and the earliest flowering last. Examples of good exhibition daffodils which flower late are: Camelot, Cheerfulness and Unique. These should be planted in the first half of October. Place bulbs with their tops proud of the compost, placing about 3 to a 6" pot. Examples of mid-season flowering varieties are: Rainbow, Ice Wings, Tahiti. These should be planted in the latter half of October. Plant as above. Examples of early flowering varieties are: St Keverne, Bravoure, Avalanche. These should be planted in the first week of November. Again, plant as above.

After potting, place outside, water well and cover with soil, or peat, or straw to a depth of 4". If using straw, protect bulbs with slug pellets underneath the straw. Leave like this until early February, then, providing the whether is not exceptionally frosty, remove the covering above the pot level. This will expose the young shoots to the light and turn them green.

As the season progresses, buds will become evident and should by mid-March be at an equal height to lhe leaves. If this is so, take no further action. However, if it should be the case that the buds are further down in the neck of the plant, remove the pot either to the greenhouse or the warmest, sunniest spot that you can find outside. Should it be the case that due to an exceptionally mild winter the buds are higher than the level of the leaves at this time, remove the pot to the shadiest, coolest spot you can find outside, i.e. under a north wall. This will delay flowering by a week or two.

Tulips

In my opinion, the only Tulips worth considering for show work are the single early, or the mid-season “Triumph Tulips”. Plant all varieties in pots in the first half of November putting 5 bulbs in a 6” pot in any non-soil based compost.

Place outside, water well and cover with soil or peat/leaf mould. DO NOT COVER THESE WITH STRAW, but protect from the ravages of mice! Leave these like this until early February, then remove the covering above pot level. All single early varieties should be left in situ, whilst all mid-season “‘Triumph Tulips” should be removed to the warmest part of the garden, i.e. under a south-facing wall or south aspect. First week of March, inspect the bulbs and with finger and thumb, staffing from the base, move upwards and the bud will be clearly felt in the leaf folds. If the bud is towards the top of the growth, take no further action. However if the bud is at the bottom half of the growth, remove the pot to a greenhouse, conservatory, porch, etc.

Article submitted by David Bassil.