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Nerine Bulb Help

Ian GraingerIan Grainger Posts: 11
in Plants

Hi there! I've been given some Nerine bulbs to grow this year, and was wondering if you could offer me some advice about growing them in pots on my south facing patio?

What type of soil do they need? How deep do the bulbs need to be planted? Do the bulbs require protection from frost? Do the flowers require protection from the sun? That sort of thing! image

Thanks in advance!

Ian

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Posts

  • punkdocpunkdoc Posts: 14,632

    Grow in any good compost, I would use John Innes 2 + added grit.

    Plant with the necks just under the surface of the soil.

    The flowers are fine with full sun, in fact they love it.

    Some Nerines are tender, so to be safe bring the pots into a shed or greenhouse over winter.

    How can you lie there and think of England
    When you don't even know who's in the team

    S.Yorkshire/Derbyshire border
  • Ian GraingerIan Grainger Posts: 11

    @punkdoc - Thank you for the very speedy advice! Exactly the sort of stuff I was looking for!

    Is now the right time to be planting in containers? If so, should I put them in the greenhouse until the danger of frost is over, and bring them out later in the year?

  • YviestevieYviestevie Posts: 7,063

    Hi Ian,  I've just planted two pots of Nerines.  It all depends where you are, I'm in the Midlands and was advised that Bowdenii are OK in the garden.  I've not put the pots in the greenhouse.  Just left them in a sheltered spot.  I've planted half in pots and half in the garden so we'll just have to see how they go.  There are more tender variaties.   I suppose it depends on which type you have.

    Hi from Kingswinford in the West Midlands
  • Janet 2Janet 2 Posts: 114
    I bought some this morning in morrisons,never tried them before so crossing my fingers image
  • PAT 9PAT 9 Posts: 23

    iI planted 3 bulbs last March in a south facing border and they flowered big and tall in Sept or Oct.   We have quite fine sandy soil top dressed with leaf mould and they did great.

    3 years ago I planted 3 bulbs in a large pot on the patio (which also contained a few daffs) for 2 years I had lots of leaves but last Autumn they spiked to almost 4 feet with massive flower heads that lasted for ages.  So they were in old compost that doesn't have anything added and which dries out quite quickly.

     

  • LynLyn Posts: 23,089

    I live in Devon and cant grow these outside in the garden.

    I do exactly the same as Punkdoc and bring them in for the winter. I am not sure if its cold they wont tolerate or wet, and we do get a lot of rain lately. 

    Gardening on the wild, windy west side of Dartmoor. 

  • PAT 9PAT 9 Posts: 23

    They need to build up a good fleshy root system from bulbs with necks above soil, they hate being water sodden so good drainage and can dry out without damage.  They don't need cosseting over winter and love full sun.

  • punkdocpunkdoc Posts: 14,632

    PAT, some species do need a bit of TLC. Bowdenii are hardy, but some of the other species are not.

    How can you lie there and think of England
    When you don't even know who's in the team

    S.Yorkshire/Derbyshire border
  • PAT 9PAT 9 Posts: 23

    Sorry, thought we were discussing Bowdenii as these are the ones which are universally marketed through garden centres and supermarkets.

  • LunariaLunaria Posts: 144

    I live about as far north in Scotland as you can go. I have a cliff top garden, we are battered by the wind. Bowdenii grows fine here without any fuss just leave the top of the bulb above ground, as others as said. 

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