soil for bulbs/corms???

I have several new (to me) varieties of oxalis corms to plant. Also achimenes. I am going to plant them in pots. Now for the 64,000 dollar question...what type soil will they like? I just plopped my old oxalis in regular potting soil and they are happy...but I PAID for these and they came from a fancy bulb company...so I am fussing a bit more. LOL I will also soon have some zephyrantes so I'll include them in my inquiry. Thanks in advance for advice!

I would do the same and also add some bone meal that's how I do mine without any problems' Remember to have good drainage but sure you already know that' Sis'

Hello Dale, to add to advice already given.

Achimenes....two parts peat and loam; one part leaf-mould and coarse sand. This is for pot culture.
Oxalis....`sandy loam for those grown both indoors and outdoors.
Zephranthes....light to sandy loam for outdoors.
Two parts loam and one part peat,leafmould, sharp sand or small grit for those grown indoors.

Peter.

Peter...thank you. I wonder where I can get "leaf mould?" These soils all sound reasonable given the descriptions of the plants, but here in the States we are limited to peat moss, perlite, vermiculite, sand and general potting soils. I get confused when you throw in terms like "sandy loam." After all, Peter, we are just colonists! LOL

Hello Dale...help, don't drag me into a colonial battle. :)

With regards to leaf-mould and the quantity you will need I would suggest that if you can journey to some deciduous woodland, and - it is legal to do so and you have permission from the landowner if requred - you could collect some leafmould. In well established woods there will be a depth of leafmuould and the lower portion will be well rotted and just what you need for potting composts. It is best sterilized but of course this is not always possible.
Street or neigbourhood tree leaves can be gathered and composted. You will have to learn which types compost well. Some tree leaves break down very slowly.

Loam is simply earth containing a given percentage of clay particles or sand particles designating it as light, medium or heavy. There is also the term 'fibrous' loam which can be light, medium or heavy loam but also containing a large proportion of fibrous material. in the form of decaying roots,leaves etc. A fibrous loam could be one derived from a turf stack. It would be heavy, medium or light depending on the type of soil on which turf had been growing.

Standard potting compost is fine if you can't make up your own, or you prefer to use it...but bear in mind the term 'standard'. It will grow plants but will never replicate the soil of a plants indigenous region. That has to be formulated by the gardener who is prepared to seek out information on the plants he/she wishes to grow.

The John Innes formulation of composts is a fine standard compost but but often needs to be adjusted by the addition of peat, coarse sand, grit, leaf-mould, etc to more suit the requirements of the plant in question. Your vermiculite and perlite are fine for adding where a more open yet water retentive growing medium is needed.

I was once in need of a cutting compost for rooting some pelargonium cuttings but had no coarse sand available at the time. I went out from the potting shed to a path that had been dressed with old boiler ash. A very coarse and gritty material. I mixed some of this with my sieved loam and peat and had the best rooting ever.

It is a big big suject Dale. And the more you look into a plants preferred growing medium the more interesting it can become. It is no wonder the old gardeners spoke of their 'secret potting mixture'.

http://www.dwsn.fsnet.co.uk/Composts.htm

Peter.


This message was edited Tuesday, Apr 16th 3:24 PM