South African Bulb Order

michaelcmace@gmail.com michaelcmace@gmail.com
Wed, 27 Nov 2019 17:56:01 PST
David asked about converting bulbs from one hemisphere to another.

In the past, the consensus from most of the members has been that they plant
the bulbs right away and hope for the best, and I think that's definitely
the right approach for bulbs with perennial roots, like Amaryllis,
Gethyllis, etc. But for totally dormant bulbs, such as corms, I have in the
past tried storing them in the refrigerator until it's autumn in my climate.


You have to make sure they stay dry but not dessicated (I used a ziploc bag
with a piece of paper towel in it to absorb condensation). I haven't
imported bulbs for years because of all the regulations, but back in the day
it worked pretty well. You have to check the bulbs every couple of weeks to
see if they're sprouting, and if they do sprout you have to plant them
immediately.

I've also stored Amaryllis 'Multiflora' seeds for a year this way
(accidentally; there was a small bag at the back of the fridge). The seeds
sprouted and then went into kind of suspended animation. If they're wet
they'll rot, and if they are exposed to the dry air in the fridge they'll
dry out, but as long as they're just moist they'll hang around for a long
time...

Good luck!

Mike
San Jose, CA


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