How can I help get bulbs to multiply?

Question

I have planted several dutch iris, and some large irises.I also plan to plan tulips, and daffodills I want to have a large blub garden. Does anywone know how I can help them begin to multiply?

Answer 1

Of all the bulbs, tulips are "heavy feeders" and require fertilization as foliage emerges and again after flowering. Fertilize other bulbs after flowering to support foliage and increase bulb size.
As bulbs finish blooming, remove faded blooms to eliminate seed set that reduces bulb growth. Maintain foliage for six weeks for good bulb growth and rebloom the following season. Do not cut or braid foliage, but allow it to die down naturally. Foliage can be removed when it has yellowed, fallen over, and comes loose when slightly tugged.

Buy really good bulbs that have been stored properly. I buy bulbs from John Scheepers or Van Engelen because they grow healthy bulbs, promptly replace or refund if shipping damage occurs and have the best prices. Well I like Colorblends also but they are tulips only.

http://www.johnscheepers.com/index.html
They sell Dutch Organic Bulb food (7-10-5 fertilizer)

http://www.vanengelen.com/


Narcissi, like most bulbous plants, thrive in slightly acid soils (pH 6.0 -6.5). Do not add any limestone unless you have your soil tested.
As a general rule, plant narcissus bulbs twice as deep as their greatest diameter in medium to heavy soils and about three times their depth in sandy soil. Minimum spacing will vary from 3 inches for small bulbs to 5 to 7 inches for large bulbs. Planting too close results in poor development of foliage and flowers. The closer the bulbs are planted together, the more massive the color display, but it will be necessary to dig the bulbs and divide them sooner to keep up flowering. Narcissi do multiply in time, so wider spacing will eventually result in a dense stand of plants.

Iris will thrive in most well-drained garden soils. Planting on a slope or in raised beds helps ensure good drainage. If your soil is heavy, coarse sand or humus may be added to improve drainage. A pH of 6 to 7 is preferred.

Iris should be planted so the tops of the rhizomes are exposed and the roots are spread out facing downward in the soil. In very light soils or in extremely hot climates, covering the rhizome with 1 inch of soil may be desirable. A common mistake is to plant Iris too deeply.
Bone meal, superphosphate and 3-5-5 are all effective. A light application in the early spring and a second light application about a month after bloom will reward you with good growth and bloom. Avoid using anything high in nitrogen, as nitrogen encourages rot problems.
Poor flowering is normally due to planting in excessive shade, using excessive nitrogen fertilizer, or planting the rhizomes too deep. Limited flowering may also occur if plants become too crowded and need dividing.

Bonemeal is a traditional fertilizer for bulbous plants that
releases phosphorus slowly, but it is usually too low in
nitrogen to be used alone. An additional source of
nitrogen must be used together with bonemeal. Wood
ash is an alternative way to supply potassium. For
average situations, apply 3 to 4 pounds of bonemeal and
5 to 6 pounds of wood ash to each 100 square feet of
soil.

Organic recipes N-P-K

3-7-5
1 part dried blood
1 part phosphate rock
3 parts wood ashes

0-5-4
1 part phosphate rock
3 parts greensand
2 parts wood ashes

Greensand; 0-1.5-7
Mined from old ocean deposits; used as soil conditioner; it holds water and is high in iron, magnesium, and silica - 32 trace minerals in all.

Wood Ashes; 0-1.5-7
Very fast acting and highly alkaline (usually used to raise pH). Contains many micronutrients.

Bone Meal (steamed); 1-11-0
Releases nutrients slowly.

Answer 2

They will multiply all by themselves. Just fertilize, water and all will happen naturally, new bulbs growing each year. Enjoy.

Answer 3

as far as I know, you have to let them multiply on their own, but each year, you can dig up the new baby shoots and plant them a little further away from the main patch, in time they will spread together, but it still just takes time.