how many bulbs are the normal trade? It is just however you want to offer them...or how many the trader might prefer. Now this is just me, but if I was trading for a named daff I would be satisfied to get 3 in trade...5 or 6 would be better. On some varieties a bulb friend might be doing me a favor by sharing, I would be happy to get even 1 or 2. If you offer in trades of 6 then you can maybe trade with more traders and acquire more varieties than say you trade 12 of one variety for 12 of another variety....but then maybe you were thinking of trading them for other things besides daffs...which would be another ball of wax. Really, it is what makes both traders happy but the final decision is up to you...the offerer. I may dig some of mine that have not multiplied much. I will likely offer them up in quantities of 3 or 5 bulbs....so I can get more varieties. In time, they will multiply anyway...some much better than others. Sue

Wow Susan, thanks! It would have taken me quite a while to figure that out - possibly years! I looked through some photos of different varieties, and I think it looks very close to the Royal Dutch Amaryllis I have linked below. Could this be the variety I have? Here is a link that might be useful: Royal Dutch Amaryllis

The black dots were caterpillar poop. The buds didn't open because the caterpillars destroyed them. This year, watch closel -- very closely -- for damage. The baby caterpillars take on the color of the flower buds, so are difficult to see. Once you find them, use Bt (Bacillus thuringiensis) regularly according to directions.

Repotting cacti every year is not necessary. Most are used to grow in small rock crevices. And watering them once a week or even more often isn't good either. Every 2nd to 3rd week in summer is enough. It is good to let the soil dry out in between the watering. If I interpret that photo correctly you have there a cactus with glued on flowers. If that is the case it has been produced in a 'cactus factory' with a lot of fertilizer and shade. Hence is tissue is 'blown up' and prone to rot. Also the soil you use seems to have too much organic material in it. Jordi