Where to get bulbs for so ca

6 years ago

I'm planting more and more bulbs. What do you like and where can I get it? I've got bulb fever this week. Please enable.

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gyr_falcon

6 years ago

I like to use bulbs that provide a long blooming season. Freesias love this climate and will increase easily. Mine are in bloom for months.

Hippeastrum (sold as Amaryllis for the holidays) get huge in the ground and are very showy. I mixed mine with agapanthus, which has similar foliage and blooms later.

I also mix Hippeastrum with Hymenocallis 'Sulphur Queen' in pots. The foliage looks similar, and immediately after the Hippeastrum finish blooming, the Hymenocallis begins.

Bletilla is a rhizome orchid that can sometimes be found where bulbs are sold (or ask someone with a big clump ;) to share). I use mine like a groundcover.

Those are my favorites!

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Comments (12)

Embothrium
6 years ago
What do nearby independent garden centers have?
Nil13 usda:10a sunset:21 LA,CA (Mount Wash.)
6 years ago
The ones that do really well for me are Scilla peruviana, Chasmanthe floribunda, and of course Amaryllis belladonna.
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Also I noticed the muscari is already starting to get some green stems poking out on the top of the bulb, do these need to be planted now even though they weren't chilled yet or is it ok to put them in the refrigerator? In checking the zone on numerous muscari at Brent and Becky's I see they are for zones up to 9, so would not require chilling. I think it would be fine to either plant now, or to wait and plant a bit later. btw...the foliage of muscari will often emerge in the fall, (which is fine) though they won't bloom until spring time. One more thing, I was just in the garden now digging around and I came across my old hyacinth bulbs that I planted last january. They too seem to be getting green sprouts on the tip of the bulbs. I think it would do them more harm than good to dig them out now as they have broken dormancy and probably started to root in for the growing season. I'd leave them, but chances are they will not bloom well, but then many Hyacinths don't bloom well (big robust blooms) after their initial bloom. I'd suggest digging them next spring about 6 weeks after their normal bloom time and storing them until chill and replanting next fall. Here is more about hyacinths their second season and later...Hyacinths and their flowerings Sue
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gardengal48 (PNW Z8/9)
6 years ago
Those are spectacular photos, gyr!! I can grow bletilla but it doesn't spread like that. Neither do the freesia - they are mostly a one season wonder here, which is unfortunate, as they are my very most favorite cut flower because of their scent. And the hipps are definitely only houseplants in my area. I think the winter soils stay too wet for them.

You guys are so lucky in the choice of bulbs you can plant that are not necessarily hardy in cooler climates. I get bored with the standard spring bloomers - daffs, crocus, tulips, etc.
chadinlg Zone 9b Los Gatos CA
6 years ago
In addition to those mentioned you should try more South African bulbs.. all these are permanent for me...

Babiana, Ipheon, Ixia, Sparaxis, Tritonia, Watsonia

And Ranunculus

I have used Brent and Becky, Easy to Grow Bulbs...
gobluedjm 9/18 CA
6 years ago
I got my purple freesias from a local nursery. Two bags of 10 each 9 yrs ago and now I have hundreds. They were put in one area and I have thinned numerous times and now they are everywhere. They multiply faster than bunnies. One year I bought 2 bags of double blue at a big box home improvement store and they were mixed. I keep tearing the red one out. They come up in October to have the winter green and bloom in march-april. I'll get several days of frost each winter but not cold enough for other bulbs. I put in a few grape hyacinth many years ago and they come up but rarely flower. Just 3 flowers of them last year.
Nil13 usda:10a sunset:21 LA,CA (Mount Wash.)
6 years ago
I got fressias from easytogrowbulbs when they donated some bulbs to the Huntington Fall Plant sale that were great. Then I got some more from my local Armstrong nursery and the bulbs came with thrips. That just sucked.

Haemanthus do quite well for me as well, speaking of South Africans.

If you want to get crazy, http://telosrarebulbs.com/
Sunnyin SanDiego
6 years ago
I've got three boxes of bulbs on my dining table right now! I can't help but order when they first become available, then I'll order a few more from elsewhere, then the sales start to wrap up the season and I can't help it there's a third order! Then spring bulb pre-orders have already started...?!?

Easy to Grow Bulbs used to be my favorite, but they've disappointed me more and more lately. Plus shipping is too much, and you have to order $125 for free shipping... Feels silly when I live 15 minutes from them.

Longfield Gardens sells slightly smaller bulbs, but is way cheaper and offers free shipping at only $50 order. Their range is a little more limited, too, but if they have what you want I wouldn't hesitate to recommend them.

Then there's always Brent & Becky's...

Bulb madness!!!
akarinz
6 years ago
Check out Annie's Annuals, https://www.anniesannuals.com/plants/filter/?type=bulb&list=&color=&life=&availability=&water=&sun=&zone=USDA-zone-10a
Parker Turtle
6 years ago
A lot of bulbs grown in other parts of the country don't grow so well in SoCal because they need a winter cold period. So bulb options in SoCal are usually limited.
Sunnyin SanDiego
6 years ago
The selection is definitely different than the typical tulips, hyacinths, and crocus, but the sheer number of bulbs/corms that are perfect for our climate are staggering. Just look for those that originate from the Mediterranean or South Africa, whose climates are very similar to ours -- hot dry summer, mild moist winter -- and you will get freesia, ixia, watsonia, and so much more that naturalize happily. Even the holiday staple Amaryllis will grow happily outdoors for us! Of course you can artificially chill to force bulbs that need a cold winter too, but there are so many options that don't need it here, you'll never get bored. My addiction proves it ;-)
Nil13 usda:10a sunset:21 LA,CA (Mount Wash.)
6 years ago
And there are a ton that absolutely need a summer dry period that we can grow but most everyone else can't because they rot away over the summer.

Where to get bulbs for so ca

gyr_falcon

Comments (12)

Embothrium

Nil13 usda:10a sunset:21 LA,CA (Mount Wash.)

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Nil13 usda:10a sunset:21 LA,CA (Mount Wash.)

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