Pick sunny spot with good drainage, loosen soil, plant immediately.

Actually Naked Ladies prefer shade in California, not sun. That's one of their perks!
Carla in Sac

Correction
The bulb baron says NOT where they get deep shade in winter, so not that kind of shade ;) but spring/summer shade is OK

http://www.billthebulbbaron.com/AboutWhere.htm

Carla in Sac

Two relevant variables will be which particular kind of naked ladies original poster is asking about and also which specific California climate is involved - the statement

Actually Naked Ladies prefer shade in California

implies any one locale in California is the same as any other, when actually this is far from the case.

I got all of my naked ladies from the Bulb Baron back about 20 years ago! All kinds of cool colors. I have all of mine in full sun. They are native to South Africa so a Mediterranean climate is what they prefer. Anywhere in CA that approximates their native land will work fine. The one tip that Bill (Bulb Baron) gave me was that they don't perform well in years when there is no late rain. We had a couple of years where there was no rain after early February and the blooming was sparse and erratic. So if that happens, make sure to provide supplemental irrigation. Other than that, they do not need any summer water.

Again no indication of which particular plant is being talked about is given - the common name naked lady is used for more than one kind.

Well, we all seem to know what we are talking about--have you tried clicking on my link, for a better understanding??

Not sure we do all know what we are talking about :-) As mentioned, more than one plant has the common name of naked lady - Amaryllis belladona, Colchicum autumnale, and Lycoris squamigera. Apparently even Euphobia tirucalli (aka pencil cactus) can have this appellation, although I doubt that is what is being discussed here.

In the SF Bay Area (where the OP lives) the only thing that anyone calls naked ladies is Amaryllis belladonna. They are in full bloom all over Sonoma County right now. And that is what the Bulb Baron sells, as noted above.

In the SF Bay Area (where the OP lives) the only thing that anyone calls naked ladies is Amaryllis belladonna.

You know this how? Have you conducted a survey, of every gardener in the area?

Naked lady flowers (Amaryllis Belladonna) grow like weeds where I live in Sonoma County -- we can see 1/2 mile of them growing along the roadside in August, and I don't know of anyone who plants them intentionally. Many of them simply have been there for 20-30 years.

It does not matter if you plant in part shade or in sun, although they seem a little bigger and deeper pink in sun. I don't think I've seen them in full shade, like under redwoods, but I've definitely seen them in blazing hot sun in the worst clay soil in the world, as well as in pretty dappled oak shade.

Easy plant to grow if the conditions are right. I know Sonoma and Marin County both are perfect for them in August. Bloom for three weeks, maybe a month at most, and then done. Probably one of the least fussy flowers here.

I plan to grow some in my back yard, along a fence, but no one seems to remember planting them who I've asked, so I'm not sure when! I am thinking maybe early Spring, just after frost, but no idea oddly, because they are just everywhere here.

@Sara Malone Zone 9b, I'm in Sonoma County and not a person I know has any idea when to plant Naked Lady flowers, because I think everyone inherited them, more or less, because they grow so tenaciously here. However, I want to plant a new stand of them along a sunny fence I have.

When should I plant the bulbs in the ground here?

You know...I am not sure either! But they don't like being moved so they will take a few years to bloom. I seem to remember that I just waited until fall when the ground was soft and went ahead with it, planting them the same way one plants most bulbs. I finally got rid of most of mine because the dying foliage was too obvious (I had planted them along a little-used driveway and then we started a business at the end of it so suddenly lots of traffic and eyeballs there).

Much thanks, Sara! I know, it's so funny but no one has any idea here when to plant them because mainly people ignore them for all but three weeks in August. And I know about the foliage. Mine are going in an area which is just in my yard, so there I have no worries. I'll try planting them when I would any lily, in the Fall, for certain (still trying to decide when "Fall" is here! It's been so warm the past few years that it's been hard to know). And I will bear in mind that they may take a while to establish, bummer... I love them so much because of the smell.

Appreciate your response!

I also got many A. belladona and hybrids from Bill (William R. Welch). Sadly he passed this summer and there is no longer a functioning website.

They are gorgeous right now. I went to Sebastopol yesterday and saw them blooming all along 116. The smell IS great, too. When I had a large stand I used to cut them and make bouquets and they would perfume the entire room.

NOOO Bill died??? Buying his bulbs was always on my wish list!!!