The MGS Forum
Gardening in mediterranean climates => General Cultivation => Topic started by: Daisy on March 18, 2013, 09:15:00 AM
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I have bought some fertiliser high in phosphorus for my narcissus bulbs.
Can I give some to all my bulbous and rhizomatous plants?
I have tulips, crocus, hyacinths, moraea, alstromerias, alliums, crocosmia, dierama, freesias, lilies, cyclamen, dahlias, galanthus, gladioli, hippeastrum, gloriosa and Tropaeolum tricolor.
Can I use it for all, or just some of these?
Daisy :)
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Daisy what,s the NPK ratio? Normally you would give high PO4 in the autumn. Maybe one of the bulb fundis has a better idea..?
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You can use a high-phosphorus fertiliser on all bulbs. Generally, the ones which have the highest need for it are the ones which you'd normally plant in autumn - daffodils, tulips etc.
I have come to the conclusion that some of the plants you mention, notably cyclamen, lilies and moraeas, are generally happiest and longest-living if given very little fertiliser (but I know a lot of people disagree!). And at least on normal soils alliums don't seem to need much fertiliser to flower well.
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Thank-you David and Alistair. The NPK ratio is 10-20-0.
It rained a little yesterday, so I can apply it today and water it in.
I won't give any to the cyclamen, lilies or alliums, but I will give just a little to Morea polystachya as it didn't flower quite so well last autumn, as it did the previous year.
Daisy :)