Phosphorus for bulbs

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Daisy

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Phosphorus for bulbs
« on: March 18, 2013, 09:15:00 AM »
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 :)
Amateur gardener, who has gardened in Surrey and Cornwall, England, but now has a tiny garden facing north west, near the coast in north east Crete. It is 300 meters above sea level. On a steep learning curve!!! Member of both MGS and RHS

David Bracey

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Re: Phosphorus for bulbs
« Reply #1 on: March 18, 2013, 09:37:21 AM »
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..?
MGS member.

 I have gardened in sub-tropical Florida, maritime UK, continental Europe and the Mediterranean basin, France. Of the 4 I have found that the most difficult climate for gardening is the latter.

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Alisdair

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Re: Phosphorus for bulbs
« Reply #2 on: March 18, 2013, 09:41:18 AM »
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.
Alisdair Aird
Gardens in SE England (Sussex); also coastal Southern Greece, and (in a very small way) South West France; MGS member (and former president); vice chairman RHS Lily Group, past chairman Cyclamen Society

Daisy

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Re: Phosphorus for bulbs
« Reply #3 on: March 18, 2013, 11:11:47 AM »
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 :)
Amateur gardener, who has gardened in Surrey and Cornwall, England, but now has a tiny garden facing north west, near the coast in north east Crete. It is 300 meters above sea level. On a steep learning curve!!! Member of both MGS and RHS