Allotments 4 All

I read somewhere recently and don't know where or why about someone soaking flower bulbs before planting..can someone explain this to me please.

XX Jeannine

Earlier this year there was an offer of 100 free bulbs.  One variety of these, Ranunculus, is reccommended to be soaked for 24 hours for the bulb to swell to 6 or 8 times its dry bulk size prior to planting. 

 :-\ The information I have managed to find regarding soaking bulbs is because it breaks down a protective layer and because the protective layer of the bulb locks in moisture it also locks out moisture and slows down the growth of their roots. The soaking brings them out of their dormancy... hope this may help.... though I am quite sure a more experienced gardener will be able to improve on this solution.....

Few bulbs/corms benefit from soaking - anemones are a common exception to this. Generally, they are soaked to re-hydrate them, having been de-hydrated to an unnatural degree for sale. Irrespective of that, however, most bulbs shouldn't be soaked or they'll rot. As a rule of thumb, only soak if explicitly told to do so.

Ok so on the  free bulbs we all got which should I soak please , I didn't get any instructionsXX Jeannine

 :-\ To be honest Jeannine not really sure, but found this article regarding anemone bulbs (if you have any amongst the bulbs you have got)
www.easytogrowbulbs.com/index.asp?PageAction=Custom&ID=31
As regards other bulbs seems to me soaking is not the way to go?

Agree with Aromatic - only soak the corms of anemone de Caen and anemone blanda, also ranunculus. No other common bulb that I can think of needs or wants soaking.

Quote from: Jeannine on April 07, 2008, 23:53:52
Ok so on the  free bulbs we all got which should I soak please , I didn't get any instructionsXX Jeannine

Hi Jeaninne,

With the 100 free bulbs, you need to soak the Blue Anenome and the Rannaulus (not sure I spelt that right)  bulbs for 24 hours till they double in size.  I done mine last week and they are already in the ground.  Fingers crossed they grow :)

Oh thank you all, I will do that, LOL

Ask me anything about squash, corn, beans and toms but flowers... ha ha they are just a pleasant dream but I am trying.

XX Jeannine