Question:
“I purchased a number of the bulbs Chris brought with him when he spoke to our Knoxville Garden Club in May. . . . Please tell me how deep those should be planted. Those are HUGE bulbs . . . . I only wish I’d purchased more!” -Mary
Reply:
Hello, Mary.
Thanks for writing in. Glad to hear you’ve secured and shared the crinum bulbs. Here are planting instructions for the crinum:
Plant in full sun to part shade. A full day of full sun is best, but a half day of full sun will also do.
Plant in soil with good drainage.
Plant the round, large part of the bulb about 3 inches under the soil, leaving 2 inches of the bulb “neck” (the slender part) above the soil to allow easy foliage emergence.
No need to fertilize or amend soil, unless your soil is hard clay.
Plant crinum about 3-4 bulbs per square foot for a dense, showy display.
Plant crinum 1-2 bulbs per square foot for a more gradual display.
Remember that the crinum will take 2-3 years in your soil before sending up blooms, although you’ll have foliage the first year and for most of the year.
I hope this helps. Please let us know if we can help in any other way!
Best regards,
Michael