Now the company Hadeco owned by the Barnhoorn family supply bulbs from 8 farms in South Africa all over the world. The bulbs, of which there are 50 types, are mainly flowers but include potatoes, onions, garlic and waterblommetjies. They are supplied to nurseries and retail outlets mainly.
The beautiful bulbs flowering from now and gracing our gardens include the amaryllis, with huge trumpet blooms in reds, pinks and white. Many different types of dahlia, which are storming back into landscaping fashion, fragrant Chlidanthus, Crocosmia, Eucomis (pineapple flower), Gladiolus, Gloriosa (flame lily), Galtonia, Hemerocallis (day lilies) Hymenocallis (white spider lily) Nerine, Polianthes, Sandersonia (Christmas bells), Sprekelia, Tigridia, Zantedeschia (arum lilies in many different colours), Zephyranthese.
Most types, except the dahlia, should be planted NOW to put a wonderful show in your Christmas and early 2020 gardens. Dahlias should be planted at the end of November/December.
Charles taught us :
- Do not lift bulbs in South Africa, particularly the amaryllis, just leave them in place and they will delight you again next year.
- A garden full of blooming bulbs can lift your mood!
- Plant them close together, plant so that the bulb is covered with the same size of soil as the bulb.
- Plant in good loam, soil that has good drainage with compost over the top as a mulch.
- Plant with bonemeal.
- Plant annual seedlings over the top to give instant colour!
- Water bulbs deeply each 3 – 4 days or every 2 days for potted bulbs.
- Feed with nitrogen-rich fertiliser mid season for the leaves. Stop Nitrosol after flowering then feed with Hadeco’s bulb food (rich in potassium).
- To encourage flowering, remove dead petals NOT the flower head.
For more information see www.hadeco.co.za
By Francesca Beattie