Family Best Time >> Home & Garden

The size of the bulbs

The caliber of the bulbs , essential to know to make your choice.

You have probably noticed that the shelves of bulb plants are full and that the proposals, even in the food industry, are flowing. Your mailbox is also filled with autumn catalogs extolling the merits of a tulip with fringed petals, or a hyacinth with a sweet fragrance.

But in front of this abundance,how to choose , since the garden is not expandable and neither is the purse.

You will fall for a color, a shape and this choice is entirely yours. But why such a price difference between bulbs of the same variety? Size, caliber ! And here things get complicated:how to choose? Because a bulb that is too skinny will only give a semblance of a flower and even if you are lucky.

Below is a table that will help you in your choice. When we talk about bulb size, it is the circumference of the bulb in cm. To invest in bulbs, as long as they bloom... ref:spring-flowering bulbs / page 7 / edt:Horticolore, Vénissieux, 1984. I take this opportunity to make a free advertisement for the collection published by Horticolore, this are real reference books for gardeners and students.

The size of the bulbs

mixed hyacinths

Table of bulb circumferences

Cash

Extra choice

First size

Second thickness

Amaryllis30 and +26/28 28/3024/26Anemone7/8 8/9 and +6/75/6Crocus9/10 and +8/97/8Naples Cyclamen18/20 and +14/16 16/1812/14Imperial Fritillary20 and +18 /20Iris from Holland8/9 and +7/86/7Hyacinth18/19 and +17/1815/16 16/17White lily22/24 and +20/2218/20Muscaris9/10 and +8/97/8Narcissus except botanical 14/16 15/17 and +12/14 12/1510/12Ranunculus8 and +6/7 7/85/6Tulip except botanical 12 and +11/1210/11

Botanical daffodils and tulips have smaller bulbs

Before winter splits me, I will plant my spring bulbs...

The size of the bulbs

botanical tulip