Scaling and Twin Scaling of bulbs

We all buy and plant bulbs, wait for them to grow, flower, and eventually multiply, don't we?

Well, other methods can be used to increase the number of bulbs you have more quickly than the old conventional methods we normally use: like growing seeds or waiting for bulbs to naturally multiply, as some do this very slowly.

With Liliums, you can use the SCALING technique.

All you have to do is pull off single scales and plant them. Just pick a few so you replant the original bulb without any harmful effect to it. Dip them in a fungicide dust (Rose dust will do) and use wet vermiculite to store them. A plastic kitchen bag will do to keep them in , and then put them in a dark place at about 25 degrees celcius, although this is not crucial.

When the bulbils have grown, pot them up individually but leave them attached to the piece they are growing on to prevent damage to them. Flowers will take about two to three years to eventuate.

Alternatively, after dipping in fungicide, just place them in a pot, just cover slightly with mix and wait for them to grow.

Now, that's easy isn't it?

Another successful way of bulb multiplication is:

TWIN SCALING

This is particularly successful with Liliums also but there are also other bulbs you can use this method on.(see below.)

The bulbs you use must have a basal plate and scales similar to an onion. The tunicate bulb is then sectioned into pairs of scales and these will eventually produce small bulbils. A lot of new bulbils will come from each section. Follow the procedure below, and be aware of cleanliness. You will need a sterile knife with a sharp cutting blade.

TWIN SCALING.

The best procedure to follow is:

• Start a few months before the planting time of the particular species you are using.
• Sterilize the bulbs in a bleach solution (1 part bleach) [household bleach will do] to 10 parts of water for about five minutes.
• Then wash bulbs in clean water.
• Cut off a third (top) of the bulb.
• Cut the bulb down the centre, top to bottom, four times until you have four quarters.
• Separate two outer scales per section from the inner scales, without breaking them off the basal plate.