Planting your bulb
If you have one bulb, you can use a small about 4-5 inches (10-13 cm) wide and tall. For multiple bulbs, the pot should be wide enough so each bulb is about 1.5 to 2 inches (4-5cm) apart. Use a
well-draining soil mix, such as 2 parts potting soil to 1 part
perlite Bury the bulb so the top of it (which is the pointier end) is about 1/2 inch (2 cm) below the surface. If your bulb is dormant - Add just enough water so the soil is lightly moist throughout, and keep it this moist until it sprouts. Don't fully saturate the soil, but don't let it dry out. If your bulb has leaves - Water the soil so it's evenly moist (but not fully saturated). See the wilting-prevention tips on this page. Try to keep it between about 65 and 80 degrees F (18-27°C) during the day (a little cooler at night is ok). If your bulb is dormant, it may take anywhere from 2 weeks to 3 months to sprout, depending on when it went dormant. Once it sprouts, keep the soil evenly moist (don't let it dry out, nor stay constantly saturated). Give it bright light, but shade it from strong sun. It doesn't need much direct sunlight to thrive - just bright light (See: "Growing indoors with LED lights"). Feed about every 3 months with an all-purpose fertilizer that contains micronutrients, following the dosage on the package. Dormancy -- The bulb eventually drops all or most of its leaves and goes dormant for around 2 or 3 months. When this happens, keep the soil slightly moist (not fully dry) and at room temperature until it emerges from dormancy. If you wish, you may separate any baby bulbs that have emerged. If you choose to leave them together, you may need to use a larger container. Pests to watch for -- Mealybugs may attack the bulbs (look for cottony growth where the leaves emerge from the ground). To control mealybugs, try using an insecticidal soap soil drench. Have fun growing it! - Jeff Strange Wonderful Things
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(use small- or medium-size perlite, not large chunks)
or
coarse sand.