Viable Tubers for Our Climate

[Hamad]

being a Tuber lover I like 99% of Tuber plants and flowers but unfortunately for some our climate don't suits them and we cant enjoy them or to have them in out gardens, following is my wish list (I wish to bring following plants in wah cantt Pakistan) if any forum member has first hand experience of growing them of have any knowledge regarding how to grow and care for them, and mainly my question is IF THEY CAN BE GROWN IN OUR CLIMATE OR NOT AS I LIVE IN WAH CANTT THAT HAS THE SAME CLIMATE OR TEMPERATURE AS RWL/ISL.

all the members are requested to participate

thanking you in anticipation

my wish list

Agapanthus
Acidanthera
Alstroemeria
Allium
Babiana
Belladonna
Begonia
Calla Lily
Caladium
Crocus all varieties
Chionodoxa
Chlidanthus
Eranthis
Erythronium
Eucharis Amazonica
Fritiliaria
Hyacinth
Iris all varieties
Ipheion
Ixia
Lilies all varieties
Pieione
Schizostylis
Sparaxis
Tulips all varieties

if I missed any tuber who really do well in Pakistan (flower and propagate) please do advise me as I do have few, tube rose, Daffs narcissis (gule nargis), Amaryllis, Gladioli, Freesia, Dahlia, Daylilies, rain lilies, crinum, hymenocalis and Lycoris


Hamad

[Tahir Khan]

being a Tuber lover I like 99% of Tuber plants and flowers but unfortunately for some our climate don't suits them and we cant enjoy them or to have them in out gardens, following is my wish list (I wish to bring following plants in wah cantt Pakistan) if any forum member has first hand experience of growing them of have any knowledge regarding how to grow and care for them, and mainly my question is IF THEY CAN BE GROWN IN OUR CLIMATE OR NOT AS I LIVE IN WAH CANTT THAT HAS THE SAME CLIMATE OR TEMPERATURE AS RWL/ISL.

all the members are requested to participate

thanking you in anticipation

my wish list

Agapanthus
Acidanthera
Alstroemeria
Allium
Babiana
Belladonna
Begonia
Calla Lily
Caladium
Crocus all varieties
Chionodoxa
Chlidanthus
Eranthis
Erythronium
Eucharis Amazonica
Fritiliaria
Hyacinth
Iris all varieties
Ipheion
Ixia
Lilies all varieties
Pieione
Schizostylis
Sparaxis
Tulips all varieties

if I missed any tuber who really do well in Pakistan (flower and propagate) please do advise me as I do have few, tube rose, Daffs narcissis (gule nargis), Amaryllis, Gladioli, Freesia, Dahlia, Daylilies, rain lilies, crinum, hymenocalis and Lycoris


Hamad

Some of the bulbs that will grow OK here are:

Sparaxis: They are super easy just plant them like freesias and they will bloom crazy, the multiply a lot, I had planted 10 bulbs last season and ended up with 25 bulbs at harvest time

Ixia: Were a big failure for me, all 10 planted bulbs rotted 1 by 1, if you keep them dry their foliage becomes yellow, if you water them well they rot, I will try 5 bulbs this season with different soil mixture.. lets see.

Eucharis amazonica: Are growing very healthy, they will do good if placed indoors or in a full shaded spot like Hostas, I hope it flowers soon..BTW kaleem sb is growing it successfully in Mirpur.

Babiana: Dr. Ay khan is growing them successfully they are from freesia family... will do good here.

Chlidanthus: Haris Kabir is growing it successfully with no problems at all, it belongs to rain lily family... yet to see his plants flower.

Acidanthera: Will be planting them this season, they are from gladioli family... chances are they will do good.

Caladium, Calla lily, Agapanthus: I have seen all of these growing and flowering here in Islamabad, but they require a bit humid and shady environment like that Karachi has..same environment goes for Eucharis as well.

Hyacinth: Does well if bought new every year, performance of saved bulbs is not up to the mark.

[aykhan]

My experience

Allium - most require chill to flower so will need refrigerating. I got a couple of different warm climate varieties which didn't flower

Babiana - they do exceptionally well for me and its been two seasons in a row these beauties have flowered for me

Belladonna - my second year with them in pot and ground. Not flowered yet. If they don't flower this Fall I will loose all hope.

Calla Lily - they will flower but hard to keep for next year

Caladium - do well in Lahore but hard to save for next year.

Hyacinth - annual. Next year becomes lanky and flower is not as pretty

Iris all varieties - Tall Bearded can be kept as perennials by buy only re blooming for best chance of bloom. Must be raised bed with excellent drainage or will rot in monsoon.

Ixia - good. Can be saved for next year.

Sparaxis - do well and come back

Tulips all varie - chill before planting. No good saving them for next year.

All bulbs require a well draining mix and really no need to fertilize at all.

[Hamad]

Thank you all, I will consider your guide and plan accordingly

Tahir
Chlidanthus: Haris Kabir is growing it successfully with no problems at all, it belongs to rain lily family... yet to see his plants flower.

can you ask him if they are flowering for him?

Hamad

[UMARKHANMARDAN]

Hamad Agapanthus is in full bloom in galiat these days.it will not perform here in Islamabad.
Alestromeria lilly will never flower not only flower but will not even sprout.
Tuberous Begonia kya baat ched di ap ne its my most favorite specially the Non stop series.But it will just sprot & vanished.
Crocus some varieties may flower here but Pick wick is a failure.
Pieioney i am lover of this flower.i have tried it here but its a failure.
You know Hamad Cyclamens,Fuchia,Hydrangias,Free flowering Magnolia,African viloets,Giant Dahlia,Daffodils,True lilies,Primulas,Tuberous Begonia & Pieiones are my most favorites & i have tried them here at Islamabad,Mardan but only failure.
Some plants do not even survive.If some flowers lie Decorative Dalias or LIlies there is no perfection.
Caladium is fit for Karachi here you will lose 80% of the tubers even in the first year.Calla lilly is very hard to save here.Its another thing that there are many giant Calla lilies at CMH kohat but when ever i bring it it never flowers in second year.

[UMARKHANMARDAN]

Sparaxis will do well but i don,t like.they can not match the beauty of Cyclamens or Dahlia.Here the only bulb i have seen which is very succeful is Amaryllis Heppistrum hybrids.

[aykhan]

No doubt Khan sahib, amaryllis has few bulbs to match it's beauty and ease of use as well as keeping habit. It is also perennial here in Lahore.

[Hamad]

Umar Khan I was waiting for your participation, thank you very much for sharing your valuable first-hand experience with us, this will open my mind and will help me a lot to select what I want to have in my home town instead of wasting my time and money.

Concluding

Means following tubers do well in our climate with quality of being true in flower and propagate well with little or no effort

Daffodils/Narcissus (Gule-nargis)
Paper white
Tube rose
Lycoris
Crinum
Hymenocallis
Amaryllis
Daylilies
Rain lilies
Iris
Canna

If I’m wrong please let me know and if there is any other tuber who do really good in our climate do let me know please.

Hamad

[Munir]

You might as well try Caladiums also.;they have always done well with me,one year. Presently have only two, in fact three- see aren't they alright:

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Hope you have not excluded Freesia,Gladioli & Ranunculus,as they also do very well here.
Can they now be categorised as annuals, perennials & if they be planted in pots or in ground & singly or in mass-if in mass then how many roughly for a good effect ?
If you agree,I will also benefit from this exercise & try all in the final list that could be available.

[aykhan]

Freesia are awesome. They have survived with me in the ground and in pots so they are really a no maintenance bulb. Just need canes to stabilize them once they're tall enough. The beauty and fragrance more than make up for that trouble.

Ranunculous bulbs are tough to save in Lahore and supposedly they do better from cutting which are widely available when the season comes. Treat this one as an annual.

I have no experience with galdioli but some forum members have good results with these ones. Not sure if they can be kept in the ground? I have purchased gladioli and have them in a cool dry place. It will be my first experience with them when I plant this Fall.