gloriosa tubers

by melissa
(league city,texas)

How long until my tubers begin to bud? It has been about 2 weeks since they have been planted in containers. They are outside, so how often should I water then, when there is no rain?

Doug says that when your tubers sprout is determined by how dormant they were. If starting to emerge and swell, when you planted them, it should only take a few weeks to get them up and growing (assuming proper outdoor temperatures).

If fully dormant, it will take longer and higher temperatures to kick them into growth. Commercially a temperature of 86F is held to force them into growth.

Once started, growing temperatures (soil temperatures) of 68F (air temperature about 10F higher) will kick them into strong growth. Lower tempertures will slow them down as will temperatures in the 80's.

How to water. This is a plant that doesn't like to be dry. So judge your garden watering at that level. Dry it out and flower production will immediately start going down as well. You don't want to turn it into a swamp either but a steady source of water (soil barely damp) will be fine for steady growth and regular flowering.

Good luck