From my perspective as a Nerine bowdenii, dormancy is not a period of death or inactivity, but a deeply ingrained, essential rhythm. My life cycle is dictated not by the calendar you humans use, but by the sun, the rain, and the temperature. In my native South African grasslands, I evolved to grow and bloom when conditions are favorable—typically the cooler, wetter autumn months—and to retreat when the environment becomes harsh. For me, the harsh period is not a freezing winter, but a warm, dry summer. My dormancy is a strategic retreat, a time to conserve my energy deep within my bulb, waiting for the environmental signals that tell me it's safe to send up my spectacular pink flowers and new leaves.
As late spring transitions into summer in the US, you will notice a change in me. My strappy green leaves, which have been busy photosynthesizing and storing energy since last autumn, will begin to yellow and wither. Do not be alarmed! This is my natural process. The increasing day length and intensity of the summer sun, coupled with rising temperatures, are my cues. They signal that a period of drought is likely coming. Rather than struggle to keep my foliage alive, I wisely withdraw the valuable nutrients back into my bulb. Above ground, I may appear to be dying back, but below the soil, my bulb is alive and well, simply resting and waiting.
This is the most critical phase of your care for me. During my summer dormancy, my primary need is to be kept warm and relatively dry. If I am planted in the garden, particularly in USDA zones 8-10, I am quite resilient. A typical American summer will provide the warmth I need. However, my greatest plea is about water. Please, do not water me regularly during this time. My dormant bulb is susceptible to rot if left in cool, soggy soil. A complete lack of summer rain would be ideal, but if you experience heavy summer thunderstorms, ensure I am planted in exceptionally well-draining soil, perhaps on a slope or in a raised bed. For my siblings in pots, simply move our containers to a dry, warm spot, like under the eaves of a house, and withhold water almost entirely.
My reawakening is triggered by the changing qualities of late summer and early autumn. The key signal is a drop in temperature, especially cooler nights, often accompanied by the first good rains. This combination tells me that the dry season is over. Unlike many other bulbs, I do things a little backwards. My first act upon waking is not to produce leaves, but to send up a naked flower stalk. This leafless bloom is my signature. Only after I have flowered will I begin to produce a new set of leaves. This is when I am hungriest and thirstiest. As soon as you see my flower spike emerging, it is your cue to begin watering me regularly again and to provide a light feeding to support both the bloom and the subsequent leaf growth that will recharge my bulb for the next year.
For those of us living in USDA zones below 7, where winters bring hard freezes, my dormancy cycle faces a challenge. My summer dormancy is natural, but a cold, wet winter dormancy is not what I am built for. It can be fatal. In these regions, I ask for your help. The best solution is to plant my bulb deeply—about 6 inches below the soil surface—and apply a thick, dry mulch of straw or leaves after the ground has frozen. This mulch acts as a blanket, protecting me from freeze-thaw cycles. Alternatively, you can lift my bulbs after the foliage has died back in early summer, store me in a warm, dry place for my dormancy, and then replant me in late summer to trigger my autumn bloom cycle.
