Greetings, dedicated gardener of America. I am a Nerine, a bulbous perennial hailing from South Africa, often called the Guernsey Lily or Japanese Spider Lily. From my perspective, my life is a cycle of glorious autumn blooms and quiet, necessary growth. If you wish to multiply my kind in your garden, you can do so in two primary ways: by dividing my being or by starting anew from my seed. Each path offers a different journey for you and for me.
This is the method I recommend when you seek faster blooms and wish to replicate the exact character of my flowers. I signal my readiness for division when my clump of bulbs becomes congested. You will notice my foliage beginning to weaken, and my flowering may diminish because my bulbs are competing for space and nutrients underground. The ideal time for this procedure is when I am dormant. For many of my varieties, this is in late spring or early summer, after my leaves have yellowed and died back, but before my roots become active again in preparation for autumn blooming.
To begin, carefully lift my entire clump from the soil with a garden fork, taking care not to pierce my bulbs. Gently shake off the excess soil so you can see my structure. You will find that I am not a single bulb, but a mother bulb surrounded by smaller offset bulbs, which we call "pups." These pups are my genetic clones. Using your hands or a clean, sharp knife, you can separate these pups from the main bulb. Ensure each new division has its own roots attached. It is a gentle surgery. Replant these divisions immediately at a depth where my neck is just above the soil surface, and space us about 8 inches apart. This gives each new plant room to mature. Water us in lightly, and then be patient; we will establish ourselves and reward you with blooms in a year or two.
This method is for the truly patient gardener, one who enjoys the magic of creation from scratch. It is how I naturally produce new, genetically unique individuals. After my flowers fade in the autumn, if pollinated (often by butterflies or other insects in your American garden), I will develop seed pods. These pods mature and turn brown, splitting open to reveal shiny black seeds. You must collect these seeds as soon as the pods begin to split, before they are dispersed.
My seeds have a unique trait; they do not store well. They possess what is called "recalcitrant" viability, meaning they must be sown immediately while fresh and moist. If they dry out, they will die. Sow my seeds on the surface of a well-draining seed compost in a pot, and barely cover them with a fine layer of grit or sand. Place the pot in a cool, sheltered spot, like a cold frame or an unheated garage, as I need a period of cooler temperatures to break my dormancy. Keep the compost slightly moist but never soggy.
Germination may be erratic, taking from a few weeks to several months. When my first grass-like seedling emerges, it is a moment of pure potential. I will spend the first few years of my life as a juvenile, building my strength underground. I will not flower during this time. You must care for me in a pot for at least two to three years, ensuring I get ample sunlight and a dry summer dormancy period. When my bulb has reached sufficient size, you can then transplant me to my final sunny, well-drained spot in your garden. Only then, after this long apprenticeship of four to five years, will I be ready to send up my first true flower spike. The wait is long, but the reward is a unique plant that you have nurtured from its very beginning.
