From our perspective as Nerine bowdenii bulbs, timing is everything and is dictated by our unique growth cycle. Unlike many spring-planted bulbs that require a cold winter dormancy, we experience our dormancy during the dry summer months. When you purchase us, we are dormant. Planting us at the correct time is crucial because we must first establish a strong root system before we can even think about sending up our spectacular flower stalks. This root development happens best in warm soil, not cold.
The perfect time to plant us is from late summer into early fall. In most USDA hardiness zones where we thrive (7 through 10), this typically means from mid-August to early October. The goal is to get us into the ground when the soil is still holding onto summer's warmth but the intense, scorching heat has begun to subside. This warm soil is an invitation for our roots to wake up and stretch out, anchoring us firmly and gathering moisture and nutrients. If you plant us too early, while the soil is still excessively hot and dry, we may become stressed. If you plant us too late, when the soil has turned cold, our roots will remain dormant and we will be unable to support flower production.
Our needs shift slightly depending on your local climate. In warmer regions of the USA, such as the South and Southern California (Zones 9-10), you can plant us a bit later, even into October, as the soil stays warm longer. In cooler northern regions within our hardiness range (Zone 7, and protected parts of Zone 6), you must aim for an earlier planting, ideally in August or very early September. This gives our roots a critical few extra weeks of warm soil to establish themselves before the first hard frost arrives. In these cooler zones, a thick winter mulch after the ground freezes is also appreciated to protect our necks from severe freeze-thaw cycles.
Getting the timing right is directly linked to our ability to perform. When planted at the correct time in warm soil, we can immediately focus our energy on root development. A strong root system is the foundation that supports the rapid growth of our flower scapes as the weather cools. You will be rewarded with strong, tall stalks topped with clusters of exquisite, spidery pink blooms in mid to late fall. If planted too late in cold soil, our biological triggers are not activated. We will likely skip flowering for that season, conserving our energy to simply establish roots and hopefully bloom for you the following year, though it is never guaranteed.
To give us the best chance to thrive, please consider our native habitat. We demand excellent drainage above all else. Plant us with our necks just at or slightly above the soil surface in a sunny spot. We love to bake our shoulders in the sun. Crowd us together in a cluster, spacing bulbs about 8 inches apart, as we prefer to be somewhat pot-bound and this leads to more prolific blooming. Once established, we are quite drought-tolerant, but during that initial root-growing period in the fall, consistent moisture is vital.
