Rocambole

Germination

Sow under glass immediately, ideally in autumn. Sow 20mm deep into moist well-drained seed compost. Keep moist but not wet. Transplant seedlings once large enough to handle to 8cm pots and grow on under glass throughout the first winter. Acclimatise and plant out the following spring with 10cm spacing. Can be sown directly in early spring.

Growing

Prefers rich, well-drained soil in full sun. Easy to care for. Water when dry. Weed as required.

Cultivation

Autumn sowings will be ready to harvest the following May-July. Spring sowings will be ready slightly later. Wait until the leaves turn yellow and start to wither then loosed the bulb from the ground with a trowel. Be careful not to damage the bulb as this will affect storage potential. Do not leave bulbs in the ground too long after leaves yellow as the bulbs can resprout or rot. Allow bulbs to dry prior to storing.