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grantgarden22

Big box bulbs

The local big box store is carrying amaryillis and as a habit I have picked up from you guys is to open the box and look at the bulbs to see if they are any good. Well guess what, they wrapped up the bulbs in some sort of brown sack, and sealed, so you can't look at the bulbs. Uhhh. What so you guys think about this?
Grantgarden2

Comments (9)

  • 11 years ago

    Who is the grower or what is the name on the box? Send a photo of the box just as a matter of curiosity. How much did you pay?

    While a few of these bulbs are ok, (and since I've bought dozens over the years, because $1/box at the end of the season seemed too good to pass up, I speak from experience), many will be mislabeled and others diseased.

    If you have good, high-quality, healthy bulbs in other pots...keep an eye on these until you are sure they are ok. A little distance between them would be good too! Some disease don't show up until weather gets warmer and bulbs get stressed.

    Nice pot...drainage?

    Kristi

  • 11 years ago

    The brand was I believe was Smith and Hawkins, the package was quite expensive to me $12.99. The pot unfortunately doesn't have a drainage hole and the soil is a peat block. So it's basically a death trap for amarillis or any plant in particular.
    Grantgarden2

  • 11 years ago

    Are you buying it for the container, or for the bulb? That looks like the Smith and Hawken kit from Target. I bought one this January when they were 90% off, mainly because I wanted the ceramic cachepot. If what you really want is a nice, fat bulb that is true to label and will give you more than one stem of flowers, then look for a source that sells bare bulbs and buy the pot separately. Last year's bulbs were loose in the pots and on the small side, typical for box kits. I was able to select one that had not bloomed. I got a mislabeled bulb that only put up one scape, but I consider the bulb a free bonus at the price I paid.

    With the bulb in an opaque sealed bag, at full price, I would pass. There could be a nasty surprise in there. If you do buy one, you will need a second pot with drain holes to plant the bulb in. Use the ceramic pot as a saucer and empty it after every watering.

  • 11 years ago

    Edie_h, it looks like we both posted at the same time! The cache pots do look nice, I'm always afraid of buying bulbs from there because I have heard about this "virus". I need to look in deeper to find out what virus these people on here are talking about.
    Grant

  • 11 years ago

    Correct! Although the virus in question (Mosaic) is not very contagious, it is a good idea, to plant each bulb individually.

  • 11 years ago

    At least Smith and Hawken's is a good name, but I've had plenty of mislabels from them. After you pay for it, but before you leave the store, open the bag so you can do an exchange or refund.

    I've had bulbs come up with red, fungus-struck leaves, others have had mealy bugs (not a disease, but a pest). I always keep new bulbs separate or distanced from my collection unless they come from a very trustworthy source.

    Kristi

  • 11 years ago

    Is one of the signs of the mosaic virus redness on the leaves and the bulb?
    Grantgarden2

  • 11 years ago

    No....red on the bulb can be as simple as a bad bruise or could be sign of a fungus, fire, or red blotch. Do a Google search and the images should help you.

    Or post a photo here.
    Kristi

  • 11 years ago

    Mosaic will become visible, at first at the uppermost couple centimeters of the leaves, only after the leaves will have reached a certain length; approximately, as far as I remember, at least one 3rd of their final length.