How to Grow Lords and Ladies Bulbs in the Garden
Arum italicum is a flower that grows from a bulb. They are hardy in USDA zones 6 through 9. If you plant the Arum italicum in a protected area, they can grow in zone 5.
Arum italicum grows in clumps. They reach heights of 10 to 12 inches with a spread of 12 to 16 inches. In mid-spring to the early summer months, the Arum will have pale yellow flowers. When September rolls around, berries appear. The nice thing about these berries is that they start out green in color, but over the course of the next two to three months, the color changes. The berries turn to yellow, then orange and finally a bright red. After the berries are gone, the arrow-shaped foliage gives the garden a splash of color with white marble patterns.
If you want to add Arum italicum to your flower garden, it is important to plant them right the first time. In the spring, find a location to plant the bulbs. This flower is not too fussy. It can grow in full to partly sunny locations.
Prepare the Site
Eliminate the grass and weeds in the flower bed. Turn the soil with a garden fork or use a tiller if you have a bigger area to prepare. Puck out the sticks or rocks you find as you work. For a richer soil, amend it with 3-inches of compost. Once you have the soil worked up fine, rake the ground level.
Dig the holes with a trowel or a special bulb-digging tool. Space each hole 12 inches apart.
You'll want to add fertilizer to the ground and the forming roots with some bulb fertilizer. It is important to read the label for the amounts and general application. Too much will burn the bulbs and too little won't help them to grow.
Plant The Bulbs
Inspect the bulbs before you plant them. They should feel firm, like an onion. If they have soggy or mushy areas, it means they are rotting and will not grow. Try to determine the top of the bulb from the bottom. The end that goes into the hole first is flat on the bottom and fatter. The end that sends the leaves out is pointed. If you still can't determine the top from the bottom, plant the bulb sideways.
Fill the holes in with soil and firm the soil gently. It may be a good idea to insert a marker at the beginning and end of your rows or near each bulb. This helps you to identify them when they begin growing.
Watering Care
Water the flower garden thoroughly. During the summer months, provide about an inch of water every week, unless there has been ample rainfall.
Arum italicum grows in clumps. They reach heights of 10 to 12 inches with a spread of 12 to 16 inches. In mid-spring to the early summer months, the Arum will have pale yellow flowers. When September rolls around, berries appear. The nice thing about these berries is that they start out green in color, but over the course of the next two to three months, the color changes. The berries turn to yellow, then orange and finally a bright red. After the berries are gone, the arrow-shaped foliage gives the garden a splash of color with white marble patterns.
If you want to add Arum italicum to your flower garden, it is important to plant them right the first time. In the spring, find a location to plant the bulbs. This flower is not too fussy. It can grow in full to partly sunny locations.
Prepare the Site
Eliminate the grass and weeds in the flower bed. Turn the soil with a garden fork or use a tiller if you have a bigger area to prepare. Puck out the sticks or rocks you find as you work. For a richer soil, amend it with 3-inches of compost. Once you have the soil worked up fine, rake the ground level.
Dig the holes with a trowel or a special bulb-digging tool. Space each hole 12 inches apart.
You'll want to add fertilizer to the ground and the forming roots with some bulb fertilizer. It is important to read the label for the amounts and general application. Too much will burn the bulbs and too little won't help them to grow.
Plant The Bulbs
Inspect the bulbs before you plant them. They should feel firm, like an onion. If they have soggy or mushy areas, it means they are rotting and will not grow. Try to determine the top of the bulb from the bottom. The end that goes into the hole first is flat on the bottom and fatter. The end that sends the leaves out is pointed. If you still can't determine the top from the bottom, plant the bulb sideways.
Fill the holes in with soil and firm the soil gently. It may be a good idea to insert a marker at the beginning and end of your rows or near each bulb. This helps you to identify them when they begin growing.
Watering Care
Water the flower garden thoroughly. During the summer months, provide about an inch of water every week, unless there has been ample rainfall.
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