Ismene flowers shine innocently in white, while their shape couldn't be more sophisticated. There is also an enchanting scent. Does the onion bloom willingly year after year, or does it require special care? If so, every effort will be worth it!
How do you care for an Ismene plant?
Ismene care includes growing indoors, planting out from mid-May, regular watering without waterlogging, fertilizing with flower fertilizer, avoiding pests and overwintering the tubers at 8 to 10°C.
Start in the house
The Ismene can be cultivated entirely as a houseplant. Then above all she needs a lot of light. But even specimens that come into the garden bed usually start the new growing season in a warm house. Driving forward gives them a head start that the best outdoor care cannot give them. To grow, the tubers are planted in pots in April, watered moderately and kept bright and warm.
Planting out
Plant the Ismene, also known as the beautiful lily, in the garden soil from mid-May. If planted too early, it could be destroyed by an unexpected late frost. The planting depth is 8-10 cm, the distance between two bulbs is 15 - 20 cm.
Place the onions in the bed with a pot to protect them from voracious voles. Keep an eye on the Ismene afterwards, as other pests such as aphids can also attack it and must be combated promptly.
Pouring
The amaryllis plants, to which Ismene belongs, do not tolerate waterlogging. Develop sensitivity when watering, because drought is not good for the bulbs of this plant.
- water moderately at first
- Increase the watering amount as soon as the inflorescence appears
Fertilize
Ismenes exert themselves while blooming. They therefore need to be supported with plenty of nutrients during the growing season. A special flower fertilizer (€14.00 on Amazon) or a long-term fertilizer can be used. Over-fertilization damages the onions, so it is important to follow the recommended dosage.
Cutting
Cutting is not part of the care. Only if seed formation is not desired should spent flowers be cut off so that seed formation does not use up unnecessary energy. To make you happy, you can cut flowers for the vase at any time; it won't harm the plant. However, the flowers last shorter in the vase than on the plant.
Wintering
First we wait for the above-ground parts of the plant to wilt completely. The tubers are then dug up and allowed to dry in a cool place for several weeks. Without soil to be shaken off, they are then wrapped in newspaper and allowed to overwinter in the dark at 8 to 10 °C.
Tip
If you discover small onions when digging up the Ismene, you can be happy. New plants can develop from these in spring. But the onions also have to be overwintered first.
