Effect of Planting Term on Growth and Flowering of Two Cultivars of Lachenalia Produced in A Greenhouse as Potting Plants During Winter Months

A greenhouse experiment was carried out on lachenalia plants to determine the effect of different bulb planting terms (from October to January) on the growth and flowering of cultivars ‘Ronina’ and ‘Rupert’, in the natural light conditions. From every planted bulb emerged stems and flowers, but the time of flow–ering was dependent on the planting term and genotype. Irrespective of the planting term, plants of ‘Rupert’ were taller than those of ‘Ronina’. The planting term had an influence on the length of the inflorescence in ‘Rupert’, but did not affect in ‘Ronina’. The bulbs of ‘Rupert’ produced more than twice as many florets as ‘Ronina’ bulbs. Irrespective of the genotype, the bulbs planted the earliest produced the thinnest stems. The two tested cultivars were long-lasting flowering pot plants - their inflorescences remained decorative for over 20 days.