Garden Club Learns Bulb Facts in Time for Planting Their Fundraiser Caladium Bulbs

Exchanging hearts and valentines for crowns and cupcakes, six lovely members of the Garden Club of Richmond were honored as birthday princesses at the party themed meeting held in the

home of hostess Gail Roy. She and her co-hostesses Laura Hartman, Kelli Metzenthin, Pam Scarborough, and Ruthanne Mefford set up a birthday room decked in colorful streamers and flowers with a table offering cupcakes, nuts, ice cream cups, fruit, and cocktail punch. Festive bags held bulbs from Mrs. Roy’s garden as favors for the members to take home.

In line with the club’s caladium bulb sale going on from now until February 26, Boone Holladay, Fort Bend County Extension Agent, presented a program on bulbs. His book, Bulbing with Boone, tells his journey and passion for the fun topic of bulbs.

He enlightened the ladies on what characteristics define a bulb.

A bulb is a geophyte whose structure grows underground. A growth tip grows out of a basal plate. However, geophytes also include tubers, corns, or rhizomes.

True examples of bulbs would be onions, garlic, leeks, daffodils, or amaryllis. Caladiums are tubers but are often referred to and sold as bulbs.

We are on the fringe of zone 9A and 9B in the hardiness zone—some tropical with a freeze once in a while. Chill factor (32-45 degrees) is important for bulbs. Our area averages 450 hours accumulated from fall to spring and bulbs should be purchased accordingly.