Ixia (also called African corn lily) grows from a corm (often called a bulb). It produces elegant star-shaped flowers in spring or early summer with very little care if planted correctly.
How to plant Ixia bulbs
- Planting time:
- In mild climates: plant in autumn.
- In regions with cold winters or frost: plant in spring after the last frost, or start them in pots indoors.
- Choose the right location:
- Full sun (at least 6 hours of sunlight daily).
- Well-drained soil is essential. Wet soil can rot the corms. Mix compost and coarse sand if your soil is heavy.
- Planting depth:
- Plant the corms 7–10 cm (3–4 inches) deep.
- Space them 8–10 cm (3–4 inches) apart.
- Place the pointed end facing upward.
Watering
- Water lightly after planting.
- Once shoots appear, keep the soil slightly moist, but never soggy.
- Reduce watering after flowering as the leaves begin to yellow.
Fertilizer
- Mix compost into the soil before planting.
- Feed with a balanced fertilizer (such as NPK 10-10-10) when leaves appear and again just before flowering if needed.
After flowering
- Allow the leaves to turn yellow naturally. This helps the corm store energy for next year’s blooms.
- In frost-free areas, you can often leave the corms in the ground.
- In areas with freezing winters, lift and dry the corms, then store them in a cool, dry place until the next planting season.
Growing in pots
Use a pot with drainage holes and fill it with a free-draining potting mix. Plant several corms together for a fuller display and place the pot in a sunny location.
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