Brian Whyer wrote > Soon it will be massonia flowering time here (UK) > and I have just noticed a bulb acquired as M. depressa > budded for the first time, but the 3/8" diameter bud > is over an inch down a funnel formed by the young leaves. > M. pustulata which is also in bud is in a much shallower > pot and has the "normal" bud and leaves flat and level > with the soil surface. > > Is the M. depressa planted much too deeply? > I can remove some of the soil without any problem as > the leaves are still fairly small. > > Buckinghamshire, England, zone ~8 There are few bulbs as dramatic as a properly-grown Massonia in bloom. I live in a climate that permits growing Massonia outdoors during their normal growing season, and I have been growing them successfully for a few years now. I wouldn't repot a Massonia in active growth. I would expect your M. depressa bud will break surface and bloom normally. These are not good bulbs for shallow pots unless you wish to bonsai them or you just don't have any space. With the proper pot and heavy watering, one can expect a bulb the size of a large pea to produce two leaves, each of which is far larger than a standard salad plate. However, they are very forgiving, and they will easily grow and bloom in smaller pots. If you have limited space, use a narrow but deep pot. I grow mine in what is called a "standard 1-gallon" black plastic nursery pot here in the USA. These pots are cylinders about 20 cm in diameter and about 25cm high. They hold about 3 quarts, or 3 liters, of soil mix. I find Massonia are not as particular about soil as some bulbs, but I have had success with half local soil and half perlite. I fertilize quite a bit as well, with a balanced water-soluble fertilizer. If I receive dormant bulbs in the summer, I immediately plant them in such a pot about an inch deep (2.5cm.) They will pull themselves to the preferred depth over the course of a season. I leave less space between the soil surface and the pot rim than with most plants, since the leaves normally lie flat on the ground, and I then water once and set the pot in the shade. When cool nights arrive, I put the pot out in the full sun and water once, heavily. They usually begin growing. Then I keep them moist. Many are self-fertile. Let the seeds ripen in the spring, and save them. Sow the following fall when days are warm and nights cool. Cover with 1/2" or 1cm sand and keep them moist. Leo Martin Phoenix Arizona USA