Which End is Up?

Place each bulb firmly in the soil with the pointed end up, and the basal plate, or root base, down.

There are some bulbs and whiskery corms, like Anemones, Eranthis, Corydalis and Oxalis, that are rather tiny and wizened, with no discernible clue as to which end should go up, or down. Don't worry: just plant them in the soil. They will magically do the right thing: the roots will grow down and the top growth will head toward the soil surface as dictated by soil temperature.

There are a couple of knobby tubers, specifically Anemone blanda and Anemone Giants, that benefit from being rehydrated in a lukewarm (room temperature) bath overnight to permit root growth initiation once planted. Please do not soak them for more than twelve hours: too much of a good thing could harm them. If rainfall is expected immediately after planting, presoaking is not necessary.

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