Twin Scaling

TWIN SCALING

Bill Richardson

A successful way of bulb multiplication is by TWIN SCALING. This is particularly successful with Liliums. The bulbs you use must have a basal plate and must have scales similar to an onion.

The best procedure to follow is:

• Start a few months before the planting time of the particular species you are using.
• Sterilize the bulbs in a bleach solution (1 part bleach) [household bleach will do] to 10 parts of water for about five minutes.
• Then wash bulbs in clean water.
• Cut off a third (top) of the bulb.
• Cut the bulb down the centre, top to bottom, four times until you have four quarters.
• Separate two outer scales per section from the inner scales, without breaking them off the basal plate.
• Using a knife or scalpel, cut off two scales with some of the basal plate still attached.
• Keep doing this until you have many separated sections.
• Place the portions in a bleach solution (as described earlier) for about thirty minutes, stirring gently.
• Drain and dry off on paper or other material.
• Sterilise Vermiculite in the oven at 230 degrees Celsius for about 30 minutes and allow to cool.
• Add water to the cooled Vermiculite to moisten it (don't make it too wet) and put it in a plastic bag and add the cut pieces.
• Squueze as much of the air from the bag as you can.
• Put the bag in a cool, dark, place and keep temperature at about 22 degrees Celsius.
• After a period of time, bulbils and roots will have formed.
• Plant them and wait for them to grow.