Bulbs HELP!

I received some bulbs yesterday with no cultural instructions.

Picture no 1 is a "Curcurma" has a small bulb with legs dangling from it with more bulbs attached - how do I plant it?

my gut reaction would be to put small bulb just below surface and the legs dangle deeper in soil.



bulb no 2 is Amorphophalus ) the bulb given to Kew weighed in at 66 pounds, this is just a tad smaller!)

Problem with this one is which way up to plant it?



I think this is the top, its domed with nobbles on



I think this is the bottom, it looks like it has bits of dried root on, but as its an aroid it could be top. It is also concave.

Thanks

 

They look wonderful Waco, but I have no idea what you should do with them. I Googled Curcurma and found out that it is Turmeric, but nothing much else. I would go ahead and do as you suggested.

The Amorphophallus I would probably plant as you suggested too. If you are rally not sure, plant it on it's side maybe? I see that this is the Elephant Yam, big or what! Smelly too!
Info here
http://www.pfaf.org/database/plants.php?Amorphophallus+paeoniifolius

 

The curcuma I have grown, Waco, but I bought it as a growing plant in leaf.
I found it difficult to get it to flower, I considered it in the ginger family, so gave it similar conditions to the hedychiums, but I think it likes more heat and humidity.
I think I would plant the rhysomes just just below the surface and give it about 25C plus to get it going.

Amorphophallus is something I've not tried, but thats how we learn, put it in a pot, in a propagator, and after a couple of weeks carefully dig it out and watch whats going on, if its the wrong way round you can tell by then.

 

Like pete, I bought mine as a growing plant with one actual flower.

It is of the ginger family as you say, pete, and it liked my heat but I have no humidity! In saying this, I managed with daily watering to get anther three blooms (I put a thread up) and I was well pleased.

However, having died off for the winter, I see nothing yet ...

 

Waco, you've got the right idea re your Curcuma. The tubers support the rhizome which should be planted just below soil surface. Curcumas are very late in putting in an appearance and after potting, should be kept barely moist to prevent rot setting in. They respond well to high temperatures and seem to need a lot of warm to persuade them into growth. This is despite them being remarkably cold tolerant if dormant and nearly dry. Curcumas are highly aromatic plants, the most familiar being turmeric (Curcuma longa) - one of the most widely used of Inbian spices.

Amorphophallus tubers are concave at the top and the new growth bud will appear in the centre of the depression. Plant it just below the surface of the compost in a large pot of gritty, rich compost and keep barely moist until it starts into growth. Amorphophallus is often late in starting: out of doors it rarely shows before June and under glass it still seems to wait until late April/early May. Once you have one, you'll never be without it. Each year it will produce masses of small tubers as well as the main one.

 

Thanks all - would have replied last night but problems with connection.

so Dave, the bulbI thought I got right, I cocked up on, but no problem will dig the amorphophallus up tomorrow and turn over - I live in hope with the curcurma - still the strangest bulb I have come accross, I have a funny geranium though that has similar bulb type, but in strings.

well I live in hope, and more hopefull after good advice!

 

Oh just a thought - hope this was not an "April fool" cos I just inverted the ph in phalus today!