A bulb is not a root, as many suppose, but a compressed underground stem with scales representing the leaves. These scales are formed around the basal plate and arranged in an onion-like (another bulb) fashion. They hold a food supply to sustain dormancy and the development of the new shoot which develops from the centre of the bulb.
There are two kinds of bulbs:
- tunicate
- scaly
If the basal plate is cut through so that the base of the scales is also cut, the development of new offsets is stimulated. Scoring a cross is an ideal way to do this.However, it is important to ensure that the bulb is not infected with disease, such as blue mould, which could be carried on the knife and infect other clean bulbs (fungal diseases often gain entrance through wounds).
If in doubt, sterilise the blade with a flame, or similar, between operations.
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