More on Bulbs and Fall Plantings

I'd like to share some tips from The Old Dirt Dobber's Garden Book, published in 1944, today. We are almost running out of time to plant bulbs, rhyzomes and corms in the Northern areas. It's not too late to dig up Iris and replant them if need be. They don't do as well crowded in clumps, so it's a good time to divide. Lilies of all varieties can be planted and divided as well. I also do this in the spring with success. Mr. Williams has this to say:

Fall is the best time to plan all varieties of lilies. The bulbs should be kept out of sunlight, preferably stored in damp sand or moss until time for actual planting. When the scales of the lilies dry out excessively, they frequently take two or three years to recuperate sufficiently to bloom. Do not worry about whether your soil will grow lilies; any good garden soil in which you've been growing annual, perennials or vegetables will suit them.

Note: I've found this is true too. The only problem I've run across is they don't do well when crowded, or when weeds become to thick. The north side of our house had three or four types of lilies planted when we purchased it, but they were overgrown with thick weeds, and crowded. Each year I dug up a clump or two, divided and moved to new flower beds where they flourished. However, there were so many, it took me several years to get them relocated since I had to dig new beds around our property.

More from Mr. Williams:

Water standing around bulbs will increase the likelihood of rot. An easy solution to this essential requirement is to put one inch of sand in the bottom of each hole, set the bulb on this sand, and then surround and cover the entire bulb with sand before filling in the hole with top soil.

Do not allow any fertilizer to come into contact with the bulb itself. Any of the good commercial fertilizers or well-rotted stable manure may be mixed with the top soil in filling in and covering the area where lilies are planted.

Notes: I used compost and organic fertilizer when planting bulbs or new plants.

More on planting:

The depth of planting for lily bulbs varies according to their size, and a safe rule to follow is to plant them four times their depth in light soil, and three times their depth in heavy soil. The applies to all except the Madonna lily, which is shallow-rooted and should not be put more than two or two and a half inches below the surface of the ground. Madonnas should be planted in August or early September to allow for the fall growth of leaf rosettes which remain green throughout winter.

Notes: The Madonna lily, L. candidum, is an heirloom plant and one of the oldest around. It's white/cream colored and grows similar to an oriental lily. Once established it's very hardy and will thrive in fertile soil.

I love growing lilies, and can't imagine not having them in my landscape. Check your local garden nurseries for deals this time of year, and divide what you have only if they seem to be crowded and blooming less each year. Otherwise, leave them alone and enjoy!

On OFL I also have tips on growing Oriental lilies:
http://oldfashionedliving.com/lily.html

~Brenda

An Adventure in Bulbs

One of my favorite garden writers is Louise Beebe Wilder because of thoughts like the one below. She was speaking about Fritillarias and how they can be difficult to grow:

I have at times thought that like some persons, they do not, themselves, know what they want. Just plain cussed, as our farmer friends would say.

I own a copy of Adventures with Hardy Bulbs, from which this quote comes from. It was written in 1936 by Mrs. Wilder, and illustrated by her husband Walter. Today I wanted to share a little bit from her book about naturalizing bulbs, plus a few of my own thoughts.

"...to naturalize bulbs means to merely plant them in an informal and unstudied manner in contradistinction to their use in formal beds."

"it means to broadcast them on a generous scale in woods, in meadows, by pond and streamside, along winding paths, on rough banks or about the outskirts of the garden, to suggest, as best we may, Nature's handicraft, not man's."

These bulbs tend to naturalize well: galanthus, scillas, crocuses, muscari, daffodils, most tulips, alliums, and anemones. One method to use for naturalizing is to pick a location then simply toss the bulbs out by the handful, starting with one to two dozen bulbs. Grab the kids and dig under where each bulb landed. Each bulb will have it's own depth listed on the package, but it's usually at least 2-3 times the length of the bulb itself. Don't worry about spacing. The whole point is to make the planting look "natural". This is what Mrs. Wilder has to say:

"...we must clear our minds of the idea of boundaries, forget the girdle of the garden hedge, get right away from the memory of straight lines or of beds."

One word of warning: you will NOT be able to mow the area until the foliage has browned after they bloom. This could take a month, sometimes longer, so bear this in mind when choosing a location. Consider the edge of a wooded area, or out of the way places that can be enjoyed when the blooms are out, but can be left alone for awhile afterwards.

The last thing to consider is the combination of bulbs you will use for naturalization. Choose bulbs that will compliment each other when it comes to color and size. Small daffodil varieties will mix well with other short bulbs, but will be overwhelmed if sharing a space with a tall, larger variety of bulbs. Here is one last bit of advice from Mrs. Wilder:

"It is losing a great opportunity not to give a floor of bulbous plants to such flowering trees and shrubs as Dogwoods, Almonds, Forsythias, Crab-Apples, Japanese and orchard Cherries, Witch Hazels, Magnolias, Peaches, Laburnums, Lilacs, Mock Oranges, Thorns and Azaleas. The shade of most of these is not too heavy for even the sun lovers to survive."

If you've never attempted to naturalize before, consider starting with a small out of the way area using inexpensive varieties of bulbs this fall. If it goes well, a larger area can naturalized the next year. Plan ahead, be creative and have fun!

On OFL we have a list of bulbs to plant for early spring bloom:

http://oldfashionedliving.com/bulbs6.html

~Brenda

Flowering Plants Grown From Corms

Last week we talked about the different types of "bulbs", including corms, which are about the size of a bulb and very similar. When buying corms try to get ones that look full, rather than those that are flattened and very dry.

Flowers that come from corms include:

Gladiola
Crocosmia
Brodiaea (clusterlily)
Crocus
Freesia
Liatris

Today I have a few quick tips on a few of the corms on the list.

Gladiola: I grow gladiolas every year, and love the beautiful colors. They are fairly inexpensive to buy as well. It's important you wait until ALL frost has passed, and the soil has warmed before planting. Work the soil up and plant the glad corms about 4 inches deep. I plant mine next to a wooden fence because sometimes they do need to be held up if it's too windy. Don't let the soil dry out completely, but don't keep the ground soggy either. Mulch can help keep the soil from drying out. Glads prefer full sun, and don't do well is shade.

Liatris: Blazing Star is a tall thin flower with many small, usually lavender colored blooms that open from the top down. Butterflies love liatris, which is one reason it's so popular. It's also very drought tolerant, and hardy to Zone 5. It can be grown from seed or you can buy corms and plant them in the spring for summer bloom. They are very easy to grow, in a fairly fertile soil, where they aren't soggy. Plant the corms in loose soil about 4 inches deep, water and mulch. Liatris also prefer full sun.

Crocosmia: Is also known as Montbretia, and is tropical in appearance with bright colors in oranges and yellows much like Cannas. The corms can be planted in the spring after all frost has passed for a summer bloom. They are hardy to Zone 5 when planted in a more sheltered spot and mulched. Like Liatris and glads the soil needs to be fertile and worked so it's loose. It should never be soggy nor so dry it cracks. Add compost to the soil to loosen it before planting the corms. Many gardeners combine them with liatris.

All three of these flowers are easy to grow, and a welcome addition to any garden, whether in the city or the country.

~Brenda

Vintage Garden Advice

Where flowers bloom so does hope. ~Lady Bird Johnson

This winter I thought I would share some garden advice from old garden magazines I've been given over the years. The following tips are from Home Garden, August 1969.

In a small article some advice is given on fighting off the moles when they attack your bulbs and other roots. I'm assuming the writer did this in the area she was noticing the mole damage.

I perched a piece of bacon on a mousetrap and crossed my green thumbs. The next day I was rewarded with a captured mole. Within a week, I had captured a colony of moles. My problem seemed to be solved.

Plant narcissus bulbs among crocus, tulips or whatever type of spring flowering bulb you may have...the odor discourages moles from munching on surrounding bulbs.

This was interesting. I've always wondered about the seeds on peonies. I usually dead head the blooms when they fade. It takes four to eight years to develop peonies from seeds! Needless to say this is a project for a very adventurous gardener.

The seeds should be gathered as soon as they are ripe and kept moist until November when they are sown in a coldframe or in a very protected spot outdoors. It is a good plan to mulch the seed bed so that it stays evenly moist. It normally takes 18 months for the seedlings to appear above ground and then a few more years before the plants bloom.

How to Water a Tree During Drought

The Shallow-rooted ones such as dogwood, beech, birch, maple (especially Norway and red), hemlock and spruce are the first to suffer.

One good soak a week is far better than letting the sprinkler spray the area beneath a tree for an hour or two a day. If possible water a tree by letting the water trickle over the root area overnight. Trees should be watered at night when possible,not a midday.

Plan ahead; learn how to attract hummingbirds: http://oldfashionedliving.com/hummingbirds.html

~Brenda