Bulbs, Bulbs and More Bulbs
Forum Archives
DebbieTT
Location: Washington, Kitsap Peninsula
Posted: Nov-04-2004 at 11:24am
I am slowly getting my bulbs in the ground, its been tough with my back rebelling against garden work. I have another box coming yet! Ooo ow I can hear my back now.
I planted a Triumph Tulip, T. 'Blueberry Ripple' which is a variegated bluish purple and white. I know its going to be a one pony show but I couldn't help myself. I need to keep it away from the lilies though as the broken color tulips are caused by a virus that can infect lilies. NOT GOOD!
For a long term tulip will be the lily flowering 'Ballade Dream', 'White Triumphator', 'William and Mary' and 'Mariette'. Some will be growing in the cutting garden.
Also for the cutting garden are some beautiful Dutch Iris bulbs, I. 'Carmen Beauty', and 'Delft Blue'.
I haven't planted Daffodils in years but broke down and bought a few varieties. N. 'Spellbinder' and 'Dutch Master the latter looking like a 'King Alfred' type. N. 'Trepolo' is sweet with white petals and the cups looking like apricot stars. N. 'Las Vegas' has white petals and orangish-yellow trumpet.
I planted 6 Allium 'Globemaster' this year, hope to add more alliums to the garden over the next few years.
What's coming in the next box is a lot of crocus. I purchased the very early flowering species crocus to plant in the lawn - er, I mean mowed weed patch. Their leaves should be ripened enough by the time we are ready for our first mowing.
I am broke now.
Any bulb planting going on out there?
Susie
Location: Washington, Southwestern
Posted: Nov-04-2004 at 9:06pm
I bought a few bags of bulbs this year and I was going to plant them in my newly dug beds, but alas, the beds have not yet been dug!
I'm planning a major overhaul of my three main flower beds. Each is now 25' by 8' and I'm planning to combine them into one big bed that will measure 140' by 14'. The rhodies, rugosas and lilacs will need to be moved to fit my new color plan, and I expect that is as much as I'll be able to accomplish this fall. (AKA this weekend...)
So today I gave up. I dug up some perennials from my nursery beds and potted them up for the winter, and sunk the bulbs in their place. Oh well! So I won't have much early spring color in my new beds, I'll still have the flowers for cutting.
DebbieTT
Location: Washington, Kitsap Peninsula
Posted: Nov-05-2004 at 3:19pm
Originally posted by Susie
"So today I gave up. I dug up some perennials from my nursery beds and potted them up for the winter, and sunk the bulbs in their place. Oh well! So I won't have much early spring color in my new beds, I'll still have the flowers for cutting."
Sometimes gardening just turns out that way, our best laid plans, et al. That's great you are able to do this. Will you be keeping your potted perennials in a cold frame?
Susie
Location: Washington, Southwestern
Posted: Nov-05-2004 at 4:50pm
Originally posted by DebbieTT
"Will you be keeping your potted perennials in a cold frame?"
Yes, my cold frame will be quite packed again this winter.
Garden Spider
Location: Washington, Puget Sound Corridor
Posted: Nov-05-2004 at 7:19pm
I planted very early crocus in late September, then tulips, daffodils, hyacinths, Muscari and more crocus in October. (Note to self: resist husband's offer to help when planting bulbs, or hide the Garden Weasel) Still have 1 bunch of tulips to plant, and I am running out of space. Have to decide if I want Turk's Cap Lilies or Tulips . . . the only place left is on top of the Lilies. I planted some miniature daffodils alongside the footpath, among the creeping thyme. If I like how it looks, next year, I'll plant more along there. Scattered crocus everywhere--I plant crocus by the "fling method": toss handfuls of bulbs out, where they land is where they get planted. Planted a drift of yellow daffs close to the parking strip in front.
Interesting about the tulip virus and lilies . . . I didn't know the virus could harm lilies. I wonder if that's what happened to my other lilies. I wonder if I'll even have lilies next year.
I don't even remember the names of all the varieties--I planted a parrot tulip for the first time this year: "Peach Blossom". Not a big fan of the parrots, but I saw that one at Roozengaarde this spring, and liked it. I know I planted hycinths "White Pearl", "Pink Pearl", and either "Blue Jacket" or "Delft Blue". Also Tulips "Gander's Rhapsody" and something pink . . . and 2 different white varieties, plus an orange . . . (okay, so my memory is slipping, I'm nearly half a century old).
Hope the weather holds tomorrow, so I can plant the remaining tulips, and then I'm done for the year!
Barb
bakingbarb
Location: Washington, Western
Posted: Nov-07-2004 at 7:45pm
OH cripes, you mean those bulbs sitting on the table actually need to get put into the ground. UGH that is the hard thing for me now. I don't know if I have the energy to work full time and garden.
~BakingBarb
Screaming Eagle
Location: Puget Sound corridor
Posted: Nov-08-2004 at 10:55am
I thought I ordered some bulbs before we went on vacation in October, but couldn't remember. They arrived on Saturday (100 tulips!) and I got them in the ground on Saturday--definately a record for me!!!
Red Hare
Location: Oregon coast
Posted: Nov-12-2004 at 2:58pm
I feel tired just reading some of these comments! My favorite daffodils right now are the white Thalias, with their pointed petals (sepals?). Gorgeous!
Now I can't wait until spring!
DebbieTT
Location: Washington, Kitsap Peninsula
Posted: Nov-13-2004 at 3:18pm
Wow Theresa, my hats off to you to get all those bulbs in. I still am waiting for my last box to arrive, but most of them are crocus bulbs that are going into the lawn.
Red, I love Thalias, and grew them for years. They were so fragrant. The last batch I grew had no fragrance. So I've been curious as to why no fragrance anymore.
Garden Spider
Location: Washington, Puget Sound Corridor
Posted: Nov-13-2004 at 4:20pm
Originally posted by Red Hare
"I feel tired just reading some of these comments! My favorite daffodils right now are the white Thalias, with their pointed petals (sepals?). Gorgeous!
Now I can't wait until spring!"
Oh, I'm glad to hear this! I finally ripped out that Uhg-glee "Jean Davis" lavender, planted 20 bright red "Ile De France" in the brick planter in front of the house, and the white "Thalia" daffs in front. Don't know if they will bloom at the same time, but if they do, it should be quite a show. Or at least a better show than that lavender was. Barb
DebbieTT
Location: Washington, Kitsap Peninsula
Posted: Nov-15-2004 at 12:03pm
Hah! I still have one ugly L. 'Jean Davis' left that I keep threatening to pull out. I guess I still think there might be hope for it. To me the color looks a dirty white and is completely unattractive.
Let me know if your Thalia has a scent, as I am not able to find any recently with a good fragrance like I remember.
Anything has to be a better show than that lavender!
Phlox
Location: Washington, Southwestern
Posted: Nov-15-2004 at 4:23pm
Am just now trying my first white Daffodils and picked Thalia. The package didn't say anything about them being fragrant so it will be something I will check out come spring. I also wish I had planted them together with the 'Queen of Night' Tulips I planted. Maybe next fall.
Could the amount of sun and the type of soil they are in be a factor to their scent??
Way to go Theresa, I've only managed about 20, way to go girl!
Garden Spider
Location: Washington, Puget Sound Corridor
Posted: Nov-16-2004 at 10:14am
I finally got my last 10 Tulip bulbs in ("Ivory Floradale"). Planted them in a large container, and it's on the front porch. Hope they survive. I've never planted bulbs in a container before. If I've done it wrong, too bad--I refuse to dig them up and replant them, because I am thoroughly sick of planting bulbs now! There, I've said it!
Barb
JeanneK
Location: Oregon, Greater Portland Metro
Posted: Nov-16-2004 at 10:55am
Barb, your tulips will be fine. Tulips can handle USDA zone 4 weather in the ground so they should be able to handle our zone 8 weather even if they are in a pot. Just dig them up next spring if you want to reuse the pot because most tulips do not like summer irrigation.
I admit, I stopped buying tulips because I got sick of planting them and having them die off in a year or two. Now, daffodils are another story!
Jeanne
Garden Spider
Location: Washington, Puget Sound Corridor
Posted: Nov-17-2004 at 8:55pm
Well . . . the tulips in the container should survive if 1) they don't rot; and 2) that bushy-tailed tree rat (AKA Great Grey Squirrel) doesn't dig them up. He seems to think the containers on my porch are a combination buffet and place to stash his winter stores. Hmmpf. I see a landcape; squirrels see a pantry.
Barb
JeanneK
Location: Oregon, Greater Portland Metro
Posted: Nov-18-2004 at 7:48am
LOL, Barb. The squirrels have been very busy. Around my garden, they seem mostly interested in the holly and yew berries. Have you ever tried those "rodent proof" wire baskets they sell? Maybe they work best in the ground. Good luck!
Jeanne
bakingbarb
Location: Washington, Western
Posted: Nov-22-2004 at 8:28pm
Barb you planting bulbs in containers reminds me I want to force some. Sky nursery is very near to where I work and their sign was advertising bulbs the other day (next was an ad for camellias - as though I need any help to buy more plants - I just bought a purple flowering lenten rose).
It is so nice to have blooms in winter, but I think to force here it has to be done using the fridge doesn't it?
tia
~BakingBarb
JeanneK
Location: Oregon, Greater Portland Metro
Posted: Nov-23-2004 at 8:02am
To force the bulbs, I think you do need to use the fridge. Oh, I heard that if you plant the tulips with daffodils that the rodents will leave the bulbs alone. They don't like the taste or smell of daffodils.
I love hellebore. Very useful for winter interest. I like small drifts of purple and white.
Jeanne
Sydnie
Location: Western Washington
Posted: Nov-23-2004 at 11:05am
Nice hint Jeanne- I didn't know that. But now that I think of it nothing has ever bothered the daffidils outside of the main yard which is suprising.
I planted 4 tulip bulbs is all this year. Mainly working on cuttings this fall. You are all so ambitious esp. Theresa!!! The rewards will be wonderful !!!
bakingbarb
Location: Washington, Western
Posted: Nov-25-2004 at 9:13pm
Yes I am sure I would have to use the fridge to force them. In Mi I could leave them outside in a protected place or in the garage. It takes getting used to, the differences in climate on gardening.
~BakingBarb
DebbieTT
Location: Washington, Kitsap Peninsula
Posted: Nov-28-2004 at 9:51pm
Molbak's is having a free workshop on forcing bulbs. I saw it on the Events page.
digger boy
Location: Washington, Kitsap Peninsula
Location: Washington, Kitsap Peninsula Posted: Dec-27-2004 at 12:54pm
Location: Washington, Kitsap Peninsula Hi, stupid newbie question...how late can you plant bulbs in the PAC NW ?
DebbieTT
Location: Washington, Kitsap Peninsula
Posted: Dec-27-2004 at 1:01pm
Hello digger boy, Well that is not a stupid question, it sounds more like, I have a sack of bulbs that I haven't planted yet, is there still time, question. I have planted this late and got away with it. I should say I got away with it in that I had flowers. It doesn't do the plants a heck of a lot of good though. If the bulbs are not rotting and still plump, go ahead and plant.
digger boy
Location: Washington, Kitsap Peninsula
Posted: Dec-27-2004 at 1:50pm
Thanks for the response.
Gardening for the Homebrewer: Grow and Process Plants for Making Beer, Wine, Gruit, Cider, Perry, and More
By co-authors Debbie Teashon (Rainy Side Gardeners) and Wendy Tweton