Fall – The Right Time For Lily And Bulb

Fall is bulb planting time. Most lily species are planted now. The lily bulb is very sensitive to drying out and should be planted as soon as received. Plant bulbs four to six inches deep according to the species. Most lilies enjoy fertile soils, richly supplied with organic matter.

Since most of them prefer cool soils, the planting of ground cover plants over the lily beds is helpful in satisfying this condition. Good drainage is a must for most lily species. There are many superior varieties of lilies on the market today in a great variety of colors and forms. Many of these are hardy for the West area.

No group of plants gives better spring color than the spring flowering bulbs. Tulips, daffodils and hyacinths provide a mainstay for the border.

Tulips are most widely used because they are the hardiest. For bordering, grape-hyacinths, scillas or squills, chionodoxas, and crocuses are unexcelled. Secure large, well-grown bulbs from a reliable source. Plant the bulbs to a depth equivalent to two to three times the diameter of the bulbs.

Those who like the unusual in bulbs may like to try Fritillarias. The crown imperial or Fritillaria imperialis is a striking plant. The plant grows from two to four feet tall. Orange or red flowers are in clusters and are bell-shaped, hanging downward. The plant blooms in April and May. Closely allied is the Guinea-hen flower, Fritillaria meleagris, with its unusually mottled purple, pendant, bell-like flowers.

Fritillaria pudica and Fritillaria atropurpurea are natives of the extreme west. The former is yellow flowered and the latter brown, spotted yellow. They require well drained sites.. Since the flowers of these latter species are rather tiny, they show up best in rock garden plantings with solar post light. If you are not familiar with solar post light, you can ask some landscapers for some information and how to use solar post light.

Bulbs of the crown imperial should be set about six inches deep. The other species can be planted from three to four inches deep. The crown imperial resents competition from other plants, so should be given ample space. Some folks might not like the rather objectionable odor of the flowers of these plants.

Tags: spring flowering bulbs

Evergreen Transplanting For Fall

Late summer and early fall weather also is ideal, as a rule, for the planting or transplanting of evergreens. Evergreens are now in a state of semi-quiesence so far as top growth is concerned. Root activity is stimulated by the moisture and lower soil temperatures.

Evergreens planted in early autumn will have plenty of time to get re-established before winter. There are distinct advantages in planting them now. One is that the plants do not have to support new growth now as they would soon after being plant-ed in spring; there is no strain on the roots to support a top that is about to make its greatest growth of the year. Also, as a rule, the weather is more favorable, and reliable in fall than in spring, and there is a longer period of time in which to do the planting. Spring often is an uncertain season in the North. It may be late; it may start early, then fade away in favor of winter; sometimes it is cold and wet all the way with only a few days good for planting evergreens.

To Reduce Winter Injury

The only major risk in fall planting is the possibility of winter injury. This can be reduced to the same minimum expected of spring planting if the planting is done early in the fall, a generous supply of water is given once a week and a thoroughly deep watering is given just before winter.

The beauty which the spring blooming bulbs bring to the garden is the result of plantings done in the fall. Fall is the time to plant hyacinths, crocuses, daffodils and other hardy narcissus, tulips, snowdrops, grape hyacinths and scillas. All of these, except tulips, should go into the ground early so that they will have time enough to produce a good root system before winter soil temperatures put an end to root growth. Early planting is one of the secrets of success with these bulbs. Tulips can be planted much later without involving the risks of winter injury.

Best results are obtained from hardy spring flowering bulbs like the hoya plant when they are planted in fertile, sandy loam soil that is deep enough so that there is at least six inches of good earth under the bulbs. Far too often these bulbs are planted in poor soil and shallow top soil. Although they might flower fairly well the first year, they will do poorly the following years and it won't be long before they run out of flowers or lose out entirely in the annual effort to keep going. Work a complete commercial fertilizer into the soil; mix it in well before planting the bulbs just like what i am doing in my hoya plant. The rule for planting depth is to cover the bulb with earth three times the largest dimension of the bulb.

Tulips do better in the North when planted deep, covering them with six to eight inches of earth. Water them

thoroughly because the soil must be moist to get good root action. A good soaking every ten days in the absence of rain should be adequate. After freezing weather stiffens the top inch or so of earth, cover with six inches of marsh hay for the winter.

Other Things to Plant

Early fall also is the ideal time to plant peonies, mertensia and the biennials (yearlings) such as hollyhocks, foxgloves, Canterbury bells and sweet rocket. Peony and mertensia (Virginia blue bell) roots should be planted so that the uppermost "eyes" (fleshy buds) are covered with two inches of earth. Peonies are especially sensitive to deeper planting; they will not flower when they are too deep in the soil. Mertensias should have at least 12 inches of good soil beneath their roots and peonies do best when they have 18 inches of good earth beneath them.

We've created an excellent resource for you on hoya plant care. Drop by today at http://www.plant-care.com/growing-hoya.html.

Tags: spring flowering bulbs

How To Water Plants

Droughts are common in the South. We usually have one or two severe ones during the summer. This means supplemental watering to keep plants growing actively. In fact, "soaking" is a better term. The only way to keep plants in good condition is with a sprinkler and don't stop until the ground is wet down 4 or 5 inches, at least.

Summer heat presents problems, too. Some plants which are supposed to be grown in full sun actually do better when shaded from hot afternoon sun. Even roses like a little protection in late afternoon. Dahlias, too, produce their best blooms under similar conditions. So do snaps and mums.

Fall vegetables should be started this month. Keep your food garden producing at full capacity. Plant snap and butter beans, beets, carrots, cucumbers, peas, lettuce, turnips and rutabagas. In the lower South plant celery, eggplant, okra and tomato seeds.

Set out cabbage, collard and tomato plants in all sections of the South. Tomatoes set out now in the upper South probably will not mature before frost but are usu-ally planted for green tomatoes to pickle.

Plant fall potatoes this month. Instead of cutting up large potatoes as in spring, plant whole small potatoes now. One peck dropped 10 to 12 inches apart will plant two 100-foot rows. Fertilize well before planting or apply plant food as a side-dressing in two applications after the potatoes are up.

Perennial Seeds

Mid-August planting gives the seedlings a head start before winter sets in. Start seeds in a shaded frame where they can be given attention and where they will be shaded from hot sun. Pansy seeds sown now produce blooming size plants before Christmas. And, don't forget, plant some herb seeds too. There are many that can be grown with ease.

The Bulbs

It is too early for most spring flowering bulbs but there are some that should be planted this month. One is the Madonna lily and the other is the variegated peace lily. Give it a well drained soil and plant just deep enough to cover the bulbs or the peace lily plant. Colchicums and autumn-flowering crocus are novelties every-where. Colchicums can be flowered on the table or windowsill without soil or planted in the garden.

Red Spider Lily, Lycoris radiata, is another that should be planted this month for September blooms. It, too, likes to be planted shallow and left alone. In Florida it is called Hurricane Lily because it blooms in September, the hurricane season. Other bulbs to plant this month include leucojurns and zephyranthes.

We've created an excellent resource for you on the topic of variegated peace lily. Drop by today at http://www.plant-care.com/variegated-peace-lily.html.

Tags: spring flowering bulbs

How To Water Plants

Droughts are common in the South. We usually have one or two severe ones during the summer. This means supplemental watering to keep plants growing actively. In fact, "soaking" is a better term. The only way to keep plants in good condition is with a sprinkler and don't stop until the ground is wet down 4 or 5 inches, at least.

Summer heat presents problems, too. Some plants which are supposed to be grown in full sun actually do better when shaded from hot afternoon sun. Even roses like a little protection in late afternoon. Dahlias, too, produce their best blooms under similar conditions. So do snaps and mums.

Fall vegetables should be started this month. Keep your food garden producing at full capacity. Plant snap and butter beans, beets, carrots, cucumbers, peas, lettuce, turnips and rutabagas. In the lower South plant celery, eggplant, okra and tomato seeds.

Set out cabbage, collard and tomato plants in all sections of the South. Tomatoes set out now in the upper South probably will not mature before frost but are usu-ally planted for green tomatoes to pickle.

Plant fall potatoes this month. Instead of cutting up large potatoes as in spring, plant whole small potatoes now. One peck dropped 10 to 12 inches apart will plant two 100-foot rows. Fertilize well before planting or apply plant food as a side-dressing in two applications after the potatoes are up.

Perennial Seeds

Mid-August planting gives the seedlings a head start before winter sets in. Start seeds in a shaded frame where they can be given attention and where they will be shaded from hot sun. Pansy seeds sown now produce blooming size plants before Christmas. And, don't forget, plant some herb seeds too. There are many that can be grown with ease.

The Bulbs

It is too early for most spring-flowering bulbs but there are some that should be planted this month. One is the Madonna lily and the other is the variegated peace lily. Give it a well-drained soil and plant just deep enough to cover the bulbs or the peace lily plant. Colchicums and autumn-flowering crocus are novelties everywhere. Colchicums can be flowered on the table or windowsill without soil or planted in the garden.

Red Spider Lily, Lycoris radiata, is another that should be planted this month for September blooms. It, too, likes to be planted shallow and left alone. In Florida it is called Hurricane Lily because it blooms in September, the hurricane season. Other bulbs to plant this month include leucojurns and zephyranthes.

The time has come to erase any doubts you may hold on the subject of variegated peace lily. Click on the link to visit http://www.plant-care.com/variegated-peace-lily.html.

Tags: spring flowering bulbs

Sneak Up On Spring – Start Plants For Next Year

If you want a real thrill out of your garden next spring, now is the time for fall planting some of the spring flowering bulbs, especially the early ones. These include snowdrops, chionodoxas, Siberian squills, crocus. assorted grape hyacinths, Tulips, Fritillaria meleagris, Camassia Leichtlini, Iris reticulata, Ornithogalum nutans. You may have to look online of bulb specialists to find some of these but it's worth the effort. They all have been growing in my own landscape for years.

The evergreen barberries are a fascinating group of broadleaf evergreens that should take temperatures to 15 or 20 below zero. Probably the hardiest is wintergreen barberry (Berberis julianae) . But my favorites are, despite their jaw breaking names. Berberis verruculosa, Berberis triacanthophora, Chenaulti, candidula, Gagnepainii. Like all barberries they are spiny, but are so low growing that you don't really encounter the spines. Your local nurseryman should be able to order them although he probably won't keep them in stock.

Substitution by nurserymen can be a problem, especially if you don't know what the plant you originally ordered looks like. Fortunately we do not have many of the old style nurserymen left who would sell any variety of, say peach trees. Nevertheless it is always a good idea to state on nursery orders - "Please do not substitute" if you want specific plants

Starting New Plants

Late this month or early next I like to pot up some divisions of the plants in my wall garden. This includes pink rock cress (Arabis , hardy alyssum, hen and chickens, cheddar pinks, Sedum Sieboldi, purple rock cress (Aubrieta) the various bell-flowers including Campanula garganica, C. muralis, and others. I use 2 - 1/2 inch pots, a soil, sand and peat mixture and plunge the pots to their tops in sand or peat in the cold frames. They make wonderful plants by next April. If you do not have these plants many of these can be grown from seed, sown now in a cold frame.

To avoid last spring's disappointment when so many of my primroses were winter killed, I am planning to have at least a three by six foot cold frame filled with them and some hardy tropical plants for replacements next spring. This will give me 200 good tropical plants, all from seed sown last November or last spring or from self sown seed.

Mildew

Mildew disease, that white powdery stuff on the leaves of roses, zinnias, lilacs, coralberry, golden glow and many other plants can be prevented by dusting or spraying with sulfur. Most other chemicals, including the other fungicides, do not particularly bother it. Once mildew is established on the foliage it is there until the leaves fall. One or two applications at ten-day intervals should suffice.

Tags: spring flowering bulbs

Starting The Garden For The Next Year

If you want a real thrill out of your garden next spring, now is the time for fall planting some of the spring flowering bulbs, especially the early ones. These include snowdrops, chionodoxas, Siberian squills, crocus. assorted grape hyacinths, Tulips, Fritillaria meleagris, Camassia Leichtlini, Iris reticulata, Ornithogalum nutans. You may have to look online of bulb specialists to find some of these but it's worth the effort. They all have been growing in my own landscape for years.

The evergreen barberries are a fascinating group of broadleaf evergreens that should take temperatures to 15 or 20 below zero. Probably the hardiest is wintergreen barberry (Berberis julianae) . But my favorites are, despite their jaw breaking names. Berberis verruculosa, Berberis triacanthophora, Chenaulti, candidula, Gagnepainii. Like all barberries they are spiny, but are so low growing that you don't really encounter the spines. Your local nurseryman should be able to order them although he probably won't keep them in stock.

Substitution by nurserymen can be a problem, especially if you don't know what the plant you originally ordered looks like. Fortunately we do not have many of the old style nurserymen left who would sell any variety of, say peach trees. Nevertheless it is always a good idea to state on nursery orders - "Please do not substitute" if you want specific plants

Starting New Plants

Late this month or early next I like to pot up some divisions of the plants in my wall garden. This includes pink rock cress (Arabis , hardy alyssum, hen and chickens, cheddar pinks, Sedum Sieboldi, purple rock cress (Aubrieta) the various bell-flowers including Campanula garganica, C. muralis, and others. I use 2 - 1/2 inch pots, a soil, sand and peat mixture and plunge the pots to their tops in sand or peat in the cold frames. They make wonderful plants by next April. If you do not have these plants many of these can be grown from seed, sown now in a cold frame.

To avoid last spring's disappointment when so many of my primroses were winter killed, I am planning to have at least a three by six foot cold frame filled with them and some hardy tropical plants for replacements next spring. This will give me 200 good tropical plants, all from seed sown last November or last spring or from self sown seed.

Mildew

Mildew disease, that white powdery stuff on the leaves of roses, zinnias, lilacs, coralberry, golden glow and many other plants can be prevented by dusting or spraying with sulfur. Most other chemicals, including the other fungicides, do not particularly bother it. Once mildew is established on the foliage it is there until the leaves fall. One or two applications at ten-day intervals should suffice.

Tags: spring flowering bulbs