Fall Bulb Planting in the Midatlantic

You make me feel like such a slacker! I had replanted my 5 (yes 5) tulips back in the garden (I dig them up in the summer). They were from a mixed bag of tulips from the BF a couple of years ago. Originally there were quite a few colors, but only the red and yellow ones came back reliably. I added a few daffs and hyacinths this spring, rescues from neighbors who moved. They should pop up in front on the peonies next spring.

I have to go out and blow the leaves today, again. The weather is milder than usual this fall. Hope that means a mild winter.

Does anyone have any tips for Dutch irises? I had tried some two years ago, but none came up. I would like to try them again, but only if they have a chance of surviving.

I have several Dutch iris that have been reliable for some years. Some have died out tho; the yellow- and- white ones are still coming back.
Tulip Angelique (double pink) did NOT live long for me. I have seen some old reds going strong for twenty years.

I have both dutch iris and angelique tulips in the same bed (very hot/sunny spot with
extremely good drainage & no summer water). They are still coming back after 5-6yrs
(though less vigorous than the first year. I did get tired of the tulip folliage a couple of
years ago and cut it back early. I've planted new bulbs to replace those tulips).

The dutch iris I have are the deep purple/blue. Maybe 50% are still coming back.

Tam

I've given up on Dutch Iris. They refuse to stand up in my windy beds and just make everything look messy.

Thanks for the tips on the dutch iris. My problem may have been too much water. I moved my other irises to a dryer location (away from the thirsty roses). Perhaps I will try them again there.

Irises are my favorite flower. I want to extend "iris time" in my garden.

I have trouble with those darned iris borers in my german/bearded iris.
I've dug them out, soaked in water w/clorox, dried and replanted them
twice in 10yrs and need to do this again this year. I sure hate those ugly things!

I have some borers too, but I haven't done anything about it, and it seems that every year some new irises grow to replace the wormy one.
They were a wedding gift 20 years ago, and they keep multiplying.
I let the good bugs take care of the bad guys ( or truth be known, I am a lazy gardener :)!)

GardenQuilts, I love Iris too. I have the early spring minis, the Crestada and Reticulata, the SDB's and the TB's. The SDB's seem to have a lot of fall rebloomers among them. I do have about 6 or 7 TB rebloomers too.

Ooooh, chicken pics and stories!! Tammy & Holly, you're lucky. Thanks so much for the links to your chicken threads, Holly. I recently noticed that we had a Poultry Forum but haven't found a chance to get over there. I'm still wanting to get some chickens, somehow.

Tammy, thanks for info on John Lonsdale. PA has some great gardeners!!

Holly, you mentioned some Peticulated Irises....any good pictures?

The miniature dutch irises seem to do best for me... even multiply well!

Joyanna's crocus lawn was our big project this fall, and that did get finished up in the next couple of days after the planting party -- we got half of them planted at the party, too! Thanks again to all who helped with the bulb purchase & with the planting. 3000 crocuses should put on quite a cheerful show this spring! They'll bloom in succession, I think... first, 1500 snow crocus (C. chrysanthus), Blue Pearl, Cream Beauty, Prins Claus, and Goldilocks... then, 1500 C. sieberii, Tricolor & Firefly.

I've been preoccupied with parties and projects around the house, getting ready for last week's home study visit from our family court person (which went very well). So, planting bulbs got put on hold! I did manage to put a few tulips along the front walk (Casa Grande & Passionale, hoping they bloom together, also a few cute Mickey Mouse bulbs), and I dug up and separated some yellow daffs from my mom. Now I've got several handfuls of smaller bulbs to stick out back somewhere.

You know that means I was out until full dark last night, before today's forecasted snow! A little past sunset, I was still putting alliums in the back garden near the irises. I put the shorter Ivory Queen closer to the pathway, and the taller A. christophii a little further back... 25 of each, not too many, but who knows maybe they'll multiply? I also had some smaller alliums that I clustered near the front of the big perennial bed. I should have buried window blind labels with them all, but I didn't... I did put regular markers in, though. I wonder how long it will take Little Bit to pull up all my plant markers? Bet she'll be worse than chickens. Better try to update my planting diagrams!

I also got a few new daffs put in out there... trying Las Vegas, Professor Einstein, and White Medal together... all supposed to be midseason, so we'll see. I didn't get more than 25 of any new daff this year, mostly just 10 or 15, so daff planting wasn't nearly as big a project as usual. I do still have some little jonquil daffs (Gazelle & Fruit Cup) to put out in front of the living room with a bunch of double grape hyacinths (M. armeniacum Blue Spike).

I also have several different sorts of pink bulbs still to plant for a special "Joyanna" bed in front (around the Harry Lauder's Walking Stick bush in the corner of the front bed) -- daff Fragrant Rose, Hyacinth 'Fondant', and pink tommy crocuses, plus a trio of Allium schubertii and a double handful of Allium ostra-something (supposed to be pinkish purple). My pink grape hyacinths are missing from the box, so I think they went out when I was planting tulips... I have a vague memory of putting them at the corner of the front walk... guess I'll find out in spring! LOL

And last but not least, I'll be putting in some Anemone blanda 'Blue Shades' along the back daffodil border. I used them in the little island bed in front (around the dogwoods), and they did really well, so I hope they'll multiply well for me in back, also. They bloom fairly close in time to the little Rip van Winkle daffs, in case anybody is looking for a cute short combo.

We love those anemone blanda. They have been multiplying under my dogwoods
for years. I just keep buying more to stuff in every nick & corner. They last so much
longer than many of the early bulbs. I'm trying a species tulip w/white anemone blanda.
Its hard to get the timing right! (I'm on my second try now).

Tam

Foxnfirefly, Yes the chickies are great fun. I tried to limit their ranging as the cold weather has started to move in. We moved their pen next to the fenced yard and opened a spot for them. The idea was they could have a large area to move around in but not the entire property. Pat and Sally seem to be just fine with the new plan. However Henry flies out as soon as she can, then can't seem to figure out how to get back in at night. Ric says he can clip a wing feather which is easy to do and doesn't really hurt them, but for some reason I don't really want to do that.
Sorry to say that I don't have any pic's of the Iris display at the Phila. Flower Show. Don't know how I missed getting a pic of that as it was one of my favorite displays. I have had no luck with the ones that I planted here but they didn't all die and maybe some will bloom for me next spring.

Holly, do you think the voles got them, or rot?

bulb planting called on account of snow!

I dug out a small bed around a tree - the tree was much
larger and it looked out of proportion now. So I just had
to make the bed bigger. And then there was room for
the new daffodils & a few hyacynths. Ya know... that
dirt was awfully cold. LOL

Tam

Yah, I was hopign it would hold off a bit so I could finish the planting in front... but I declined to go out in this morning's cold drizzle. It'll warm up slightly next week, and hopefully I'll gitterdone then.

Holly, I thought I remembered seeing a couple of lovely irises at your place, including a bicolor heirloom one that was just stunning. ? I lost a lot of irises to rot over the past year, but there are quite a few that I thought were gone until I cleared away around them and found little nubs... they're sure not what they were, but they may yet come back! I think a bunch of my newer ones may be big enough to bloom next year, so hopefully this winter won't be too hard on them.

All but three of my rebloomer's stalks withered. Someone broke 2 of the others. I'm going to be really careful about the leaf cover around the Iris this winter, to make sure there's no rot. It blows around and settles on them over the winter. I have so much lush green Iris foliage up right now. I don't want to cut it back yet.

My bulb planting is all done. Now I'm working on top dressing the beds. I have hugh piles of leaves to shred. Spread a lot of minerals down this week. Also put down a lot of composted leaf mold, still have a lot more of that to do. Probably will add some mushroom soil at the end of next week.

Critter, I do have irises just not many of the Reticulated ones. I also remember promising some to a few people, you included, but never did get around to sending them. I will have to look though my notes to see who else will get some next spring. I know some one wanted some of the white ones. Do you have pics from the Phila. Show of the Reticulated Iris?
Stormy, I'm not sure but I lost them the first year. I have a few that are still there planted in a very wet area but they didn't bloom and I have one I got from the swap that is planted in a much drier area that I have hopes of seeing blooms on next year.

Boy Stormy that is exactly what I was thinking when I was planting my bulbs. Sure wished I had run my leaves through the shredder I would have loved to top dress all the beds. Well who knows I may get to it yet. Of course right now the leaf pile is getting covered in snow.

Mine too, Critter. I'm not sure what you were referring to thinking. It is really snowing like crazy. This is one of 7 piles!!

Ah, Iris reticulata, the ones I think of as mini dutch irises. :-)

I do think I've got some photos from the Philly display of those... that's where I decided that Katherine Hodgkin may be very elegant looking, but it was much too gray for me (would pretty much just blend into my mulch).

The ones near the end of my front walk have really multiplied well over the years. I think they were a mix (noids).

If those little iris threaten to take OVER the walk and need to be thinned.... 8 ^)
I just found little leaves from Hawera daffodils , emerging. They are in a warm south bed and always have greenery up thru winter.

Dang, I wish I remembered where I planted your clump of Haweras! Somehow, they didn't get a tag... I'll keep a special lookout for them this spring! (Last spring, we were away some, and I may just have missed them.)

tomorrow is the last day to order from brent & becky's... 50% off...

NO MORE BULB BUYING!!!!!!!!!

critter--no fear, they have been plentiful for me, they will be there somewhere! the leaves are thin, more near round than most daffodils.

aw manm, stormyla, I was about to go to Pinetree and see if Anemone blanda was on their clearance. There will be another mild day, I could still get them in...Nope, no bulbs to be seen.

This message was edited Dec 6, 2009 5:35 PM

Sally, you get a pass for bulb buying since you didn't do any!!! I love that tiny little yellow Iris that you have. I ordered a similar one this summer after seeing yours. It's called "Buttercup".

Sally, go here http://www.brentandbeckysbulbs.com/spring/search/search.php?section=showinstock&criteria=yes&limitchr=A and here http://www.brentandbeckysbulbs.com/spring/search/search.php?section=showinstock&criteria=yes&limitchr=I

or just go the list of bulbs left in stock: http://www.brentandbeckysbulbs.com/spring/search/search.php?section=showinstock&criteria=yes

I don't know how well they keep up with updating "sold out" bulbs, so it might be good to call... if they only have 1 or 2 things left that you want, you may not want to pay their minimum $7 shipping.

I'm trying to resist since I am not as caught up as I thought I'd be by now... maybe I'll get some for forcing, though. ?

Better hurry up, Sally. I think the sale ends today.

Tomorrow at 6 pm is the final end of the sale. Regular prices are listed in the descriptions, and when you put them into your shopping cart you'll see the 50% off.

I am still resisting and shucks, I thought the temptation was done today!!! I have to put my $ into mushroom soil. Can't get as much free aged manure as I would like.

Mushroom soil is yummy stuff.

BTW, B&B figures their shipping based on pre-sale (regular) prices... so if you order $70 worth of stuff, you'll pay their minimum $7 (or 10%) shipping and get your box for a total of $42. Not bad. :-)

LOL, Yummy Mushroom soil....

There are some decent buys on some of the bulbs in the DG Marketplace right now.

Thanks for all the enabling, but it's not me to rush over there and buy 42 worth of bulbs! maybe there'll be some packs left at the farm store, that's more my speed. I have to get my xmas shopping going!

I don't think we have to worry about Sally ever becoming a compulsive bulb shopper. LOL

Fess up, Stormy... you've got bulbs in your B&B shopping cart, too, don't you? Maybe I'll resist, or maybe I'll try to get through by phone in the morning...

NOT A ONE!!!! I had to stop planting. There is so much other work to be done. I might have to skip Christmas, or at least seriously down scale it.

I confess, I've got my eye on Pineapple Prince and Green Goose daffs, also on a couple of mini daffs (can I resist one called 'New Baby'?)... and I've been wanting M. armeniacum 'Christmas Pearl' for a while now, as it's supposed to bloom earlier than most other grape hyacinths.

But it's not like I don't have plenty of other projects without ordering another handful or two of bulbs to plant! (in the snow!)

LOL

My bulbs are all in the ground. There is no way I'm getting more. LOL

Pineapple Prince is on my list for next year. I put in two other reverse bi-colors this year.

I'd think you guys were done jiving bubls for now. No?? NEXT YEAR is always present tense. YESSS!!!!!

Critter..you mentioned you put in some 'cute Mickey Mouse bulbs'. I was curious. I bet you are getting into Disney gardening bigtime. Animal topiary and all? Your tulip combo (Casa Grande and Passionale) sound great. Let us know if they bloom together. Renown and Sorbet were wonderful together, but Sorbet didn't return the 2nd year. I think they rot easily.

*sigh* yes, I'll probably wait for next year. Usually, I have my first bulb planting done, so I can order more bulbs during the sale with a clear conscience.

I suspect Little Bit will be a Disney fan like her mommy, but I added a few Mickey Mouse accent clumps this year because it's just one of the brightest, most cheerful tulips I've ever seen. I usually don't plant many tulips, because (other than the species tulips and greggii's, which usually do pretty well for me) they're unreliable about returning for future seasons. But after going to the Keukenhoff last spring, I had to put in a few this fall!

For the most part, I prefer bulbs that perennialize and hopefully multiply through the years. Also, Jim may tell me he thinks I have enough tulips, but he will never say we have too many daffodils... they're his favorite, although he tends to like "regular looking" ones. Professor Einstein was his top pick from the Keukenhoff blooms, and we're looking forward to that one. He wouldn't have minded 100 of them, I'm sure, but I was actually restrained with my orders this year and just got 25 -- I know where 15 of them are, LOL, but I planted 10 more "somewhere" earlier this fall. I'll find them in the spring!