So, what bulbs did you plant this fall and from what company?
I goofed around and didn't order bulbs this year. I had planned to, but just didn't get around to it. :(
I did get some bulbs from Sam's. 36 Hayacinths/ box for $17.00 now on sale. Not sure how good they will be. I haven't planted them yet. I was going to today as the predicted rain wasn't suppose to set in until tonight, however, it started in last night around midnight. :(
I did plant 150 bulbs at the church this past Saturday at 30* weather. Brrr.
2017 Fall Bulbs
Because I belong to both The North American Lily Society and the Wisconsin/Illinois Regional Society and volunteer for both, I have gotten the most ridiculous bumper crop of lilies. Here is 'Eyeliner', as an example. It blooms in partial shade. I got so many that I put them in pots. I probably received 20 in total, mostly as thank you gifts.
Because I am getting a bit maxed out, I ordered fewer bulbs, and ordered them all from Brent and Becky's Bulbs.
Tulip "Nightclub' which is a new, single late pink multiflowering. Single lates return well. And I love multiflowering tulips.
Tulip 'White Trumphinator', a 'Yonina' in my old garden. I love lilyflowering tulips.
Species tulip 'Turkestanica' which is a species tulip. These little guys stay around forever. I don't even dig them up. I have had them in the ground for years, and they actually multiply. I decided to put them in more places. Very early.
And more of three alliums that I have grown before, but now have good ideas for additional placement.
Allium caerulium, which I have discovered, after growing it forever, that it is best in groups at the front of beds for a really cool see through effect, allium sphaeocephaleon, another bulb I discovered works really well at the front of beds, again, after growing it forever, and a cool discovery I made last year, allium carinitum pullchellum.
My next step is to trial bulbs that are good for shade, while avoiding the invasive ones, like english and spanish bluebells. I put in lots of shade tolerant viburnums, and several oak leaf hydrangeas, and I would love to syrround them with bulbs.
Such good information. I didn't know the late flowering lily tulips return better. I wonder why. I am too late to get much from mail order catalogs. Man, where did my fall go? I think I will try to pick up some lily type bulbs from the box stores. I'm not happy with John Scheepers and both Brent and Becky and Scheepers are pretty much sold out. If it's not something I really want, I am not going to order it as I have to pay shipping and handling as well. So, it has to be something I really want.
I have tried some of the really early species bulbs that have a better chance of returning. This will be my second year for them so we will see.
I have been looking at lily bulbs as well. I am interested in the Asiatic Lilies as they return better for me. They need very little if any care. They don't need staking like the Orienepets do. Oriental Lilies hardly return for me. They bloom weakly the first year after planting and then, they disappear. I think I do have some Stargazers that return pretty well. I have pretty healthy soil with lots of manure and compost and good drainage; if they can't make it in that, then I'm not interested. I'm really focusing more and more on easy, no care plants.
I have looked at B&D Lilies but didn't find much I wanted. (However I haven't looked yet this year). It seems very early to be ordering lily bulbs. I thought they were a summer bulb that is planted in the spring not the fall. B & B does have several Asiatic lilies to choose from, but isn't it too early to purchase lily bulbs??
I did go back to one of your threads where you mentioned several companies that sold lilies, (evelyn in the garden regarding planting bulbs late. Don't think she's here anymore) I didn't find any of the companies you mentioned that offered much in the way of Asiatic Lilies.
I haven't seen you on here lately. I am glad you are still on Dave's Garden. People have left in droves. I am so comfortable with this website. I hate to give it up, but I may due to lack of people on this site that respond. You may be the only person that responds to my thread. And really, it's a pretty general thread that should appeal to lots of gardeners. There is just no one here any more. :( I am considering not paying dues this year. I don't know what you can and cannot do with and without a paying membership. $20.00 isn't really that much but there sure isn't any help here anymore and very few people respond to threads.
So, thanks again Donna, for responding and thanks for your (as always) very good information. I always learn from your threads and often get inspired. :)
Certain types of tulips definitely perennialize better - tulips other than Darwins (which I think are a yawn).
Most species tulips do very well. So do Greigiis and Kaufmanns, which are near species. And I learned from experience (although I read it later) about single lates because I couldn't get a Maureen (white single late) out of the ground and it came back for years.
And, generally any given tulip will last longer if you put it in an area that never gets water.
Lilies have two seasons of planting. We had a lily sale in October because most lilies are planted in the fall. There are a few planted in the spring but they are not common. Our lily sale was in October, and that is the second one of the year. The first is generally around April. I am planting the last of the bulbs I got last month. Lily bulbs go on sale now because you have to get them into the ground pronto. Lily bulbs never go dormant, unlike most bulbs. They are always "alive".
But most important is the reason your Orientals are not coming back. Originally, when I grew them, I got nothing - and I mean nothing. Then I tried Sorbonne, which is gorgeous and incredibly easy, and it did bloom. Orientals require acid soil. With some ironite, Sorbonnes that had grown 12 inches grew two feet. Anastasias that had grown 2 feet grew 6. Nobody bothers to tell you, but the reason asiatics do so well is that they are very tolerant. But orientals need acid soil. I do not understand why lily providers, other than Old House Gardens, don't tell you this. It's so easy. And check it out. The first piicture is from many years ago - 3 Sorbonne bulbs in soil with no acidification. See how short? See the second? Same number of bulbs with a little ironite. Just get a bag of the granular type and throw it on top of the planting bed.
I just renewed. If you don't renew you can't post. I have been here, but frankly there are a lot of threads in which people just talk about what they have, and I could easily do that but which I really don't care for. If you have a billion plants, that's nice, but its daunting for the beginner. I always respond to your threads, wherever they are, because you are a serious, polite (hey, charming) gardener who always seems to thirst for knowledge, and I find that trait very appealing. And you are very specific in expressing the difficulties you are having - I had them all too, which makes it easy to address them.
If you are looking for lilies, I Strongly encourage you to visit Hallson Gardens:
https://davesgarden.com/products/gwd/c/155/
I discovered them a perhaps three years ago. Their lily bulbs are outstanding , and dirt cheap. A ton of them are on sale, but this company does something amazing - they sell lilies for 3 to 4 dollars each, unless you buy 3 or more, in which case I often ended up buying lilies for $2.00 each. They are shipping NOW - get over there and have a look. That's why I have so many lilies. I could get three for the price I normally paid for 1. I have directed my lily society to them. I probably have 20 of their bulbs.
Evelyn's here, but she's on different threads.
I just function like the daughter of two academics. I do lots of research and keep lots of notes. I experiment a lot - right now I am growing a bunch of lilies from seed, which takes three years to bloom but also allows you to grow lilies that aren't in commerce anymore. I really like it when I see people like you who really want knowledge but don't have the time to do my endless research. I love helping people jump over the usual mistakes - ALL of which I have made. What a shame to give up on the glory of orientals because the dodos who sell them fail to give you a basic piece of knowledge so you feel like an expensive failure.
People like you are why I will always be on this website. Please resubscribe. I for one will miss you. You are the only person, I think, to whose inquiries I always respond, because I think you are terrific.
Donna
I just got an email from Hallson trumpeting their fall bulb sale!
Donna