NORTH AMERICAN
ROCK GARDEN SOCIETY
Fall
2004
|
BULBS By Narda Krum – Shasta Chapter (Publication by NARG Newsletters Permitted) Now that fall is here it’s the perfect time to cover the ins and outs of spring flowering bulbs. Plant now, enjoy the colorful benefits next spring when you have grown tired of green & brown (and maybe white). Following are the 12 standard guidelines for having a
garden of spectacular spring color: 1.
Bulbs should be
plump, firm and heavy. Don’t buy
inferior bulbs; buy the big, fat ones for big beautiful flowers. 2.
Prime planting
time for our area is October & November. The later you plant the later they
bloom. Later planting can cause the
flower stems to be shorter. 3.
Use bulb
planting fertilizer both when planting and after your bulbs have bloomed. When planting sprinkle fertilizer into the
bottom of the hole then cover lightly with soil placing the bulb on top of
that so that the bulb does not come into direct contact with the fertilizer. 4.
Plant lots of
the same bulb together for impact.
Consider 20 – 60 bulbs rather than three or six. 5.
Don’t plant in rows.
Vary the placement and spacing so
that there are drifts of the same color. 6. To make a statement, limit the number of colors you plant to two or three. |
7.
When choosing the bulbs you want to plant pay attention to blooming time and sequence
what you plant to have a continuous spring bloom. You can even plant in the same hole first a
tulip, then a daffodil and top with a crocus. 8.
Plant the bulb
right side up, generally a bulb has a point on the up side and remnants
of roots on the down side. 9.
Depth of the
hole should be 2 ½ times the height of the bulb (unless planting
instructions for a particular bulb state otherwise). 10.
Most bulbs like
full sun. Planting under deciduous
trees is great for early bloomers, they get the full
sun when needed, especially if the tree leafs out late. 11.
Bulbs like
well-drained soil or they tend to rot. 12.
Remember bulbs
are alive although dormant when planting.
Handle carefully. If the bulb has
a paper-like skin and it peels off when planting it will not affect the
health and growth of the bulb. 13.
Dead-head
daffodils and tulips; you will get more blooms. 14.
After bulbs have finished blooming, do NOT remove,
bend, braid or tie the green foliage. The bulb needs the foliage to provide fuel
for energy to be stored up for the following year’s bloom. 15. If you want to hold bulbs for a period of time before planting, keep in a dry cool place so that they do not rot or dry out. One of the best places is in the refrigerator. Keep them in PAPER or string bags so they do not suffocate. |
|
EASTERN WINTER STUDY WEEKEND January 28-30 North American Rock Garden Society Hosted by: For more information: (Registration
form available on website.) Registration: Norm
& Lynne Limpert R.R. #1, limps@sympatico.ca Co-ordinator: For
more information, contact Katy Anderson – katyand@sympatico.ca |
A superb list of speakers and presentations: · John Good ( The
Ecology of Alpine Plants” & “Plant Portraits – Alpines
from Around the World” · Jim
Jermyn ( the
Cream of European Alpines” & “Going East – Gardening with Asiatics” · Erich Pasche ( the · Marion Jarvie (Thornhill) - “Early Goodies” · to Grow Alpines,
Eh?” · René Giguère ( · David Tomlinson ( Conservation or Rape” · Harvey Wrightman (Kerwood) - “Gardening
in Tufa” · Paul Ehnes ( · Michael Dolbey ( Go
Digital - That is the Question?” |
|
DRAKENSBERG
FLOWER TRIP Panayoti Kelaidis will be
leading the first NARGS trip to Dr.
Roux was once the Director of the |
mountains are a major center of biodiversity, over 7000 species of plants occur on their summits and in the foothills surrounding them. You
are invited to participate in this exciting trip to see hundreds of bulbs, kniphofias, eucomis, rhodohypoxis, dieramas, and no
end of scenery in the great mountains of If
you have access to the internet, for further information go to http://www.geostartravel.com/Drakensberg05.htm. For those who do not have access to the
worldwide web, call Geostar Travel for more information
toll free anywhere in |
|
NEXT MEETING Etna United
|
GARDENING
TIP Have trouble with deer eating your garden? Try spraying them with “Liquid Fence.” It works!
Barbara Coatney |
SHASTA CHAPTER OFFICERSChair – Peggy Whipple Vice Chair – Barbara Coatney Secretary – Kay McKee Treasurer – Sue Neuman Editor, Membership & Publicity – Narda Krum Hospitality – Jeanette Axton Librarian – Nordine Hillard Assistant Librarian – Betty Hall Plant Sales – Mary Jo Arnberg Plant Sales – Tiffany White Plant Sales & Field Trips – Bev Shafer Raffles – Dorothy Leinen Raffles – Margaret Hoagland Refreshments & Entrance to Etna – Pat Swanson |
COMMITTEES:
Phones – Janet Muzinich Phones – Sandy Maurer Phones – Ruth Hinkle Etna Library – Pat Swanson Etna Library – Bev Swanson Etna Library – Narda Krum |