New Garden Projects This Year #5

Ok Bill now you can come down here and build me one.

Great bin, Bill! Looks nice!

Cousin Nut, I, too, have dafs that are in full shade during the summer, but in sun during the spring before the trees leaf out. They've been there for years and have done beautifully. No problems.

Karen

Doing some more planting and transplanting today, I used my bulb planter I recieved for Christmas for the first time. Oh how did I live without one before? Absolutely wonderful tool!

In sandy soil it is. Useless in mine.

Broked one in my clay first time. Gee flowerjen do you think perchance we might be a teensyweensy jealous? (snort)

Nah, really?

I was thinking of trying a bulb auger? Anyone done this?

Can't here with all the rocks.

I wish I had a least some rocks here.

Come and dig some.

Ok, next time I'm in NY I'll stop by.

We joke about pick axes on the Rocky Mountain Forum so I'm definitely interested Meredith about what you find out. Thanks.

I can't use an auger or a bulb planter, the squirrels see the depression and thinks it's where he buried nuts in the fall... hence no flowers in spring. Last year they wiped out 93 crocus! I have to dig a pattern in the soil, lift the grass sod out, place the bulbs in the pattern I want them and replace the sod. it's the only way the squirrel leaves them alone. - Oh and I have to wear gloves, those guys have noses like bloodhounds, maybe even better! lol!

WC I am a professional varmit whisperer. Damien the Spawn of Satan Tree Rat is immortal and I have been battling him for years. Firstly go to your hardware store, bulk store is good cuz cheap. Buy a roll of plastic fencing; plastic is important cuz metal chicken wire will break down faster. Really cheap in bulk. 1 1/2 inch is best. The bulbs can grow past it but the varmits can't pull the bulbs through it. Dig a hole. Lay out your bulbs. Lay the fencing over them. Cover with soil. For me about every 3 years cuz of frost heave the fencing will show up on the surface. I SO don't think you will ever have that problem in your zone. Works a charm. I've been doing it for years and I even do it in containers. Since I've done this: Dahlianut 1,000: Damian 0

LOL! Ok, I'll embark on the quest for the magic fence and then spin around 3 times, sprinkle some bulb fertilizer and get back on my broomstick! hee hee!

I guess your tree rats are worse than mine, Cousin Nut. They have not eaten any bulbs here at all, but I do have some critter eating the crocuses every spring whenever they come up and are ready to bloom. I'm thinking it's rabbits.

Karen

jen you will need 4 4x4x8, 4 2x4x8, and 8 6x1x8 and 40' of 4' chicken wire ---- i think

any travel time is added to the billing :)

I just spent 2 weeks plantiing 'under fence' as I call it. A bit of a pain cuz of the extra work when planting your bulbs but its a one time only AND IT WORKS!

Luv The Varnit Whisperer

dnut isn't there hockey games for you to watch now? :)

Oh ya wha but I am being polictically correct by not canadianizing the NE forum. Really truly? I'm still into the boys of summer. This is going to totally tick Victor off but I'm so Boston. (ducking)

Go Red Sox!!!!!!!

no bulb planting toole here either.
Clay clogs the too first dig.

i knew i liked you dnut!!

it is because we have jbay? Or just that classic old english B on the cap?

besides the bruins played a horrible 1st game

great job on the bin Bill... wish I had the room for it

we could never use a bulb planter or auger either... way too many rocks.. our version is a pic axe

Ohhh yes we chop holes not dig them.

you got it... the worst ones we had to plant were the crown imperial frits... they go 8 inches deep

I seldome plant at the levels recomended.

AND
You should see the poor bulbs that go in sideways.
They bloom anyway

the last set I put in sideways because of the hole in the top... but I swear they grew better planted normally

your probably right

My sis in TX has rocks, rocks, rocks. The pick axe is in order at her place. I rarely encounter a rock here. In fact my soil doesn't even need amending really, though I do it anyhow to give my flowers a boost. It's nice and rich. Now why was it again that I wanted to move to TX? Hmmmm........

Karen

Okay I see there are lots of folks with rocks here! : ) I have super sandy soil, I only have two spots that have lots of rocks so I went ahead and ordered one from dutchbulbs.com. I had ordered from them a few weeks ago and I received a promo code with my order for half off any purchase. So I took them up on their bulb auger and I couldn't help but add a Daf that they had buy one get one free on. http://www.dutchbulbs.com/store/plantinghelpers/62927

This message was edited Oct 4, 2009 9:38 AM

too many rocks here to - i've gone to using a 6' metal pry bar to make the hole and use to use my fingers to get them wide and deep enough - last year i waited too long and it was real cold on the digits - i just bought one of those 6' hand tools that has serrated edge on one side to handle what my fingers use to do.

I don't know if I am strong enough to do that. I was thinking our tool for digging fence posts might work. Then maybe I could put 3 per hole.. Might work. Don't know if I could do it though.

I rarely plant bulbs at the recomended depth for that reason.
I am just not strong enough to dig that deep. They manage anyway.

That's good to know, I planted some dafs that I thought might not have been deep enough.
I tried out the fence post digger for some Alliums in my front walkway garden - It worked very well IMO. Though,the holes are a bit larger than necessary for one bulb - but not quite big enough for more than 1.

my post hole digger hits too many rocks to use as a bulb planter.

did a marathon weeding of the yard today - going down now to BEG my wife to crawl on my back - if you hear a load crack and a moan - that would be me

I am overdue to do that Bill.. hope your back is better

the back is easy to ruine.
Be careful

Tell me about it. Feel better, Bill.

all better :)