Blooms 2011

Thanks for the information and advice Annette. It all makes sense. Last year was just an experiment with Narcissus in South Florida. I'm not too disappointed that 30% came back. I thought it would be closer to 0% and most likely would have been if it wasn't for selecting more heat tolerant ones. I ordered the "Grand Soleil D'or" bulbs from Easy To Grow Bulbs strictly based on the growing zones they listed for it. I also find Old House Gardens (www.oldhousegardens.com) website very helpful/interesting. They have information and recommend specific heat tolerant varieties of Daffodils and Dahlias for the Deep South on their website. Even though I've had poor results with Dahlias in the past, I tried some of their Dahlia recommendations for the South last year. Most of them did quite well in half day sun. Some of them have already popped up above the ground again this spring, so it's looking promising for this year.

That's great Jon, I'm glad your dahlias are doing well. Please post pics when they start blooming. I used to grow them at my other home. Since I've moved, I've only planted one. It keeps showing up every year, and amazingly hasn't rotted in the red clay that was amended with soil conditioner. I'm supposed to lift them at the end of the season and over winter them inside, but like those crazy amaryllis, it comes backs. It's planted in the front of my house that gets the most sun, therefore the soil must be warmer, and allows it to survive. Annette

Oooo yeah Jon - post your dahlia photos! I've never grown them before, but I've been drooling over the gorgeous catalog from "Swan Island Dahlias". WOW!
Have you seen it?

Annette, I know what you mean about this crazy weather - I was shocked to see my tulips bloom over a MONTH earlier than they are scheduled to. Do you grow any Darwin hybrid tulips? If so - do they come back every year for you?

Have any of you grown tuberose? Thoughts?

- Natasha

Natasha, I do grow the Darwins. Pink Impression, Dordgone, and Akebono. This is my 2nd year with Pink Impression, and yes, some did come back. I also added new bulbs to the planting area to make sure, as tulips in the past for me haven't returned. Akebono and Dordgone were planted last fall so I'll have to see how they do next year. I try to add lots of soil conditioner to our GA red clay and we get pretty dry in the summer, so this may have prevented PI from rotting. I'l post some more pics of Akebono and Dordgone later today. They're good looking blooms.

Haven't seen the Swan Island Dahlias catalog before. Will have to looky looky. I tend to gravitate toward the tall growing, larger bloom size varieties. Last year I learned that pinching them back several times will give you fuller, better performing plants. Tried them once before, didn't pinch and had straggly leggy plants.

The best performer for me last year was "Lavengro". It came from Old House Gardens and was one they recommended for the hot. South. It's already popped up above ground this spring. Here's one picture from last summer of "Lavengro"

I'm going to have to dabble with dahlias! My dad always liked the dahlias and he would plant and take care of them. He had quite a few in his 'dahlia' garden!

That 'Lavengro' is beautiful! I've looked at Old House Gardens and I really like their site. Haven't ordered from them but I will probably do so soon!

A good idea is to just try a couple this spring/summer and see how you like them. One drawback is that they have to be lifted, in the fall, in all areas that receive frost/freeze/snow during the winter if you want to save them. Starting with a small number won't make things cumbersome.

Jon, Lavengro is beautiful. I'm really going to have to remove grass to make more room for garden beds. I'm working on the hubby now, he seems to think that our son needs grass in the backyard to practice his soccer. Why? LOL

But removing the grass would leave less grass needing to be mowed!!! There ya go. Problem solved!!

Jon, you are so right, I never thought of it that way.

I'm starting a new thread, this one is getting too long. Everyone please keep posting your beautiful pictures of your blooming bulbs. Blooms 2011 continues....

OK, do you have a link to it?

Evelyn, It's the BLOOMS 2011 CONTINUES thread. Annette

Thanks, Annette!

I found it! When the snow melts, and I find my camera, I will take some pictures. The sunny day before the big snowstorm there were quite few crocuses (croci?) in bloom.

I'll see you on the other thread.

Evelyn

You're welcome Evelyn, looking forward to seeing your pictures. Annette

http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/1167245/

New Thread!