Seq, Jill just told me that she once planted 1000 (yes, thousand) of this type of Dutch crocus and only 3 or 4 came up the following year. Yikes!
I've read similar reviews on line about Dutch crocus.
Yardening October 2015 - Waitin on Joaquin
I've tried planting little surprise groupings of Crocus and Grape Hyacinth in the lawn with little or no results. I'm not sure where they go???
Squirrels dig them up?
that's weird.
I planted crocus in vinca minor, they seemed fine.
I've also had crocus return year after year, but i think Jill was talking about Dutch crocus in particular. I'm not so excited about planting them anymore. I might pot the rest up in a container and see how they do.
I was talking about GIANT crocus in particular, C. vernus I think? The species types do much better and seem not to be tasty to the voles.
snow crocus, tommies, C. siberica... those naturalize well!
Good to know, Jill!
I know we talked about "caging" bulbs to keep voles away, but I had another idea just now... Put some of your Costco crocus bulbs in containers, if you have any that you leave outside and "empty" in the winter. I don't think I've ever had voles bother potted plants.
Yes, that's my plan! I'm completely done with the perennials now so the thought of digging more holes in the super hard lawn soil (especially with the possibility of them not returning or not nauturalizing) is not appealing to me at all.
Crocuses might have a hard time coming up through compacted lawn turf. A long time ago, I planted some in the lawn my back yard, but they didn't bloom before I needed to mow. Every now and then I dig one up and plant it in a garden bed.
Joyanna's crocus lawn comes up just fine through the turf in the front yard. It didn't bloom as impressively last spring, not sure if it was weather related or if hungry bunnies ate the buds. That area does get pretty shaggy, because I don't let Jim mow it for a couple of weeks after bloom... I put a sign that Herbie & Deb gave me in the center of the patch, though, and that helps to "explain" the unkempt look... plus we mow around the edges, so it looks like something we're doing on purpose, not just like we've neglected to mow.
Second photo is C. chrysanthus 'Prins Claus', third photo is C. siberiacus 'Tricolor'. (spellings are from memory and probably not quite right!)
That's beautiful! Mine might not have gotten enough sun.
The tommie crocus I planted in the super hard clay soil out front did bloom last year. They didn't even look that bad as the leaves were dying. I think the key is to plant super-early blooming varieties, so your grass doesn't look unkempt. Mine literally bloomed through snow.
LOL but then, I don't really have much grass growing in my front yard, so the crocus foliage just blended in really well with the weeds!
The front lawn has extra good drainage, which may help. I've planted them in the grass along the side walkway and in a couple other areas and had them gradually peter out. In general, crocus bulbs do seem to do better in a less compacted garden bed or woodland setting. Spring-flowering bulbs do like to "bake" in summer as a general rule -- well irrigated garden areas aren't the best choice. My perennial beds are more "occasionally irrigated," and the daffs planted in them have been increasing like mad the past couple of years.
I need to have a "daffodil dig" this spring/summer to spread out and thin the clumps... who would be interested if I said you could take 1/3 to 1/2 of what you dug up if you replanted the rest in a wider clump? Doubles are in one area, butterfly daffs are in another area, and I know ID's on at least some of the others (especially if I pay attention in spring).
That sounds like fun, Jill!
If I don't max out on digging with this water main leak finding and repair, I could be tempted to dig some bulbs, especially any that are early bloomers so they finish before my large trees leaf out.
You and SSG mention planting bulbs in containers as alternative to caging them. I have had voles and other rodentia get in to my containers via the drainage holes on the bottom...primarily hosta, but some others as well of my stashed away in a pile of leaves for winter protection of my 'moveable garden'. They even enlarged some of the holes for better access! Might I suggest using 'hanging basket' containers as that eliminates the ground level entry?
SSG, what do you use your raised veggie beds for over the winter? That might be a good place to stash and mulch your bulb pots and you could net or plastic cover it to keep things in place...
Yes, I've heard that voles go in containers through the drainage hole.
I've been using hard plastic drainage hole covers, like the kind used in bonsai. That's probably enough to deter them, but using hanging baskets it s great idea!
I'm actually burying my bonsai pots in the vegetables beds this winter. :)
I'm sorry to hear about all your water main troubles, coleup. I can't believe it's still not solved!
LoL SSG, if we had $4K to have a new line put in, it would be resolved. We have repaired two external to house leaks and one leaky toilet inside the house and dug two holes to find the remaining leak, which we now believe is under the large white oak where we gan't dig or repair to buy us time to replace the whole thing. Getting more estimates this week. It's a one day job when we can afford it. Current goal is to limit our water usage and bill by turning on and off the meter at the street . Glad most of my gardening water usage is over for the year. I'm going to c & p this over on our Home Projects thread as an update. Do you think there is a plumber out there who would trade for a butterfly garden and lots of native plants?
What other protection will you do for you bonsai? I'm thinking rabbit munchies...
I actually don't get any rabbits in my yard, knock on wood. I think my particular subdivision is not hospitable to rabbits for some reasons. We do have deer, but they stay about 2 blocks south of here and rarely venture onto my street. I think it's because there isn't an easy escape route to the woods from my street.
The only critter visitors I get are feral cats, voles, and squirrels.
Good point about voles gaining access through drainage holes and even enlarging them to suit! There's another reason to get my tail in gear and make a bunch of hypertufa containers.
I'm going to try searching this forum, but I'd love to find that photo of a front yard (not belonging to one of us!) with dozens of "green meatball" boxwoods... I'm putting the photos together now for an article on horticultural pruning of boxwoods... I've got photos from Muddy's how-to at Aspen Hill, and I have photos from Reynolda Estate... I need a "what not to do" photo (manicuring like that leads to poor air circulation and thin green "skins").
I've seen just the pic you want but for the life of me I can't remember where. It was somewhere in DG a few years ago. If I remember right the hill side in front of a home had rows and rows of green meatballs. I must say that I do like clipped hews, box woods and other shrubs. I am fond of topiary but round meatballs don't do it for me.
SS--
Have you thought of putting a wire mesh in the ottom of your pots?
Something like an old, metal window screen to keep the voles out?
G.
Gita, bonsai drainage hole covers are similar to wire mesh, only stiffer and harder to bend. It's strong enough to hold wires that hold the entire rootball together and tough enough to withstand rodent teeth.
That's the one! Image is seared into my brain, but source? Dunno. Neither DG forum search nor Google was helpful.
Jill--
I too remember that picture. Wasn't it some kind of "English Garden"?
Was Jeff the sender? I think there were more than this picture--there were others too.
I googled "Trimmer Rnglish Boxwoods---and then went to "images".
Here is a bunch of links with pictures of "meatball" bboxwoods.
Hope you find one to suit you. Gita
http://www.fast-growing-trees.com/Green-Velvet-Boxwood.htm+
http://www.123rf.com/stock-photo/garden_hedge.html?mediapopup=12867608
https://www.google.com/search?q=Trimmer+English+boxwoods&biw=1280&bih=895&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0CAgQ_AUoAmoVChMI_7X46dTgyAIVxxc-Ch0gwwr4#imgrc=OjP8JngRhXs6fM%3A
https://www.google.com/search?q=Trimmer+English+boxwoods&biw=1280&bih=895&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0CAgQ_AUoAmoVChMIi7CgqtXgyAIVgzU-Ch0wkQIF#imgrc=qF-x46j7XdDtlM%3A
https://www.google.com/search?q=Trimmer+English+boxwoods&biw=1280&bih=895&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0CAgQ_AUoAmoVChMIkffmztXgyAIVARs-Ch1z9gDG#imgrc=-rc-VmAjGba8dM%3A
https://www.google.com/search?q=Trimmer+English+boxwoods&biw=1280&bih=895&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0CAgQ_AUoAmoVChMIoK6q5dXgyAIVRT0-Ch3cUQ7h#imgrc=WKBZ23IPhLD2xM%3A
I think I posted a photo of green meatballs near my house. I'll look for it.
I did take and post a photo of a ridiculous number (30?) of identical shrubs on the right side of a house, all pruned into nearly identical balls. Those shrubs are still there, and just as neatly pruned, so it might be easier for me to take another photo than to find the original.
I should also take a "just for fun" photo of what shrubs look like when deer "prune" them! There's a nearby house with the polar opposite of neat meatballs.
This message was edited Oct 26, 2015 6:30 PM
This isn't my photo, but I think it's even better: http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/fp.php?pid=2477170
Muddy, that's the photo I was thinking of, the 30+ green meatballs! Love the other one you linked, too.
Gita, thanks! That's a lot of meatballs!
I actually have a "what NOT to do" photo I could take of some of my own boxwoods ; - )
Even though I know better, I sometimes shear the boxwoods around the Cox cable box in my front yard, and so there's a very unattractive area with no green growth exactly where I want them to look nice: facing the street. Occasional shearing is okay, but only if accompanied by deep cuts into the interior of the shrubs to let air and light in.
That is a great pic, not box woods but a great pic. Not sure if that was the one I was thinking of but I have seen it before.
Gita, There are a few great pics in that group.
Beware of trying to shelter plants in your raised beds and cover with something like row cover. I used row cover over spinach, and made a lovely shelter for voles to eat my spinach.
Hanging baskets- if you hang them, would they get too cold?
(Yes just call me Ms Poo poo! But I know from experience how voles enjoy a nice leaf layer)
Muddy, that lawn looks like the Green Giant's pet rabbit took a dump in the front lawn.
Jill, those crocus in your lawn look amazing. That's what I'd like to have but I don't think I'm willing to do all that work with the decent possibility of failure. I planted 25 in the lawn last fall and I think I got 7 or 8 to come up and bloom.
I am feeling pretty good today and they are calling for some heavy rain in the next few days. I think I need to get out there and finish up getting the canna, dahlia and the rest of the alocasia
out of the ground. Maybe I can get the rest of the bulbs in the ground as well. Also still have a few plants that need planted before winter. Where oh where do I plant that pretty new pink grass?
Sally, I'm on it! :)
I'm burying the bonsai pots so they don't crack in the cold. They need winter dormancy, but the pots are so small they would freeze solid if left out all winter. There's no way voles can go through the pots, but I'm not covering the raised bed so I can prevent the voles from hiding and gnawing on the trunks.
The remaining crocus went into pots and hanging baskets. I think the hanging basket would also freeze solid if actually left hanging outside, so it's going in a semi-protected spot. Crocus are super hardy, down to zone 3, so I'm not concerned about the cold, but I'm afraid they'll rot with too many freeze/thaw cycles.
I have a dumb question but is it okay to plant a perennial now? I wonder if they don't root, will they get frost heaved? I have a bunch of perennials to throw in but I've been hesitating because of this thought. What do you guys think?
I've been planting perennials all month. I *just* got done yesterday.
Frost heave has not been an issue for me, even with late plantings, but you're a bit colder than me, so Holly and Ric could probably give you a better local response.
The one plant that frost heaves for me (no matter when it was planted) is heuchera.
I've planted plenty perennials at this time of year and have a couple out there that will be planted today. In the past I have had some heaving but not often and haven't lost any plants from late planting. Make sure that you water them off and on until the ground freezes.
Jeff, as long as the soil around the planting is well mixed with compost you shouldn't get frost heaving. About the only time we ever get that is by digging a hole and plopping the root ball into it. I think by amending the soil to 2x the root ball diameter (as is commonly recommended) improves drainage enough to prevent the introduction from freezing out of ins earthen "pot".
We almost eliminated our vole problem a couple of years ago with the BT treatment, it was a little costly, but we also had almost no Japanese beetle damage this year. It worked so well I've considered treating part of the a jointing property this year. It is so bad that some places when I mow the sod slips due to the lack of roots.
The only reason I can think of for our crocus to "disappear" is that I'm only punching a hole in our hard clay based lawn that fills with water and rots the bulb with the freezing and thawing cycle
You got a double cross on that one Jeff. LOL
This message was edited Oct 27, 2015 9:50 AM
Voles are vegetarian, so treating with BT wouldn't help with my vole problem. I don't have moles, or I should say, I don't have obviously mole damage.
But milky spore really works! I had a terrible Japanese beetle problem during my first year of gardening, but I haven't had any issues with it since a milky spore treatment a few years back. I've heard that it's most effective if a large area is treated at once, but just using MS in my small yard has been enough to keep the JB away.
Alright, maybe there's some hope for me planting something this weekend. It would be nice because I have several things in pots out there right now. Thanks for the info.