Digging Up Bulbs.

I have bulbs in a corner of my yard that I'd like to dig up. The DH keeps cutting them down each time he mows but since he hasn't been able to mow with the workers in the yard these last few weeks they are growing like a weed. I have no idea what these are as we didn't plant them they came when we bought the house last year. At what time of the year can I dig them up? Once they are dug up how do I store them or save them in case someone here wants them? I'll post a picture but since it's not in bloom I don't know if anyone can tell what they are. Please ignore the weeds.

Saint

Generally, it's good to let bulbs bloom and then wait for the foliage to start dying back before you dig them.... that way, they've had a chance to replenish their energy stores and will give you a good show next year in their new spot.

I'm no expert, but those look like they might be Canna leaves?? in which case, you've got a lovely summer bloomer on your hands! I don't grow Canna lilies, so I can't advise you for certain, but if these just started shooting up you might be able to move them now before they get bigger and still get blooms this summer. Certainly, it's better to dig them and move them than to have them mowed down again.

The bloomed for a short period last summer (lol then the DH mowed em again) but I'll take pictures when it blooms and make sure he knows not to go mow crazy again and I'll let them die off and then dig them up and see if anyone would like them. It's rather a large bunch so I don't know how many bulbs are under all those weeds.

I have a smaller yard in back of the house that I'm going to try and get in shape with a nice but low low maintance yard this summer and fall. I found the landscape thread so I'm going to post a few pictures and see if anyone has ideas for my front and back.

Saint

hmmm... the leaves look like
canna http://www.potomacgardencenter.com/images/petunia%20canna.jpg
or
calalily http://www.koochiekookittens.com/files/pink_calalily.JPG
or
maybe a form of ginger http://www.antievolution.org/people/jmoore/hawaii/roll_2/ginger.jpg

I agree with critter they look most like canna. Which I don't grow, I do grow ginger and it is VERY hardy and nothing you do to it is likely to stop it from coming back the next season.

If you want to dig them now to save them, it won't kill them but they are likely to skip blooming for a year. Which is still better than having them distroyed.
Digging them now will let you know if it's a true bulb or a rhizome, which will help identify it also.

lol..ok I'll go dig one up and take a picture. BRB *grabs a spade and runs for the door.

ok...I'm back. They didn't like being dug up and I broke the stems on both of these. But this is what it looks like.

You have canna -- and they will produce more and more every year!

ROFL ohhh the DH is so NOT going to like that. Ok so anyone want any canna's? *G* I'll dig them up when they start to die.

araness,

Cannas grow like weeds in TX. I had some I mowed over with a lawnmower three times and they came back. Buried them with 10" of soil when I built my raised bed and they came back - to the tune of 7 ft tall after 2 years. They have pretty flowers, but they spread rapidly and will choke everything else around them out.

Those are 100% positively cannas.

This message was edited Apr 27, 2005 8:56 PM

Yep if they haven't died after a year of the husband mowing them down and the dog tromping through them like they are her own personal jungle I don't think much is going to kill them. I don't understand why the former owners planted them. No other flowering plants in either the front or the back yards (we just yanked up some ugly dying bushes and put in 12 formosa azaleas (sp) a few weeks ago in the front to try and add color) so the back yard is nothing but tree's a huge amount of climbing jenny and then this one little patch of cannas.

araness - do you remember what color the cannas were when they bloomed before?

I want to say yellow. I've been looking at pictures and my leaves seem to be a much lighter colored green than some of these too. I wouldn't think these are anything but the run of the mill normal type.

I would love to try a few of your bulbs. Are you interested in doing a trade, or would you prefer postage? (I have a "jungle" at the end of my property that would love some color - and they could multiply to their little hearts content! LOL!)

Sorry Sequee have already sent them to JLD, *G* but since I'm pretty sure I didn't get all of them if I see new growth you get the next batch.

From everything I've read, I strongly suspect I'll be getting a few - LOL!

Thank you for "wait listing" me!!!

You'll get more.
You can't dig them all up.

well I hope i got most of them...I dug them up and then the DH went back out and dug up more (he was able to dig deeper than I was) Boy at the mess! I hope they like having a new home that will love and take care of them...since at my house it was more of a target practice with the lawn mower kinda thing.

LOL! Target practice! Maybe if you put a target on them DH would miss them!