Bulb season's almost here. What are you planting?

Bulb season's almost upon us. I was wondering what everyone's planting this year?

Here's what I'm planting this year:

Since I'm tired of seeing very little color in my front yard, I purchased several varieties of crocus and dwarf iris and glory of the snow (about 800 bulbs altogether) to finally add some early color there. Nothing so grandiose for my back yard. In the back I am planting a large area that was grass last year and is now an annual bed with daffodils. I also have several tulip varieties including a few that are supposed to naturalize in my zone, more glory of the snow, and some fritillaria for my rock garden. Nothing in my perennial garden this year as I planted a lot of blulbs for naturalizing there a few years ago that are doing well. What about everyone else?

This message was edited Oct 1, 2006 7:13 PM

Hi!
I'm completely new to NE gardening--previously lived in Central Coast CA, where most spring-blooming bulbs had to be refrigerated before planting--plus we had voracious deer, so tulips were mostly restricted to containers. Soooo, now that I'm in a whole new zone, I'm busily planting perennial tulips (White Flower Farms blend), lots of Narcissus, Autumn crocus, and anemone. Also bearded Iris, Astilbe, and Siberian Iris (rizomes count , OK?)
I so hope that they all come up!
--Emily

I'm trying some camassia along with my annual addition of daffs and tulips. Plus some allium. (just planted another hellebore too)

Welcome to NE, Emily!

Emily,
Don't want to be the one to break the news to you but the Cape has severe enough deer problems that tulips...yes especially White Flower Farm blends are some of their favorite food. You might try some local remedy's ie. sprinkle dried blood on the bed in late March, ect, ect. kt

Re- Deer and Tulips. My sister and nephew in VA cut Irish Spring soap into thirds and scatter the pieces where they don't wnat deer. They swear it works.

Oooh, I was afraid of this. . .You mean that the deer have made their way from CA to MA? LOL
Thanks for the warning. I have used blood meal and Irish Spring soap and mountain lion urine spray in my previous gardening life in California. Better to be forewarned. . .

Welcome, Emily.

Irish Spring didn't work for me. Somebody tried to eat it along with my plants. I found big teeth marks in the soap bars. Twice.

Loretta

Hi, Emily. I don't have any deer problems. I live in the middle of a new subdivision on a man-made lake. there's no cover for the deer and I've never seen one around here although they are certainly in the general area. I suppose if they were hungry enough they might venture out, but they'd be trapped.

I've already put in quite a few new bearded iris. Got some free mixed daffs with an order from Wayside. I have ordered some species tulips and mini daffs for my rock garden, asiatic lilies, and some of the big globe alliums,

can't wait for spring!

gram ~a girl~

I ordered a whole slew of daffs/crocus/tulips. It seems like every spring I never have enough at any one time frame.

I'm putting in the bearded iris I swapped hosta for with my garden club friend and daffodills. I always put some daffs in every year. I have bunches by now since I have been doing this for 23 years. My daughter found some that are white and green. Should be interesting next spring. I am going to get some plain yellow, too to fill out the beds. Also I throw in some crocus and grape hyacinth. I love the dark blue of these last bulbs. Also, if I find some and am amused some iris reticulata.
Love those daffs!
Martha

Martha,
I found and ordered some chartreuse when in Amsterdam last spring. I was blown away by how beautiful but pricey they were. Would you mind sharing your daughters source for the white and green daffs. Thanks kt

Last year I planted 180 bulbs: tulips, alliums, iris, muscari, and glory of the snow. This year Lilies...Asiatic, Oriental, species, trumpet, O.T., L.A. in pinks, whites, reds, oranges, yellows, lavender, and spotted. Tall, med, and dwarf!

And I hear from my neighbors that not only is there the threat of above-ground visitors to my salad bar, I mean bulb-beds (eg., tulips coming up in March), but I need to worry about subterranean predators like squirrels this fall. So I have been tossing my bulbs with Bulb Dust by Bonide, and sprinkling Coast of Maine Harraseeket Blend Bulb Planting Mix in the bulb-hole. Has anyone used these? Do they help?

Lorettamar, I AM wondering whose big teeth marks were imbedded in your Irish Spring soap bars. . .did you see any forest animals blowing soap bubbles the next day?

I also just received 100 Asiatic Lilies for Naturalizing (White Flower Farms). I hope that these can be in dappled shade--do they really need full sun?

Thanks in advance,
Emily

Voles are a much greater subterranean menace than squirrels. I got rid of my voles by planting daffodils around the perimeter and not planting any tulips at all for two years. The nasty critters would find my bulbs even when planted under at 8 inches deep!

Dear Runktrun,
I believe we came across them at Stop and Shop in a bag. They weren't that expensive and the bulbs were very large. I will go out and get the bag out of the garage tomorrow and find the name of them. maybe I can scan a picture onto DG from the bag. More information tomorrow.
Emily, Good luck with the lilies. spray for lily beetles.

I try to put in at least 2-3 dozen daff bulbs a year. I put in the tete a tete's I got already sprouted this spring from Home Depot once they were done blooming in my window boxes. two years in a row and they have come back beautifully, plus regular bulbs as well. I like Holland Bulb Booster for my daffodils. I have a couple of new spots to put them this fall as we cleared some new bed space this spring.
Martha

Third try. Gotta remember how to save a picture as a JPEG. sigh. I hate that my daughter who knows how to do these things is off to college.
anyhow, Here is Misty Glen, which I perceive to be green. I think they will be gorgeous come spring and everyone who sees them will ooh and aah!
Martha

CapeCodGardner - welcome from AYankeeCat originally from So. Cal . Watch out for the flaky white stuff that falls from the sky here on the East Coast - it isn't ashes from a brush fire and it is very cold! That means you have to go out and buy a "real" coat and gloves and boots and a hat because something that they like to call winter is coming! *~silly smile~*

Martha,
How nice you are to have gone to all that trouble they look really beautiful and I think will companion nicely with some dwarf conifers. What are you planning on companioning them with?? OOOHH perhaps hellebore's!!! I am off to Stop and Shop (under the pretence of picking up something for dinner) wish me luck..I love the name Misty Glen. Thanks Again kt

They are mostly in a bed that has hosta in it but I put a few in my bed that has small azaleas and other daff bulbs from last year.
Maybe I will go to S & S too! Gee, I need some milk! wink! wink!
Martha

Thank you, YankeeCat for the welcome! I grew up in SoCal before moving the the central coast of CA, and I well remember the soft fall of ashes from the autumn brush fires encouraged by the Santa Ana winds.
There's so much to learn about gardening in a zone with "real seasons"--people keep talking about something called the first frost date, when suddenly my flowers will turn black. I confess that I am rather excited to see just what this IS! Meanwhile, I've been planting out far too many tulip, narcissus, and anenome bulbs, because in our former life in temperate CA, these really weren't that sucessful!
RE: winter clothing--my daughter here is taking me up soon to the new L. L. Bean store in Burlington, MA, to get what she really does call "a real coat." I picture something that stands up on its own.

lol. I found a fur coat at a yard sale for $3.00 a couple of weeks ago. I am having it cleaned and furbished up and I will be good to go for the winter. I have to keep it out of the jaws of my little dog until then. She sees it as a giant prey item and has tried to hunt it down a couple of times already.
CCG, take care about the first frost date if you have any indoor plants that were outside for the summer. You need to be bringing things in already. You don't want to be running around crazy when the day sneaks up on you. I figure we have about 2-3 weeks before this happens here, but Mother Nature is a crazy old gal and she has a mind of her own sometimes. take care.
Martha

CapeCod - yeah - real coats do stand up on their own. I avoided buying one of those puffy down coats for 4 years. Now "I don't leave home without it"! I even have down slippers and a down robe to keep warm.

You get to have at least two sets of clothes now: winter and summer. It is about time to put your summer clothes into storage and get out the winter clothes. About May you do the reverse. More excuses to go shopping than in CA. Boots - you need warm, waterproof boots and lots of really warm gloves. I get enough gloves to have a pair in the pockets of each of my coats and an extra set in the car. Fingers turn blue fast here. It is when they stop hurting from the cold that you have to worry.

Hi--yesterday I planted out 60 bulbs that the White Flower Farm terms "lilies for naturalizing." Asiatic lilies in cream, yellows, gold, orange, crimson, and scarlet (that's what the catalog says! Sounds like they didn't leave any thing out!) Got 40 more to go, but today, in contrast to yesterday's idyllic temperatures for planting out, has dawned cold and rainy. Got to stay inside. Do others of you North Easteners gardeners feel this compulsion to be outside as much as possible? It's new to me, as a former laid-back Californian with a 12-month growing season. Since June I've been possessed by a sort of gardening-frenzy. Must be something to do with the relatively short growing season. Now I'm wondering what I'll do with myself for the next several months.

I confess I went overboard on bulbs this year, and now I'm cramming them in wherever I think the conditions are right, and some places where they probably AREN'T right but it'll be live and learn for this newbie to NE gardening. The lilies are going into my front beds, some raised beds in the back, in amongst some roses, and in some pots, which the gardening extension folks told me I will have to bring into an unheated inside area to protect from frost heaving of the soil.

Brrrrrr, "frost heaving"!!! LL Bean, here I come! Thanks for the hints about gloves in every pocket, and fingers in every glove. And I am eyeing those boxes of sweaters that I consigned to the basement last May. . .that I couldn't IMAGINE wearing this summer. . .lookin' pretty good today!

Thanks for all the helpful advice!
-Emily

Hello, Emily. You'll get used to NE eventually. I use my back yard patio and barbeque year around. Even in the middle of the winter. The fire pit is a great invention for being outdoors at times when it may not be the most hospitable weather. You can have a four season garden in New England if you want to. You just have to be more creative about what you choose for it given the limited range of evergreens hardy for our zones.

Cheers,

John

John,
I'm so glad someone else admitted to doing those things, I was going to but was afraid to scare her off!
My DH BBQ.'s in snow storms out on the back deck, nothing stops him if he feels like BBQ steak!

Welcome Emily, hope we haven't frightened you! L.L.Bean is a great place to find warm, durable clothes.
Celeste

It must be a guy thing. I like to barbeque in the winter more so than in the summer. Then again, I also like ice fishing. ;-)

I ended up buying some more daffodil bulbs this afternoon. I will plant some of them out, but I am going to try my hand at forcing some of them. should be interesting. I am trying muscari and Mt. Hood daffodils together in a couple of pots. Will report back in when they bloom!
Martha

Just recieved my bulbs from Buggycrazy.......amazing size bulbs!!

Pixie, I bought from her last year. Aren't they amazing?! I got Godzilla.

Dave, How did Godzilla bloom this year? I have never gotten a bulb this big before from any place!

I never had bulbs as big either.
Unfortunately , I mis-stepped and snapped Godzilla last Spring so I won't know until next year (nothing is sadder than this.) I had a few other bulbs from her and they all grew well though. They weren't as huge as I thought they would be. (I was expecting Dino-sized.)

Awwe Dave, im so sorry you had "dino" feet that day. Seriously, that is sad...nothing more fustrating then waiting through the winter to see something bloom, only to have to wait another whole year! You will have to post pics when it blooms, i'll do the same when "Lavender Gem" blooms. I really hope it's a true lavender!

I know! It was worse than when you bud is near opening and the deer get it because it was my own goofy fault!

well this fall i planted some mixed daffodils, some jack in the pulpit daffs and globemaster allium. all of these i received at the 3rd annual d.g. round up we had at our home in june. i also picked up some red specie tulips with some white crocus, a mix while i was at the christmas tree shops. those i put into my rock garden. i layered some tino asiatics, the globemaster allium, tulips and crocus. i'm hoping for the best.

capecodder...........i started gardening 7 years ago now. my worst spring was a few years ago, when i walked around my garden beds and discovered that 80% of my lilies and 95% of my spring bulbs, not including daffodils and alliums had been eaten by voles. i didn't even know they existed. my love is liliums and i was devastated over the losses i took. i had a small fortune (to me) in lily bulbs out there. some of which i never got to see bloom because of these buggers. so now i'm trying different methods to protect my bulbs. i must confess that these tulips and crocus are the first i've planted since then. i've planted a few lilies, but not too many. plus about the same time the red lily beetle came to my yard. well i had spent a loooooooooooooooong time spraying that previous year and it was a small relief to not have to spray all those lily bulbs the voles had eaten.
i notice no one mentioned bunnies to you. i know there are a lot of them down there. watch out for these cute little critters they looooooooooooove to eat the buds on your bulbs.
so i guess i'll stop torturing you now, about all my horror stories. :-)
yes i spend a lot of time outdoors when the weather is good. you'll find yourself in the spring watching the weather channels for news on a descent day coming where you can venture outside. you'll also love the first smells of spring, i call them. the earth starts to thaw and the green starts to sprout out of the ground. you smell this wonderful "spring" smell and you know gardening season has arrived here. it is wonderful to see your garden come to life around you. it sounds like your having yourself a grand time and i think that is wonderful. enjoy enjoy enjoy........learning about new things in the garden is such a joy. welcome to new england, massachusetts and old cape cod.
debi z and my little doggi franklin
p.s.you can plant lilies in dappled shade, if it is deciduous shade your talking about. were the leaves come out in the spring time. the lilies will get a lot of sun early on and will grow beautifully, although they will bend towards the sun. :-) you can get stakes for these at east coast market place/job lots for a dollar or two.

Hello Everyone, I'm Harper, aka, Sofie. I just bought my first house here two years ago and have been planting ever since.

Let's see... spring bulbs. I bought many crocuses, muscari, double narcissus, tulips, mostly parrot and peony types in various colors, fritillaria, alliums, dutch and reticulata irises, umm... I think that's it. I bought them all from John Scheepers. We have deer and rabbits in the area, but I live at the intersection of two busy roads. I've never seen them in the immediate neighborhood. Still, I'll be taking precautions.

I started planting some bulbs yesterday and now today it's over 80 degrees in the backyard. Hope those bulbs don't think it's spring already! I'm trying to plant some of the muscari and crocuses around the root zone of my maple tree. Ugh. It's difficult to avoid the roots. I hope I won't hurt the tree for the many times I cut through a root.

Sofie

Today I planted a bunch of white anemone bulbs from Park Seeds--supposed to plant 'em "right side up," of course, but who could tell, even after soaking them, so I planted them sideways. I put them in the front of my sunny beds, with tulips, astilbe, and bearded Iris behind. I also put some in another sunny bed, with some peonies and Asiatic lilies behind. There are all new plantings for me, so I'm very excited to see what comes up!
My gardening mood is jubilant, because we've had a fabulous Columbus Day weekend, and it's so fun to dig on a lovely day. . .but I also feel nervous because of the possibility of MANY chewing critters having their way with my babies. . .oh well. It's always something. I did notice that the fall crocus I planted a few weeks ago are just poking up some slim pointed shoots. . .now I'm wondering if I should be out there tonight watching over them, LOL.
Anyway, thanks for all the information and the welcome. I am so happy to have found the NE Gardening forum. I feel more secure having you guys in my corner as I learn a whole new gardening style.
--Emily
BTW, I don't think anyone has mentioned what bulb fertilizer you all are using. I tend to rotate, depending on what I bought the last time, since I don't have too much experience with bulbs. Lately I'm using a large bag of Coast of Maine Bulb Fertilizer, which is organic and features crushed mussel shells (boy, say THAT one five times fast) to deter critters. Anyone else have a favorite?

Anything organic and cheap is good for me.

Anything that says "Maine" and "organic" is a favorite for me. (grin)

Welcome debi z & sofonisba!

welcome newbies! I am trying Gardens Alive's bulb fertilizer this year. I'll let you know come spring how it works.