Fall bulb sales when?

I just ordered from B&B at 50% off. I ordered 6 more narcissus, 2 more tulips, and 2 misc. Price was excellent but how on earth am I going to get them in the ground? Can I wait til the fake spring in Feb, and do it then? Do I use my trusty pitchfork (bent now) and loosen up the soil now for later? Will they mail soon? I cannot believe I did this. I watched their website for days then gave up. Then I saw this thread - which I was watching. I really, really need to learn to control myself. I cannot even spell or pronounce one of the daffodils. I have to be extra careful when I make that tag. Carol

Critter, I thought I was going to order from this sale but I thought, "Little over three weeks to Christmas and I have all this Christmas stuff to do. Do I want more bulbs to plant right now? Nah."

I got some Eye of the Tiger from the bloomingbulb sale but it was the blue grape hyacinths I was wanting. I got a few of a different kind at the Lowes 75% off table so the others can wait another year.

So what goodies are you going to get from this sale?

Carol, I just saw your thread. If your ground is frozen, you can put them in the refrigerator (Make sure they're in there for at least 10 weeks) and then plant them in the spring. They won't do quite as well as ones in the ground but they should be fine.

If your ground isn't frozen, you can plant them now.

I got half my daffs planted yesterday, and I can see where the rest will go, so of course I think there are a few places remaining where I could possibly squeeze in just a few more clumps... !!

Did I not just say I would not be ordering more daffodils? Nobody actually believed me, did they?

I was really hoping for amaryllis bulbs on sale. *sigh* I might treat myself to a 'Baby Star' anyway, since I've been drooling over it all week.

Let's....I really got the sale bug this a.m. so I ordered some eremurus 'spring valley' and allium 'nigrum' and allium 'firmament' from B & B for our late May garden.

Then got in the car and went out to the garden centers to see what bulbs were thrown behind the Christmas trees and sure enough I found a lonely pile of allium 'sensations' (langeveld's) at half off so took a few packs of those.

2 years ago I planted hundreds of allium for a real spring show, but they have perished because of my summer watering...but can't resist having a few around if I can get them for half off!

Good luck everyone with your sale shopping!

OK, who bought the last of the 'Camelot' daffs? >:-[

That's all right. I wasn't actually sure how I was going to fit in both a clump of 'Camelot' and a clump of 'Carlton' at that end of the bed, but I just couldn't choose between them! 'Camelot' sold out in the last minute while I was editing my order down a little. (I really was very good, managed to kick 'Manly' and 'Felindre' to the curb, will probably regret it but just didn't know where exactly they'd go, and this isn't the time to buy bulbs if I don't know where I'll plant them!)

I bought two full price amaryllis bulbs, one as a gift so it doesn't really "count" LOL. Despite saying I was all done buying daffs, I bought 10 each of 'Apasia', 'Carlton', 'Kissproof', and 'Pipit' to add to that back bed I'm working on today, plus 10 'Sweet Love' to plant by the front door. That's just 50 more to plant, hardly any at all.

I also got some 'Fire of Love' tulips to put down by the mailbox. I was eyeing them in the catalog long ago, but I didn't think they'd still be around for the sale! They look like they'll be very similar to 'Little Red Riding Hood', which I already know I love, only with a white/cream edge to the leaf that I think will be striking. It was getting bare down there. I had to get something.

:-)

Critter, you know there's nothing worse than a tulipless bare spot next to a mailbox. LOL (I just became Critter's official bulb enabler.)

I wonder if the Friday sale the B&B person spoke of was the amaryllis?

Uh-oh. Couldn't resist getting a few tulips -- well, 150 if you want to be exact. Can you say "sucker?"

Be careful about starting those rumors, hart!

t, I love that combo of eremerus and allium! Did your Spring Valley hybrids rebloom for you? One of my 5 did, but I moved them this spring and attributed it to that.

critter, I had my eye on Fire of Love too, but had to pass up (on as much as I got, lol). I knew you wouldn't be able to pass the daffs, lol.

ok, gotta go. My partner in crime, gardening friend is here to maybe order a few more, hehehehe.....

For you amaryllis junkies - printable coupon for buy one get one free amaryllis, good until 12/13 at Home Depot

http://image.homedepotemail.com/members/30181/Coupon1-Amaryllis.html?cm_mmc=hd_email-_-112307_GC_F7_NOZIPS.TXT-_-gcf_7_112107-_-Coupon1-Amaryllis

LOL. Hart, you've already got me eyeing those M. azureum. I wonder how jammed their phone lines are today? I'm considering calling and seeing if I can add a handful of blue Muscari and Allium caeruleum to my order... so far, my "why didn't I order this?" extras don't add up to another $50, and I'm not willing to cough up the $5 minimum shipping on a $24 order, LOL. Maybe they'll sell out while I'm waffling... that would be just as well!

At least there's not a lot of room by the mailbox... I just ordered 20 of the tulips! DH called. I told him B&B's sale had started and confessed I'd ordered a few more daffs. He didn't even ask how many. LOL They're his favorite flower.

Thanks for the amaryllis coupon!

They're greigiis aren't they? They're so nice and tough and so pretty. I got some more of the Torontos at the bloomingbulb sale after planting a handful last year. I see that B&B has some of those too.

I got a boatload of red parrot tulips for $1.50 a bag at the Lowes clearance. Can't wait to see those next spring.

I think they must be greggii's because of the mottled leaves. I've only had 'Red Riding Hood' a couple of years, so I don't know how long to expect them to come back... do greggii's do better at perennializing than the regular tulips? So far, the only good perennial tulips I've found are the little "species" types... 'Little Beauty' has multlipled pretty well for me (and they still had that one in stock the last time I looked!).

I did a second order. It is all critters and gemini _sage's fault. They made me look again and I added 20 'Blushing Lady' and 230 others. oops. But it will be pretty here in the spring. Put a fork in me, I am truly done! 5700 including this latest foolishness. But they are all planted except the ones from the 25% sale and the two orders I did today. To get back at Critter here is a picture of one of my favorites from last year in late April , M. azureum. And I should have ordered more. drat. But I had already bought a zillion of of muscari as I do love them all. Patti

This message was edited Nov 29, 2007 2:26 PM

I guess you haven't had M. azureum long enough to know if they increase well...

(still wavering)

(and it's not my fault... 5700 bulbs! you need professional help. my dad just told me I needed counseling, and all I did was order a measley 50 additional daffs plus a few little things, LOL)

Yes, greigiis are very reliable for perennializing - one of the best. Darwin Hybrids are supposed to be very reliable too. The most reliable large tulip I have for perennializing and even spreading is Apricot Beauty, which is a Triumph. I don't know about the other Triumph tulips.

By the way, it is really annoying the way B&B have their tulips listed alphabetically by the cultivar name instead of by division or type.

I thought you could get a division/type list on their site the same way you can for their daffs... lemme check...

Yeah. Click on the main bulb thing, then on "tulips," and you'll bring up a page that has tulips by division. The same page has an alphabetical list that you can scroll down with all tulips listed, so you can search both ways from the same page. Once you click on a division, I think you get an alphabetical scroll list of everything in that division.

hart, You can just click on the genus and it will bring up the whole list or you can just click on the blooming time, say late spring and the list of all the bulbs that bloom at that time will come up. There is also a master list for both tulips and narcissus. Try this Patti

https://store.brentandbeckysbulbs.com/spring/genus.php?genusid=44
https://store.brentandbeckysbulbs.com/spring/genus.php?genusid=55

Sorry I crossed posted with Critter. Do you think I have spent enough time on B&B's site?
Patti

M. azureum is my favorite muscari. I have had it 2 years here and I think it doubled from the first year. I just ordered 50 more. It is really prettier than the others, except for maybe Valerie F, a silver blue. ;)

Thanks for the hint on tulip apricot beauty. I dug it up after the first year and saw that it had not split - should have left it alone. Voles or something ate them the second year (new then too). I planted them in wire/sand the third year (new this time too).

I decided to try to dig areas with my pitchfork this week and hope I can get them in the ground when they come. If needed, I can use soil from my containers to cover them up - I think. Carol

OK, Patti, twist my arm just a little more, LOL... do you remember what bloomed "with" the M. azureum? Do they bloom at about the same time as "regular" grape hyacinths, about midway through the daff season?

Oh golly, a favorite for Carol also. I think I will be making that call. :-)

Critter, I file my photo's by date so I can check. I'll be back shortly. This picture was taken on April 25th 2007. Patti

Carol, it's a big help to know that it multiplies well. That means I can order 100 or 200 and not 500 and still have a nice border in a couple of years. Thanks!

Patti, I think I'm convinced. It'll bloom with *something* in that bed! I'll skip the allium & order more of the muscari. Then I can congratulate myself on my "restraint." :-)

Critter, Here is what was blooming from April 23-29 2007 in Nantucket. Patti

Critter, My muscari armeniacum, the regular guys bloomed about mid May last year. Patti

OMG! They bloomed with your 'Rip van Winkle' daffs! I must plant them in a border around the little island bed with the Rips and 'Blue Shades' A. blanda....

That is an incredible collage. You are an enabler extraordinaire!

I was going through the sale site, where everything is alphabetical. Thanks everyone.

Well, you all have been a bad influence on me. I ordered some of the muscari, a few of the allium schubertii I've been lusting after and some oxalis that they say are only hardy to zone 7 but every other site says are hardy to sone 5.

I swore I wasn't going to get any more bulbs to plant. LOL I did place a very small order though. Can't hold a candle to Critter or bbrook.

Carol, my Apricot Beauties took about three years to start spreading but there's a nice big clump there now. I need to divide them next spring. I literally started with one bulb in a pot from Walmart for 50 cents on sale.

BTW, I might remind you all they still have a nice selection of the iris reticulatas and they spread like crazy.

Be proud, very very proud of me. Brent and Becky just called to see if I wanted to combine the shipping on today's orders and I was able to resist adding anything. Perhaps if DH hadn't been sitting near by paying bills, I would have sprung for more.

Critter did you order them and I think they will look great with Rip and the blue blanda or the tarda tulips which are always cheery and come back well. Patti

This message was edited Nov 29, 2007 4:36 PM

Last year muscari bloomed here in Kansas City:
3/13 Azureum
3/28 regular ones - dark blue - 2 kinds
3/31 Valerie Finnis

None of my narcissus bloomed until about 3/23. I am trying to get a really early one to go with M. azureum. I am hoping that 'Rinjveld early sensation' will do it. The dwarf ones seem to be late ones. M. azureum and crocus tricolor bloomed at the same time but at different parts of the garden - they clash.

BB is still answering the phone tonight! As a "reward" for finishing planting the daffs in the back bed (I even dug holes for the 40 that are on their way), I called and added the M. azureum to my order. I was tempted to order hundreds of them, LOL, but I ordered "only" 100, which I will plant around the front of that little island bed. (I've been putting white alyssum around it as a summer border, and I think the muscari foliage will look good until the alyssum starts filling in.)

The B&B phone person asked, "Would you like to add anything else?" and I paused at least 2 full seconds before shutting my eyes tightly in denial and saying, "No!" She giggled at me. :-)

I did get 200 of 300 M. latifolium planted in swoops through the new daffs. I've got some mini daffs remaining... and crocus bulbs. Loads of crocus bulbs. Crocus bulbs in "what was I thinking??!" quantities. I had already committed myself to planting 750 C. vernus (the "giant" ones), and they Blooming Bulbs offered me snow crocus at an irresistable 2 cents a bulb if I bought 1000. So I did. But they will be wonderful in early spring. :-)

critter, you are worse then me by a huge pile of bulbs. I planted more Muscari latifolium this fall too as I love it. I add crocus but not in your quantity That is going to be amazing. Do you have luck with the crocus and not having them eaten by rabbits or deer? I can't wait till I can see every one's efforts. I have taken a lot of acetaminophen over the last month for my back at the end of a planting day. But I didn't plant a thing today as I am all caught up until I get more. Patti

Sounds glorious! Buzy bulb planters all of you!

I'm going to go back and look at B & B's daffs again....I know I'll be sorry next spring that I didn't plant more fancies for bouquets in the house....

But, you know, I was comparing the prices for B & B daffs to VanEngelen's and I think B & B's "half off prices" are about the same as VanEngelens regular prices. Can that be so? Does anyone have a comment about this? T

he 'Fragrant Roses' I just received from VanEngelen (at their 'sale' prices) were huge bulbs and mostly doubles and I don't see how B & Bs could be any better....mmmm something to think about....has anyone done other comparisons? ( A little late now, but I'm still curious...)

Tabasco, you're right about the prices. However, I don't want to order $50 worth of bulbs as required by VE, the shipping at B&B was only $5 and they had the grape hyacinths I wanted, which VE did not. I have a real attitude about VE's $50 minimum.

LOL... with that $5 or 10% shipping at B&B, I look at $50 as the minimum order (to me) from there as well!

VE has great prices if you want larger quantities. For the bed I'm working on now, I was happier being able to add a few more varieties of daffs and get just 10 bulbs of each.

Oh, and I should add... watch the shipping charges if you're west of the Mississippi. It may still be worthwhile to order from B&B's sale, but they're going to be charging more for shipping because they don't want the bulbs to get cold damaged along the way.

By the way, I just added a note to plant files about the muscari azureum. It was listed as only hardy in zones 8-10, which is ridiculous. This is a very hardy bulb. Some of you who have also grown it might want to add some comments too.

I swear I think that zone 8-10 hardiness must be some kind of default for plant files. I've found a lot of other plants that I know are hardy in colder areas with that listing.

oh, and bbrook, I beg to differ... I have not come anywhere near your bulb planting record this year! It's just that I got such a late start because it was too dry to dig until recently (and then we were away last week).

Thanks.

Oh, I see the difference in the pricing now. I had forgotten that VanEngelens was for large quantities and I should be comparing their Scheepers pricing with B & B...

An Example: Prices for 'Fragrant Rose' Daffodil:

Scheepers (Van Engelen): 10 for $12.50 10% Shipping $35. minimum
B & B 10 for $15. Shipping 10%

VanEngelens: 50 for $25.50 with a $50. minimum

So looks like similar pricing at least in this basic comparison. B & B has a wider range of domestic bulbs (daffs). VanEngelens is mostly the Dutch suppliers I'm guessing...

I can't wait to see those 'swoops' of muscari, critter. Carol--I'm surprised your muscari bloom in March in Kansas City--mine bloom in late April except for the 'christmas' one that is supposed to be early...I wish mine would bloom with my daffs....

I can not believe you all can plant thousands of these fat bulbs and keep the moles/voles/deer/chipmunks from dining on them! You must have pretty good defense systems set up.... well, that topic's covered in the garden pest forum I'm sure and I don't want to discuss it here--I just wanted to whine a little!!