OCTOBER
2004
By
Beverly Shaw
Advanced
Master Gardener
Purdue University
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Q. I ordered a lot of spring-flowering daffodils and tulips and expect
the shipment to arrive soon. Is there any trick to planting them? -- Cindy
Cunningham, Terre Haute, Ind.
A. Start with a design first. I like working with large groups of plants,
depending upon the size of your garden. For most residential sites, two
dozen bulbs can make quite a show. If you plant three daffodils in one
spot, three different ones in another, etc., you'll never get the impact
of two dozen bulbs in one area. In an intimate garden, you might work
with smaller numbers. In a formal front yard, you might plant four dozen
of the same daffodil. Think in terms of "drifts" of color and
avoid planting anything in a line.
Spring flowering bulbs bloom from February to May, and it's tricky to
select two that will bloom together. You can find this information in
the bulb catalogs and choosing plants that bloom together can create some
interesting combinations.
I prefer to use a bulb drill, which is a large drill bit available at
most garden centers or hardware stores. It allows me to tuck bulbs between
perennials or plant roots without excavating huge areas of dirt. However,
if the soil is poorly drained, the entire bed must be amended, by adding
organic matter, such as peat moss, well-rotted manure or compost. Adequate
fertility can be achieved by adding a low-analysis, balanced fertilizer,
such as 5-10-5 or 6-10-4, at the rate of 2-3 pounds per 100 square feet
of bed.
The size of the bulb and the species will dictate how deep to plant. In
general, the depth to the bottom of the bulb should be about 2-3 times
the size of the bulb, but check the planting instructions specific to
each particular flower.
For more information, call the Purdue Extension office in your county,
and ask for a copy of HO-86, "Flowering Bulbs," which is also
available online at http://www.hort.purdue.edu/ext/HO-86.pdf.
Q. I grew some glorious cannas this year, but I know they aren't hardy.
How do I handle them now that it's fall?
A. Cannas should be dug up after a hard frost. Cut the tops back to 4
inches, lift the roots with a spading fork and air dry them in a warm
spot for one to two weeks. Canna roots do not require covering. They can
be stored in shallow boxes and held at 45-50 F.
You'll be surprised at how the tuberous roots have increased during the
growing season. In the spring, you can plant the clumps in their entirety
or divide them into smaller pieces and enjoy many more cannas! Be sure
there is a portion of the old stem base in each division that you make,
since the new growth buds are in the old stem.
10-7-04
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