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valentinetbear

2 Bulb Theories - Need Realitiy Checks.

valentinetbear
14 years ago

One post, two separate questions. Hope you don't mind. And, not insisting anyone has to know the answer to both questions - especially, since I don't know either. lol

1. Planted four hyacinth bulbs last autumn. Got a single siting - one popped out of th earth, stayed an inch high for at least 6 weeks, then disappeared. May I assume I will never see hyacinths from thos bulbs - even next spring?

2. Garlic - Separated and planted a nice big juicy store-bought garlic two autumns ago, and gathered most of them, with medium-size bulbs last summer. (Worth the fun, even if I would never buy any that small from a store. lol) Surprisingly, last autumn two more started growing from that original bulb. They're back, this spring, but I'm guessing they must have been the smallest cloves. If I let them die back, and start over again for next year, will that get me bigger bulbs? Just seems many bulbs get bigger and then divide, in the bulb world, so was wondering if garlic would do that too, if we leave them alone for a couple of years.

Comments (4)

  • vetivert8
    14 years ago

    Well, my garlic does that - and sends up a flower head from the middle of the clove-set, too. They live with the roses as a 'companion plant' so I don't usually trouble them. They form a clump of leaves after a while - each from its own clove.

    Bigger cloves might also need some compost and tomato food over the growing season.

    A delicate excavation in the area of the Hyacinth planting will either show that they've taken themselves to a lower level or they've quietly rotted away. If they're there - they might favour you with an appearance next spring.

    A third possible is that they shrank and now they're bulking up or dividing into zillions of little 'grow on' bulblets.

    There are always twists to the story... (sigh)

  • valentinetbear
    Original Author
    14 years ago

    Wow! Cool! Thanks. Don't be sorry. Psrt of the reason I garden is to discover weird little things never noticed before. (By me. I'm sure it's common knowledge to many, but I am plant-naive. lol)

    Yeah, my little garlics are growing under a rose for the same reason - companion plants. Didn't remember, until the next year, that the reason they are companion plants is to stop bunnies from going after the rose. I live in a city, and my garden is all containers. Have never seen a rabbit around here. lol

    Thanks for the answer. Those little garlics are going to get the life of easy - for a few years. lol

    Can't dig up the hyacinth (already sowed annual seeds), but that just means another surprise - either way - next spring. lol

    Thanks again.

  • Donna
    14 years ago

    Just a tip. You can cut the green tops from those garlic bulbs and use them in similar ways to green onions. They give a milder flavor of garlic than the cloves. They grow back very quickly until the energy of the bulb is used up (if ever).

  • ladychroe
    14 years ago

    You might see your hyacinths again next spring. I have had that happen. Plant lots every fall, though, as they often tend to decline in floret number after a year or two.

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