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Started planting!

katob Z6ish, NE Pa
15 years ago

Anyone else been busy? I usually procrastinate until the snow flurries fly, but this year I started planting at a reasonable time. It feels strange planting fall bulbs in a t-shirt without the bulky jacket and frozen fingers!

So far I just started planting a new bed full of daffodils. I hope to finish up today and then get some minor bulbs in and a few tulips. I think I may wrap up bulb planting before November!.... but then there are the clearance sales.

How is everyone else doing?

Comments (18)

  • cheesecurlgurl
    15 years ago

    You seem like just the person to ask! I just bought bulbs from my kid's school and i was wondering how late I can plant them. It is getting down to about 30 degrees here at night and in the 50's during the day. Is that too cold?

  • katob Z6ish, NE Pa
    Original Author
    15 years ago

    I hope it's not too cold! That's what the weather is here for the next week or two, and I still have plenty of bulbs to plant and plants to transplant! As long as the ground is not frozen you can still plant tulips, hyacinths and daffodils. It's best to plant them early, but the late ones will be fine.

    I like to cover them with a thick mulch if I'm planting really late (like November or early Dec).

    I got most of my bulbs in.... just a few more daffs for the front yard and a few alliums I'm moving to a new spot.

  • schoolhouse_gw
    15 years ago

    I'm at the point where I dig to plant a bulb, and there's already a bulb there!

  • Donna
    15 years ago

    It's truly a big country we live in! My bulbs haven't even arrived from the mailorder company yet. The ground isn't quite cool enough, though we are supposed to get patchy frost tonight. My marigolds are so gorgeous right now, I just may cover them up. It's a good two or three weeks early.

    My Dad swears by the farmers almanac, and says it is predicting an extremely hard winter this year (Thus proving that global warming is a hoax. I've given up arguing with him. :). I've been taking last minute cuttings like mad just to be on the safe side.

  • katob Z6ish, NE Pa
    Original Author
    15 years ago

    I bet that's a great show in spring with all those bulbs! Usually if I find a bulb in a potential planting spot it's only after my shovel sliced right through it. Usually the rarer or harder to establish, the more likely they are to get sliced.

    We had a couple of inches of snow this morning! School cancellations/delays, power outtages, interstate closings.... that's early even for us! I think it's the same weather that's dipping down to Mississippi.
    I hope the frosts don't get you just yet.

  • ladychroe
    15 years ago

    I've barely started planting. I ordered a few things that I really wanted, but I'm just going to wait for the clearance sales. Usually I finish planting in mid-January.

  • katob Z6ish, NE Pa
    Original Author
    15 years ago

    Mid-January!? Good for you!
    I usually chicken out by then and start potting stuff up and leaving it in the garage until spring..... but.... this year the plan is to prep a bed and cover it with a thick layer of mulch. I can pull off the frozen mulch and plant away! Just in case..... you know?

    A good meaning friend sent a box of bulbs my way.... I think she heard me gloating about having stuff planted already and wanted to throw a wrench into the works! She can't stop me though, I'm on a mission!

  • Chemocurl zn5b/6a Indiana
    15 years ago

    tee hee hee

  • katob Z6ish, NE Pa
    Original Author
    15 years ago

    I'm back on track! Just those daffs in front and I'm done...... until the sales start.

    But..... Sam's club is on the list tomorrow, and if any of the bulbs are marked down I may pick up a bag or two of tulips, heh heh. Tulips are easy to fit in, they are annuals right? So I don't even need to do soil prep!
    -I say that now.... come July I'll be digging them all up, dividing and storing to plant next fall again... in fact I've even been known to tag the stalks in order to seperate them by color when I dig. hmmmm I'm either very thrifty or very anal or very both.

  • katefisher
    15 years ago

    May I ask a couple of questions about planting tulips? I tried last year for the first time and have three bags of tulips this year to try again.

    My first question is if I can plant now or not. This week is going to be around the 50's during the day, 30's at night. But then a week from today is forecasted to be near 70. I'm worried it might be too warm.

    Also I have many half barrel planters, most in sunny spots. My bulbs are from Costco and that's pretty much all I know about them:) Are they in theory hardy enough to plant in pots for the winter?

    Thank you.

    Kate

  • jeannie7
    15 years ago

    The early bird gets the worm they say. Take that as a guide to bulb planting.
    The earlier you buy bulbs is the time you get the best sized and best looking bulbs.
    But, having bought bulbs, then you are encouraged to ...
    BUY BULBS, PLANT BULBS....

    they should not be left out of the ground for any extended time. Bulbs can absorb moisture and moisture can be a bulbs worst enemy when not in the ground.

    Hardy bulbs have this queer thing about them....they must go into the ground where such ground temperature is below 50ºF...so that roots can be promoted.

    A bulb that goes into winter, without roots, is useless--it is just fodder for vermin and if it survives into spring, is a wonderful place to encourage rotting and bacteria to set up house in.

    Once roots are established, there's not much can happen to the bulb. It can stand up to temperatures down to 40 below zero...F or C.
    It wont freeze....its inner engine promotes hardiness that such low extremes cant touch it.

    You want to plant bulbs when its comfortable to do so and you can improve the soil its in.
    A little compost, a little bone meal or superphosphate mixed in, water that reaches the bottom of the bulb and yet good drainage, is what a bulb likes.
    And don't worry about putting the bulb in a little deeper than maybe it says.
    Generally, the size of the bulb should determine how deep but an inch or so deeper might be the difference to whether it is on the menu of a squirrel or skunk.

  • katob Z6ish, NE Pa
    Original Author
    15 years ago

    I need to follow that advice and get my bulbs planted. I just wanted to add one word of caution on potted bulbs. Water tends to sit inside the pot if the soil is frozen and the pot gets rained on. This can freeze and thaw and end up rotting the bulbs.

    I was bad Sunday. The Sam's bulbs were marked down. So... for about $6.50 each I got 2 bags of 100 mixed tulips, 1 box of 60 pastel tulips, 20 hyacinths, and 100 mixed crocus.

    Y'know I needed the crocus..... I have so few, and a few hyacinth here and there always smell so nice.... plus the tulips were so cheap and they are so easy to poke in here and there.... and this house has such dull landscaping, I will now have plenty to look forward to in the spring.

    The down side to this (other than all the digging) is that I will have trouble finding spots for summer bulbs, now that I'm filling in all the spots where they grew last year.

    hmmm. I guess I'll need to start a new bed or two!

  • katob Z6ish, NE Pa
    Original Author
    15 years ago

    Jeannie7 - I just read your advice regarding forcing tulips... how did I forget forcing! I think I'll pot up a few hyacinths for a late winter pick me up, maybe a couple crocus too.
    thanks!

  • Chemocurl zn5b/6a Indiana
    15 years ago

    plus the tulips were so cheap and they are so easy to poke in here and there..

    Dang Fank...easy to poke in 260 tulips? What were you thinking?....LMAO

    I guess I'll need to start a new bed or two!
    I'd say so!...and you had best make them big ones.

    I've got a really good start on my planting, but have a lot to go yet. I think I'll pace myself and religiously (am I allowed to say that here, lol) plant X amount of bulbs daily until they are all planted complete with labels, and locations logged.

    Sue

  • Chemocurl zn5b/6a Indiana
    15 years ago

    I'm even still trying to trade (at the Plant Exchange) 3 varieties of Daffs yet for other hardy named spring blooming bulbs.....hint, hint.

    Have spring blooming bulbs-looking for spring blooming bulbs

    Anyone interested maybe/hopefully? The Alliums have been traded but all 3 of the Daffs varieties are still up for grabs.

    Sue

  • Chemocurl zn5b/6a Indiana
    15 years ago

    Well tomorrow it is supposed to be a balmy 53 degrees here.

    I hope to get the very last of the bulbs planted so I can finally be done!

    Anyone else still planting?

    Anyone still waiting for some late ordered bulbs to arrive?

    Sue

  • ladychroe
    15 years ago

    Still planting!

  • katob Z6ish, NE Pa
    Original Author
    15 years ago

    Ladychroe, if you don't mind the occasional shower, this was perfect planting weather. Are you progressing?

    How about you Sue?

    It is supposed to get COLD tomorrow and last for a couple days. Winter may be settling in.

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