I just dig a large hole and then throw the bulbs in at random,for a cottage effect. Cover with soil and then a layer of leaves. I let the leaves stay on all winter,as mulch. It's wonderful when the shoots start popping up in early spring.

jannie

What a great way to use the leaves! Thanks....Jean

I have one of those bulb augers that attaches to my cordless drill...came in real handy when I planted over 450 daffodils and other bulbs last fall. This year I am only planting about half that. I mainly ordered some more alliums for the mixed border and some dwarf tulips, dwarf irises, aconites, and snow glories for around my Rose of Sharon. I'll do the trench method with them since I want to create a ring around the shrub. I also got some more hardy glads...not sure where they are going yet. I think this is the first year I haven't bought any daffodils...LOL.

Last year I planted a lot of bulbs in clay soil, so to improve drainage, when I dug the holes, I filled the bottom with a sand/compost mix, added the bulb, then topped it off with the same mix. Seemed to work well and even worked well for the lilies. To determine placement, I just threw the bulbs on the ground and dug holes where they landed. Any bulbs that are suseptible to voles and squirrels, I soak in Ropel before planting. Works great!

I just have 20 crocus and 12 tulip bulbs. Planning to plant some garlic, too!

I heard that sprinkling cayenne on the soil over the bulbs will repel critters.

I found some pink and white daffs at WalMart.....they may not produce strongly, ya never really know with some of these chain stores what you are getting but I liked the atypical look of them. I think there's 50 in the bag.

I have several outdoor projects which will take away from the time I have to plant this fall.

I just love the idea of soaking the bulbs in Ropel before planting and putting the cayenne on the soil over the bulbs .
I have planted the checkered tulip for 3 years in a row and still have never gotten one to bloom. I ordered them again this year from FEDCO but that shipment has not come yet.
I will certainly try these ideas. Thanks!

Jean

I plant bulbs in clusters, generally in odd numbers. I like to keep the varieties separated rather than mixed, but that's just me. I love 'Spring Green' tulips with late daffodils (like 'Cheerfulness'), and Pheasant's eye narcissus with late yellow tulips. Narcissus 'Geranium' is great with dark orange species tulips. I don't fertilize when I plant if it's in an established bed; if it's a new bed, I might add some slow-release organic fertilizer to the bottom of the planting hole if I have it on hand. I don't pamper my bulbs - they have to rough it. I bury them DEEP, though - 6-7" to the bottom of the bulb for larger tulips and narcissi. And I often cover newly-planted tulips with a piece of wire mesh, to discourage digging squirrels.

Laurel

Laurel

What a great way to use up the slow-release organic fertilizer! The bone meal has gotten so expensive. Thanks a million for all your suggestions and ideas!

Jean

I have found the checkered lilies difficult to get going, but once you find the right spot they come up every year. Both groups that I have are planted by some rocks. Maybe it is the heat from the sun that remains in the rocks. Who knows? They are well worth the time it takes to get them established.
I am always amazed at the beautiful creations that nature gives us.
As for this year. I have 5 or 6 new daffodils that I found in local nurseries. I have over 100 different varieties now. Every time I put a shovel in the ground I either hit rocks or daffodil bulbs.
Von
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Von

What a great picture! I am so jealous of your checkered lilies! I plant them every year but still no luck in the spring. I did order them from FEDCO again this year!

What kind of sun do you get by that rock?

Jean

I've never heard of ropel before, thanks! I just ordered 150 specialty tulips from colorblends and I wondered if all I really bought was squirrel food!

I also got daffs - gay kybo (only 10, they're expensive!)
and gladiator alliums

Do I need to soak either of those??

Hi

When Judy said she never heard of ropel before it got me thinking!!!!!

A gal in our garden club has had a horrible time with her deer eating all her daylilies and a bunch of other perennials.

She has worked for years to try to find something that she could spray on and would actually work.

This year she had the best luck ever and everything she sprayed was untouched by the deer but one hedgerow that she forgot to spray was totally eaten.

She passed our the recipe she is using .....raved about how cheap it was to make ......and she now knows it works!

Organic Deer Repellant

1 egg
1 cup milk
1 T. liquid detergent
1 to 2 T. cooking oil
2 T. oil of rosemary or concentrated mint juice

Beat egg, add other ingredients and strain into a 1 gal container. Add water to fill the container.
Spray once a week on the plants the deer like to eat.
Store unused repellent in the refrigerator.

My thoughts.....I am going to make this stuff up......dip my bulbs in as I plant them and see if I get a better crop in the spring.

I always loose all my amamenies, some of my crocus, allium and smaller tulips.
What have I got to loose? I don't think the solution will destroy my bulbs.

What do you think?

Jean

I don't have deer, just squirrels... and I've been feeding it shelled peanuts. No shell - no burying. :)

I just today planted 150+ bulbs in my little front bed, so wish me luck. This time last year that bed was grass and a couple over grown rhodos.

My bulbs:

Mondial double early tulips (white)
Peppermint Stick mini botanical tulips (bi-coloured red & white)
Flaming Spring Green viridiflora tulips (white with green stripe)
Mount Hood daffodils (white petals and yellow trumpet)
Canaliculatus mini narcissi
Romance crocus (pale yellow)
Anemone De Caen Bicolour (white, inner red halo)
Anemone De Caen 'Blue Poppy' (blue, black centre)
Anemone De Caen mix
Oxalis Adenophylla (light pink)
Dodecatheon/shooting stars (purple)
Misc. dafs and narcissi dug up from other parts of the garden.

:) I just copied and pasted the list from what I typed out when ordering them from Botanicus.

Now I wait!

Hi Amesly

Thanks for writing!

It sounds like you put in some beautiful bulbs.....I also, just finished getting in the last of my ordered bulbs.

Now I wait and watch to see if any of the local stores have a "just can't resist" sale on the bulbs that haven't sold.

When I was digging this year I found an old green bottle. I don't usually find any treasures like that!

Now to see what survives!

Jean

I have had the worst luck ordering bulbs. Two years ago I ordered from Brecks. All the bulbs were so tiny that nothing bloomed in the spring. This year out of over 100 bulbs and corms I had maybe a half dozen blooms. Everything I have bought from Wal Mart has done great. The tulip bulbs I got and planted in a washtub 6 yrs ago have been the talk of everyone that sees them. I also put a nice thick layer of leaves over the top of the tub for the winter. This year I will have to dig them up and divide them as they getting overcrowded now.

Penny

Hi Penny

What do you do with the tulip bulbs planted in the washtub?

Do you dig in the tub for the winter or is it always dug in?

I like the idea of the thick layer of leaves over the top!
Jean

Jean the wash tub just sits in the middle of the yard with the bulbs in there. I really didn't think they would come back up after the first year but they have been in there for 6 yrs now. the tub is on the surface of the soil because the maple roots run right close to the surface so I couldn't sink the tub. One the tulips are done I just fill it with annuals. Sometimes during the winter I put artificial poinsettias in the tub just to give it some color. Eventually I want to put a stone border around the tub and fill it with soil to plant more annuals around the outside of the tub

Penny

Penny

That is very cool! How great that they do well above the surface. They must be very happy in that spot!

I must look around to see what I have that I could plant in......I just got 3 boxes of half price bulbs at Sam's and am thinking about a spot to plant them.

Jean

Jean,
I was really surprised that they have done so well in the tub also. The first year I planted them I put shredded newspapers, compost and leaves in the tub and then filled it up with cheap potting soil and planted the bulbs. I have seldom watered it and never fertilized it. Just top dress with leaved in the fall. The galvanized washtub was a 50 cent find at a yard sale.

Penny

Penny

What a great find! A magical galvanized washtub for 50 cents at a yard sale that keeps your tulips blooming for all these years! It just doesn't get any better than that!

Off to get my bargain bulbs in!

Jean

Jean I had always read where you are supposed to dig them up after a couple of years to let them rest but mine just rest in the washtub. I usually have too much other stuff to do in the spring to dig them up.

Penny

On a whim, I picked up a package of Mediterranean Bells (Allium Nectaroscordum) at Tops last month. I have a power pole in one corner of my front yard, which is a pain to mow around, so I planted them in a ring around the bottom of the pole. Not much, but a start.