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nelljean

Summer Bulbs

18 years ago

It may be a little early, but not too early to plan. I realize that some of you in cold zones are still anticipating May tulips, but I'm already thinking about summer bulbs.

The ground is still too cool for tropicals like caladiums to go in, even here, but elephant ears are coming up.

What Summer Bulbs are among your cottage garden plans?

Nell

Comments (5)

  • 18 years ago

    Well since my tulips are fading, I got anxious and planted some gladilous bulbs, rannunculus, lily and something else,....oh I forget (This was a mix of bulbs I got at Lowes).

    my asiatic lilies are coming up that I transplanted from our old house last month and I have siberian irisees that are coming up too that I also transplanted. Those two will probably be the next to bloom. I also transplanted some liriope and lily of the valley from my mom, so we'll see how they do this year. :)

  • 18 years ago

    I have not had any success with them. I think it is becaue I have not been able to get them into specially built beds yet, I've only planted them right into the clay.

  • 18 years ago

    Hi Nell,

    I plant up quite a few summer bulbs.

    glads, freesia, calla, canna, elephants ear, peruvian daffodils, begonias, Anemone,Tigridia Mexican shell flower, Crocosmia small flowering, Ornithogalum Thyrsordes, and dahlias.

    Well so far I have potted up some pink freesias and a couple of hanging baskets of begonias. In my zone all these bulbs have to be lifted in the fall and most have to be started early indoors. I also have a few flats of glads started. I should have started the other bulbs earlier than now, but I didn't. lol. I pulled the boxes out a couple of days ago and there was an Amaryllis in full bloom. Ooopppsss. So far I have potted up 3 trough planters with the Amaryllis this week. I have to pick up another bale of dirt today to pot up the rest of the bulbs. Oh ya, and I forgot to label them when I brought them in last year. DOH sooooo I will be pretty much guessing which bulbs are which. LOL!!!

    The dahlias I will be planting somewhere around 100 hopefully in May, if I expect to get any blooms before frost. I did start a few indoors....but not many. It is snowing again this morning. Where is that stop button? The Mexican Shell flower is interesting....but they only like to bloom when I am away for the day....so I usually miss seeing them in bloom. This annoys me to no end. My collection of begonia bulbs will also be potted up in the next couple of weeks....they always put on a beautiful show in the shade. The rest of the little bulbs just bloom when ever through out the summer. I really like the anemones! I haven't grown rannunculus for a few years...so I might add them this year, if I can find some.

    Caladiums, I can't grow here, it just doesn't get warm enough. When I tried the bulbs just rotted.

    Sierra still in the snow

  • 18 years ago

    Oh, Sierra, you've answered some of my unasked questions about how you garden in a really cold climate.

    Funny about the Amaryllis, they're sturdy fellows for such an exotic blossom. We grow them in the ground here, and in pots for Christmas. I gave a 'brown-thumbed' friend a white amaryllis for Christmas one year, she planted it out and it blooms faithfully now, while mine sulks, LOL.

    Do you plant the species glads, like Acidanthera and Byzantine glads?

    I have a 10-year old book, "Summer Bulbs" by Henry Jaworski. He obviously lives in a cold climate and pots up things I stick in the ground and leave, but the book is fascinating to read. Many of his favorites are my favs, too. I need to try more and different.

    Nell

  • 18 years ago

    A couple more that I missed. :)
    Sparaxis rainbow mix, Peacock Orchid Acidanthera. There are probably a few more that I missed as well. So yes I planted Acidanthera.

    I found that the Amaryllis are heavy feeders. Especially after they finish flowering.

    Some of these bulbs, I plant in the ground, just have to start them indoors early in pots. Others I leave in the pots and move the pots around the garden when in bloom. Lucky you, you don't have to do the extra work to have these beautiful plants in your garden.

    Hope you will show us some pics when you get them growing in your garden. :)

    Sierra

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