Posted on Wed, Oct. 21, 2009
Buying flowering bulbs in the fall can give gardeners great expectations. Using them, however, also requires a leap of faith.
How do you know whether the bulbs will bloom? How can you arrange them to add beauty to the garden? And how can you prevent hungry critters from turning your amaryllis into dinner?
Garden experts say that the same strategies you use to buy and store foods can help you get the best value when it comes to bulbs. When you shop for produce, you examine the item; it's the same with a flower bulb, says Vinnie Drzewucki, horticulture information specialist at Hicks Nurseries, Inc., Westbury, N.Y. You can also apply that food analogy to protect bulbs from pests. Just as you know your family's food preferences, knowing what squirrels and deer won't eat can save you time and money.
"Look for the things you do in produce: firm, not mushy bulbs; no rot; no blemishes," says Drzewucki.
"The bigger the bulb the more likely it will produce a big bloom," says Drzewucki. Tulips are the delicacy of the bulb world, at least when it comes to squirrels. But you can choose less tasty bulbs and still have beautiful color in your garden. Daffodil bulbs are toxic to pests, he adds. Animals turn up their noses at allium (ornamental onion) because they smell bad. Drzewucki suggests looking for bulbs in the same family.
"If you get one flower that's critter proof you may find others that share the same protection," he says. You may also find a picture of an animal with a slash through it on bulb packages as your guide to pest resistance, says Jason Delaney, senior outdoor horticulturist with Missouri Botanical Garden, St. Louis.
When you're planting bulbs you're looking for a dazzling effect. Arrange bulbs in clusters.
"You want five or more in the same color in a cluster for a splash of color," says Drzewucki.
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