Bulbs-the promise of spring in a little package!

I love my spring garden! It's bursting at the seams with colour, sound and life! 

Snowdrops can appear as early as January if the winter is mild and I'm eternally amazed to see bees on my early Crocus on the very day that they open! It's usually their buzzing that alerts me to the opening of the flowers. 

Snowdrops - so cute in a vase!

Just as soon as the snow melts, the early crocus pop up through the leaves.

The very day my crocus open, the bees are there! How do they know?

There are a lot of different types bulbs to choose from. My favourites include Snowdrops, Crocus, Blue Poppy anemones, large Alliums and of course tulips!

Botanical Name	Common Name
Allium	Flowering Onions
Anemone blanda	Windflower
Arisaema	Jack in the Pulpit
Camassia	Camas lily
Chionodoxa	Glory-of-the-snow
Crocus	Crocus
Eranthis	Winter Aconite
Eremurus	Foxtail lily
Erythronium	Trout lily, yellow dog-tooth violet
Fritillaria, (Fritillaria imperialis)	Fritillaria, (Crown Imperial)
Galanthus	Snowdrop
Hyacinth	Hyacinth
Iris reticulata	Dwarf iris
Leucojum	Spring/summer snowflake
Mertensia	Virginia bluebells
Muscari	Grape hyacinth
Narcissus	Daffodil
Nectaroscordum	honey garlic, Sicilian honey lily,
Ornithogalum	star-of-Bethlehem
Puschkinia	Striped Squill
Scilla	Siberian Squill
Tulipa	Tulip

If you take time to plan out your spring garden, you'll have blooms from the time the snow melts. Continuous blooms really help give pollinators an on ongoing source of food. 

Blooms Times of Spring Bulbs 

March	April	May	June
Crocus	Anemone blanda	Allium	Allium
Eranthis	Chionodoxa	Camassia	Arisaema
Galanthus	Eranthis	Fritillaria	Fritillaria
	Erythronium	Eremurus	Iris reticulata
	Narcissus	Hyacinth	Narcissus
	Puschkinia	Iris reticulata	Nectaroscordum
	Scilla	Leucojum	Ornithogalum
	Tulipa	Mertensia	Tulipa
		Muscaria
		Narcissus
		Tulipa

When to Plant?

• Bulbs are usually planted from September to the end of November-but you can plant as long as the ground isn't frozen. 
• Try and plant your bulbs as soon after purchase as possible-the longer you wait, the more likely the bulb will dry out. Dried out or rotten bulbs will not grow.

Pointy side up!

• Most bulbs are planted "pointy side up" or darker, flatter, root-end down.  If in doubt, plant bulbs sideways-they will automatically right themselves as they grow!
• Some bulbs like Crown Imperials have a depression in the middle of the bulb that can accumulate water and cause the bulb to rot. Plant those bulbs on their side, so that water does not accumulate.

Plant Crown Imperials on their side to prevent them from rotting.

Bed preparation

• Bulbs grow best in soil that is free draining. Heavy clay or poorly drained soil will keep the soil cold and wet and cause bulbs to rot. 
• Don't plant bulbs in areas that accumulate water or are poorly drained.
• If your soil is a heavy clay, you can add a good quality compost at planting time to help improve it. Incorporate the compost into the planting hole and mix with the existing soil. 
• Compost will also help to feed the plant that will emerge from your bulb in spring. 

Depth

• Use the height of the bulb as a rough guide and dig a hole 3-5 times deeper than the height of the bulb.  For example,  plant larger bulbs (tulips, hyacinths, narcissus) at about 20 cm/7 inches and smaller bulbs (scilla, anemone, crocus, Snowdrops) at 10 cm/3-5 inches.
• Planting bulbs more deeply also discourages squirrels from digging them up. 

 

Plant bulbs at least 3x their height. Note the depth on your garden trowel to plant deep enough.

Spacing

• All bulbs should be planted at least as far apart as they are wide. 
• Again, if in doubt add more space than you think is necessary – not less.
• Many bulbs multiply over the years and the extra spacing will give them room to grow and help maintain flower size large. 

You can dig an individual hole per bulb or dig a larger one and distribute the bulbs in the whole. This works well if you are "layering" different kinds of bulbs.

Arrangement

• Bulbs look best planted in groups- a circle of 5 bulbs is a good guide. Avoid planting bulbs in rows- nature just never does that and you shouldn't either! 
• Plant an assortment of different bulbs in the same hole ("layering") to extend bloom time in an area. For instance, start by planting tulips in the bottom of the planting hole, cover them with soil and then put some Snowdrops or Crocus just above them. The early bulbs will emerge first, followed by the later bulbs.
• Planting your bulbs amongst your perennials is also a good way to hide the leaves of the bulbs after the flowers have died.
• You can create a stunning visual effect by having several taller bulbs emerge from lower growing ground covers or plants. Tall Alliums and Crown Imperials are good choices to start. Try planting them growing out of spring phlox or hostas. 
• WATER after planting, especially if the fall is dry. Not much may be going on above ground, but bulbs will start to grow their root system once planted and will need watering.





These purple Alliums look amazing with the bluish hostas-and the hostas hide the leaves of the alliums once they are finished blooming.

Location

• While many bulbs prefer full sun, some can be planted partial shade. Woodland bulbs like Woodland Anemone, Jack-in-the-Pulpit, Dog's Tooth Violets and Snowdrops prefer a bit of cool shade.
• Remember that a shady summer location may be sunny before deciduous trees fully leaf out. 
• Plant bulbs in bare spots between/behind perennials or where you had annuals.  
• Plant narcissus or crocus in the lawn or under groundcovers to naturalize.

Critter Proofing!

• Members of the Amaryllis family (daffodils, snowflakes, snowdrops) are pretty well guaranteed to be deer and rodent proof as they contain a bitter poisonous substance called lycorine-no mammal wants to eat this! However in times where plant material is unavailable, you may find critters nibbling at even the most unappetizing plants.
• Deer and rodent resistant bulbs include: Fritillaria, daffodils, snowdrops, alliums, anemone, Siberian quill, Grape hyacinth, Glory-of-the-Snow, Winter aconite.
• Unfortunately, not much can stop deer and rodents from nipping off the tops of your tulips-they are edible after all. I suggest borrowing a large, ominous hyperactive dog...
• Crazy squirrels are a torment but I've found a way to deal with them. First of all, I NEVER place my bulbs on the soil! This is like putting "X marks the spot" where the treasure is buried! I swear the squirrels can detect the residual bulb smell. I arrange my bulbs in clay saucers and place them in the garden. That allows me to visually figure out where to plant them and re-position as needed. It also serves as a nice way of holding bulbs while I make the planting hole without leaving any squirrels scent clues on the soil. Once the bulbs are safely in their hole, you can sprinkle some bloodmeal to act as a "smell" deterrent-it also provides nourishment to the bulb. I've also added cayenne pepper to the planting hole and that has been effective. Then I cover the hole over and place the saucer on top. This not only further deters digging from crazy critters, but helps me remember where I planted bulbs. You can remove the saucers once your bulbs sprout out.
• Some people recommend placing something like chicken wire over the planting holes-this will deter critters from digging, but it's difficult to remove once the plants start growing as the stems grow into the wire. And it makes it hard for "the gardener" to dig in the garden later on in the year, so I've removed all the wire that I placed there.

Bulbs in pot saucers to foil the squirrels!

Keep Them Blooming Year after Year

• Cut the flowers and flower stems after bloom to help direct the energy of the plant back into the bulb. This ensures that next year you'll have large gorgeous blooms again.  I don't bother cutting small flowers such as crocus or snowdrops, but it really helps for the larger bulbs such as tulips. 
• Leave the leaves on until they turn yellow or are dry. I know this is a a pain as the leaves are totally unattractive but cutting the leaves before the bulb has made enough energy for next year will result in smaller or no blooms next spring. I do admit to tying up my daffodil leaves in a knot as even I get sick of seeing them in spring. Just pick a small handful of leaves and tie them in a tidy knot. It does help make your garden look neater and so far I haven't noticed an adverse affect on the daffs.
• If you notice that your tulips or other bulbs are getting smaller despite leaving the leaves to ripen, it may mean that they have made too many bulbs and are too crowded. Mark the location so that you can find the bulbs once the leaves are gone and the bulb is dormant-that's the best time to lift them. Carefully dig the bulbs up-a garden fork sometimes works well to avoid cutting bulbs in half. Separate the bulbs and replant them in another location.
• Small bulbs such as Grape Hyacinth usually shoot up leaves in the fall. That makes it easy to locate them and thin them out by relocating them. 

I love fall bulb planting as I get to work in my garden and get to look forward to a bounty of beauty in the spring!

Grape hyacinth send up leaves in the fall.

Carefully dig them up, divide and replant to a new location.

Overwintering Your Plants and Vegetables

Why overwinter plants?

·       Well for one thing it's fun and easy and saves a ton of money! You can save all those gorgeous border dahlias and canna lilies and they will just be larger and more beautiful next year. You can also bring those tender tropical plants indoors to use as houseplants. Indoor plants improve our well being, clean the air and actually cheer us up! Just a word of caution- some plants are poisonous to cats and dogs and children! The Ontario Veterinary Association posts a list of potentially toxic plants. 

What plants can I bring in?

• Most tropical or tender annuals such as begonia, geranium, coleus, hibiscus, impatiens, mandevilla
• Bulbs such as cannas, callas, dahlias, elephant ears
• Plants that grow easily from cuttings: geranium, begonia, basil, mint, coleus, impatiens
• Some culinary plants can be dug up and kept on indoors

Plants can be overwintered by growing them on in the house, by starting cuttings or by keeping them in a dormant state or a semi-dormant state. How you treat individual plants depends on whether they prefer to keep growing in cool or warm conditions or whether they need to be kept in a dormant state.

Growing Plants on Indoors (Warm and bright plants)

Many garden plants can be grown indoors as house plants during the winter. Bring these tender plants in before the first frost hits! You can bring in the whole plant or start new plant from cuttings. 

Starting new plants from cuttings (i.e. begonia, geranium, coleus, hibiscus, impatiens)

Sometimes there are fewer pest problems with cuttings and the smaller plant size makes it easier to manage.

• Cut a piece of the plant about 4-5" long (12 cm). 
• Remove the leaves from the bottom of the plant. 
• Place the cuttings in potting soil and keep moist until roots form. 
• You can place a cut water bottle over the pot to keep the soil moist.
• Reduce watering once roots have formed.

A bottle over your cuttings keeps moisture in and stops squirrels from digging up your plants!

Rooted Coleus cuttings- Unfortunately, the bottle doesn't stop the earwigs from making holes in the leaves!

To bring in whole plants

• If the plant has grown too large, cut back to half or more and trim for shape if needed.
• Remove any dead or damaged foliage.
• Minimize shock by getting plants acclimated before bringing them indoors.
• Start by moving the plant to a shady location outdoors a week before you want to bring it in. Bring the plant indoors during the night if the nights get too cool.
• Inspect for bugs on the plant or in the soil; treat for bugs (i.e. strong spray with hose, insecticidal soap spray) or by immersing the whole plant in water. Repot plants in clean pots and soil to minimize soil pests in the home.
• Place your plant in a sunny (east, south, west) location to keep it growing on; give plants a ¼ turn per week to keep growth balanced all around the plant.
• Find the right place for the right plant; some prefer cool/dark, some a cool/light location; house windows vary widely depending on orientation, trees, overhangs etc
• Inspect plants weekly for pests; treat as needed by using yellow sticky strips, soap sprays etc
• Trim and remove dead leaves as needed
• Pinch back plants if they get to leggy
• Water when dry;  daily spray increases humidity and reduces pests
• When the days start to get longer, and there is new growth, increase water and then start to feed with a dilute solution of fertilizer
• Repot (if needed) one pot size up; use a commercial mix or potting medium of good compost/organic matter and  builder’s sand (for drainage); (
• Move outside gradually to acclimate; first in the shade in a protected area, then to a sunnier location; plant out when all danger of frost has passed; this is usually after the May 24^th weekend in southern Ontario

Other plant suggestions to try:

• Rosemary: grow under lights; water once a week
• Many herbs will grow in a bright window
• Passionflower, Hibiscus
• Clivia: needs cool and bright conditions
• Mandevilla: prefers sandy well drained soil

Keeping Plants Dormant (Cool and dark plants)

General Directions

• Plants that prefer the cool and dark can be kept in a dormant or semi-dormant state until spring.
• Forcing dormancy is useful if you're short on space or want to save time and effort on winter care.
• Start to decrease watering before bringing in. Most plants are brought in before the frost hits them.
• Most plants will need to be severely pruned back.
• Put the plant, either potted or with newspaper wrapped around its root ball, in a cool (not below 40°F/5°C), preferably dark place for winter.
• Allow the soil to dry somewhat but not completely.
• Check every few weeks and water/mist sparingly if needed.
• Remove and discard any dead leaves, diseased, rotting parts.
• In spring, repot the plant and resume watering.
• Place in a warm, well-lit place indoors or outside after danger of frost is past. 

Specific Plants

• Banana plants: cut back to stump; wrap root ball in plastic bag to keep moist; leave top of plant exposed
• Elephant’s ear (colocasia, alocasia): cut back just above soil level and shake off soil; keep moist, not wet in plastic bag/pot
• Brugmansia (Angel's Trumpet): I cut my Brugmansia back severely leaving one main stem and pot them up. They are kept semi dormant in the basement with minimum light and water. 
• Agapanthus, Duranta, Pineapple lily can also be kept cool and dark

Brugmansia-remove leaves and prune off a branches but the main stem.

Bulbs (cannas, dahlias, Caladium spp. and tuberous begonias) 

• Wait until after the first frost; cut back the foliage to about 3 or 4 inches; leave the bulb in the ground for eyes to develop.
• Use a fork to dig up bulbs to avoid cutting bulbs; cut bulbs are subject to disease; brush off the soil and lay them out in a dry, airy, warm place for two weeks. (Dahlias-you can wash off the soil.)
• Divide if necessary; one "eye" per tuber; you can also divide in the spring.
• Overwinter in dark, cool (50°F/10°C), dry, yet airy surroundings, usually a basement. Medium: newspaper, vermiculite, wood shavings. Containers:  empty pots, shallow crates, pizza/pie boxes. 
• The storage container depends on the type of bulb, corm or tuber.
• Gladioli and bulbs with a papery husk: place in mesh bags with plenty of air circulation. Don’t water; check once a month and discard any that show signs of rot.
• Dahlias, cannas, caladiums, tuberous begonias:  store uncovered in trays or boxes loosely packed with vermiculite/ dry peat moss/ wood shavings. Check every month to see that they aren’t drying out; mist or sprinkle a few drops of water over the vermiculite or peat moss to keep it plump; don’t overdo the water or rot may set in.
• If plants start to sprout in early spring, pot them up and grow them in a sunny window or a cold frame if you have one. Large plastic bottles over plants can also protect plants.

 

Elephant ears are a bit large to bring indoors-but you can cut them back and keep them dormant

Challenges of Growing Plants Indoors

The three big challenges to growing plants indoors are having enough light and humidity and dealing with pests. 

Light

Fluorescent lights and reflective white panels increase light levels

• You can increase light levels with grow lights, compact fluorescent lights or LEDs. Aim for 12-16 hours of light per day. 
• Placing reflective material (white cardboard) around plants can also increase light levels. 

Humidity

• To increase humidity, you can place your plants on something to elevate them from a shallow water source. (I have never had luck with the recommendation to place plants in a saucer with pebbles as the bottom of the pot is too unstable on the pebbles.) I put my plant pots on inverted thick lids/clay saucers in water filled trays/saucers. When I water the plants, the water drains into the saucer under the lid.
• Weekly or even daily misting works wonders. 

Use plastic lids, clay saucers to elevate plants-trays below catch water and increase humidity

Pests

Yellow sticky strips are effective for flying pests

• Inspect plants weekly; treat as needed and following instructions (i.e. insecticidal soap-need to spray 3 times over 10 days and rinse after spraying)
• Mealy bugs; little fluffy tufts; wash foliage regularly; dab fluff with Q-tip dipped in alcohol
• Scale: roundish, flat bumps on plants; the actual insect is hiding under the “bump”. These are really difficult to remove and treat! Rub/scrape off or hand pick the scale on leaves. Prune out leaves in large infestations. Dab with Q-tip dipped in alcohol. Insecticidal soap will work on the larva, but not adult scale. Horticultural oil will control all stages
• Aphids, white fly: wash/spray foliage regularly; treat with insecticidal soap; use “yellow sticky” tape that is found in garden centres. 
• Spider mites; tiny sucking insects on underside of leaves; they thrive in dry conditions; make sure you are watering properly; increase humidity around plants and spray/mist leaves; prune heavily infested areas; spray with insecticidal soap. 

Other Thoughts

• Soil: use a good quality potting soil.
• Limit the shock: don’t dig up, spray, repot, cut back, move all in one day! Cut back once it is in the house and looks healthy.
• Watering: Some plants like to dry out slightly. Others like to be kept on the moist side. Lift the pot-if it feels really light, your plant probably needs water. 
• Limit the shock: don’t dig up, spray, repot, cut back, move all in one day! Cut back once it is in the house and looks healthy.
• Leaf drop is normal for some plants due to the shock of living indoors; they could still perk up; don’t water much if the plant has no leaves; new leaves produced will be better adjusted to indoor light
• Decline: some plants may only just survive the winter indoors, but once put outdoors again, they brighten up!
• Have fun! The worst that could happen is that the plant could die; and that would happen if you did nothing anyways!

What to do with Herbs and Vegetables

Herbs- Growing and Drying

I've kept this rosemary growing indoors in winter for several years. 

• Bring in any container herbs, like basil, parsley or sage to keep them in active growth in a bright, south-facing window over the winter.
• Keep the soil just moist.
• They’ll continue to grow, but at a slower rate than in the summer due to winter’s lower light levels.  

Drying

• You can also dry your herbs in the microwave to preserve them.
• Try drying leaves of mint, parsley, basil, thyme, sage.
• Rinse herbs and check for "critters". Dry with a dish towel. 
• Remove leaves from stems. (For thyme, you can dry the stems and all and just rub off the leaves when they are dried.)
• Place a layer of herbs on a sheet of paper towel.
• Cover with a second sheet of paper towel.
• Microwave for 2 minutes.
• Open the microwave door for 2 minutes.
• Repeat
• Check how dry the herb is and repeat until the leaves feel "crispy".
• Crumble and put into air tight jar. 
• Your dried herbs will stay green all year!

 

I loved using "chives from my garden" when cooking

Microwaved dried parsley keeps green all year!

Tomatoes - Ripe or Green 

 Freezing ripe tomatoes

• Clean, remove top core and any blemishes; freeze tomatoes whole in plastic bags or cut large tomatoes in quarters
• To use in soups and sauces, just plop them in! Skins will come off easily if you do not wish to include them in the soup.

Green tomatoes

• If you still have lots of green tomatoes and the frost is threatening, pick them and bring them indoors.
• Wrap green tomatoes individually in newspaper and store in shallow boxes in a cool, dark space; they will ripen slowly over the winter; use as needed. Use shallow pizza or pie boxes.
• For cherry or other small tomatoes, place them in cardboard egg cartons!

One year I still had a ton of "black cherry" tomatoes in late September and placed them in egg cartons in the fruit cellar. I was still using fresh tomatoes in April!

My bumber crop of "black cherry" tomatoes picked just before the frost

 

Egg cartons are great for storing green or unripe cherry tomatoes! Sort them by ripeness.

 

I put them in the fruit cellar and labelled the ripeness so I'd know which ones to start with!