Picture this!
Picture a long, chilly winter. The landscape is fairly drab and colorless. Will spring ever come?!
Now, picture an array of daffodils, tulips, hyacinths and crocus in beautiful, bold scolors. Interested? Well, there is no better time than now to plant those spring bulbs that will greet and dazzle you next season.
Planting bulbs can be as easy or as involved as you want to make it. During October and early November, the soil hasn't frozen yet. And as long as you can dig, you can plant bulbs. Obviously, how many bulbs you plant is up to you. But once you see their spring show, you may find yourself planting more and more every year.
Basic bulb-plating tips and tricks: Tip #1
The bigger the bulb, the bigger the flower. Seems pretty logical, right? It's helpful to know that a flower bulb isn't the same thing as a seed. Kris, Tagawa's bulb expert, says we should think of bulbs as "swollen storage systems." Cut one in half, and you'll see layers of future leaves surrounding a tiny stem and an embryonic flower. Cut open a hyacinth, for example, and the pale, half-inch tall blossom is clearly visible. (And it's a great "visual" for kids.)
If you're buying individual bulbs, it's well worth the money to invest in the largest bulbs you can find for that flower type. Tagawa's has a big selection to choose from.
If you want a cluster of the same flowers, pre-packaged bags of bulbs make sense. They'll be less expensive per bulb, but they'll also be smaller than the premium bulbs. It's a trade off.
Tip #2: Add organic material
Odds are that if you're planting in Colorado, your soil is good old Colorado clay. (For the record, the "good old" part is a joke. A little gardening humor....) Bulbs don't like heavy clay soil, but don't despair. Compost is the answer. Mix a few scoops of compost into the planting hole before you set in the bulbs. The compost will help to lighten the soil so it doesn't stay too wet. Give a bulb a soggy planting site, and it's very likely to rot before it ever blooms.
Compost is also the answer if you have sandy soil that drains too quickly. The organic material will help hold on to moisture.
Tip #3: A little food, please...
Your bulbs will definitely appreciate a little phosphate boost. Sprinkle the phosphate into the planting hole with the compost, stir to mix and then start planting. The staff at Tagawa's can point out the
phospate fertilizer that you need.
Tip #3: Easy does it as you plant
The flat end of a bulb is the end with the roots, and should go next to bottom of the hole. The pointy end is the top and should be pointing up when you plant.
Remember that bulbs can bruise and damage. You don't want to smash them into the soil Just set them in carefully, give them a gentle push so they're well-seated, and then cover them up.
Tip #4: Planting depth is a big deal!
The rule of thumb for our climate is to plant a bulb three to four times its height. Example: if a daffodil bulb is two inches tall, it needs to be planted six to eight inches deep.
Bulbs that are planted too high can emerge too soon in the spring and get zapped by the cold.
And here's a great planting tip from Kris: plant in "bouquets." You don't have to plant just one kind of bulb in each place. Dig a hole wide enough and deep enough to accomodate different types of bulbs. The largest bulbs, often daffodils, go in first. Cover them with some compost-amended soil, then plant tulips, for example, above the daffodils at their proper depth.
Cover again, and plant still smaller bulbs on top of the tulips.
Depending on the bulbs you choose, you could have different flowers blooming at the same time, or have a succession of blooms.... one type of flower after another. Either way, it's a great look!
Tip # 5: Care after planting
Water the bulbs well once you're done planting. They'll actually begin to grow while the soil is still warm, but you won't see the shoots since they'll all stay underground.
Kris recommends that once the soil is "good and cold," usually some time in December, mulch the bulb beds to hold in the cold. That helps to keep the bulbs from "waking up" during one of our warm spells in winter.
Remember to water them once a month during the winter if we haven't had a good, soaking snow. It can make all the difference in keeping the bulbs healthy until spring.
Tip #6: After the flowers have gone....
Be sure to cut off the flowers and stalks as the blossoms begin to fade. Plants are programmed by Mother Nature to set seed. "Dead heading," cutting off the flowers as they begin to fail, prevents the formation of seeds. And that keeps more energy going to to next year's show of color.
Now go plant some bulbs! Give them a little T.L.C., and you'll be well-rewarded next spring.
Welcome to Tagawa's Blog
Showing posts with label bulbs. Show all posts
Showing posts with label bulbs. Show all posts
Wednesday, October 17, 2012
Tuesday, November 8, 2011
Time for Amaryllis and Paperwhites
Whether you go all out with your holiday decorations, or not so much..... the beauty of amaryllis and paperwhites is hard to beat. They'll add charm to an elaborate holiday display, or a bright touch of elegance to a more low-key setting. And there's a bonus: both amaryllis and paperwhites are easy to grow, and waiting for you now at Tagawa Gardens. This is a perfect time to start them!
Part of the appeal of an amaryllis is watching it grow. Once they start sprouting, the giant bulbs can easily put on an inch of growth in a single day. I used to send a bright red amaryllis to my grandfather every Christmas. He was frail and didn't get around much, but he was always anxious to tell me that if he stared long enough, he was sure he could actually see that stem get taller and taller. It had been a long time since he'd been able to garden, but the amaryllis brought some of the old joy of gardeneing indoors.
Amaryllis come in a wonderful variety of colors: red, salmon, pink, white and stunning bi-color mixes. The giant flowers look like lilies. Each bulb will produce one or two hollow stems. Three to four huge flowers will emerge from the top of each stem. What fun!!
So where do you start? At Tagawa's, of course!
Tagawa's has a wide variety of amaryllis bulbs to choose from. Some are sold loose in bins, so you can pick exactly the bulb you want. Other amaryllis come boxed with a pot and soil included, and make a great gift.
The bigger the bulb, the bigger the flowers it will produce. Makes sense. And the planting takes about two minutes... no more!
Amaryllis like to be a bit crowded, so a pot just a couple of inches larger than the bulb is perfect. The pot has to have good drainage. Soggy soil is a sure way to rot the roots of an amaryllis.
You can set the pot with the drainage into a nice designer pot. The heavier container will give the plant stability as it gets taller, and more inclined to tip. Just remember to take the amaryllis out of the designer pot when you water it and let the excess water drain away before you put it back on display. This can help protect your furniture, too, and avoid the need for a saucer.
Amaryllis do best in good quality potting soil.... something loose and airy.
Fill the pot half way with the soil, set the amaryllis into the pot, then backfill with the remaining soil until only one third of the bulb is still showing. Water the bulb well, then set it in a warm room and don't water it again until the first shoots are a couple of inches tall. Bright light will keep the plant from getting leggy. Give the plant a quarter turn each day to keep it straight.
Next you wait... but not for long!
You should see your amaryllis begin to grow within a couple of weeks after planting. Depending on the size of the bulb, your amaryllis will take about eight weeks from planting to flowering. Larger bulbs take a bit longer. The bud stalks usually emerge first, followed by the leaves.
Water your amaryllis when the top of the soil is dry to the touch.... always remembering never to let it sit in standing water. Once the flowers have begun to bloom, keep the plant in slightly cooler conditions, even if it's just overnight, to help the blossoms last longer.
And there's more, if you choose....
When the flowers finally begin to fade, remove the stalks with a very sharp knife an inch or so above the bulb. Continue to nurture the leaves with bright light and feeding a gentle fertilizer (5-10-5, for example) twice a month. The amaryllis can even go outdoors in the summertime to give the leaves a chance to "bulk up" the bulb for next year's show. You may need to stake the leaves they get floppy.
Once the leaves die back on their own, store the bulb, pot and all, in a cool place for a couple of months. Water it just a bit to keep the soil from completely drying out.
And next fall, start all over again!
Or......
You can also choose to enjoy your amaryllis this season only, and then toss it out. If this is your preference, why not grow an amaryllis in a special glass vase that lets you see through to the lovely tangle of roots.... one more way to enjoy these fascinating plants.
Paperwhites are just as easy!
Tall, elegant paperwhites have been a winter and holiday tradition for years, and for good reason. It's easy and inexpensive to start several paperwhites in a shallow bowl of small rocks, marbles or decorative stones. The reward comes four to eight weeks after planting, with petite white flowers that look like tiny daffodils.
Tagawa's sells pre-rooted paperwhites for no additional charge. Gently transfer the bulbs to your own pot or tray, and watch them take off! The bulbs can sit on top of the pebbles an inch apart, just barely nestled in. Leave the bowls of paperwhites in a bright, cool room until the shoots appear, then move them into direct sunlight to keep them from getting leggy.
You water them with what?
Another trick to keep the leaves and stems slightly more compact: booze!
Specifically, any of the clear distilled spirits like gin, vodka or tequila.
The alcohol serves as a growth regulator that keeps the plants more compact.
Kris, one of Tagawa's amaryllis and paperwhite experts, offers the following instructions: Water the paperwhites normally for seven to ten days. Once the shoots are two- to three inches tall, replace the plain water with a diluted alcohol solution.
With any clear distilled spirit ranging from 40 to 80 proof, use one part of alcohol to seven parts of water. Use this solution for all further watering of the paperwhites. Kris says the result will be plants that are about one-third more compact, with flowers just a large, long-lasting and fragrant as usual.
Why not plant now?
Amaryllis and paperwhites can be grown indoors so easily. The only challenging part is making sure that you buy the bulbs while they're available, like now, leading up to the holiday season.
Whether you grow them for you own home or give them as a lovely holiday gift, amaryllis and paperwhites from Tagawa's are a terrific way to make the season an especially sweet time of year.
Part of the appeal of an amaryllis is watching it grow. Once they start sprouting, the giant bulbs can easily put on an inch of growth in a single day. I used to send a bright red amaryllis to my grandfather every Christmas. He was frail and didn't get around much, but he was always anxious to tell me that if he stared long enough, he was sure he could actually see that stem get taller and taller. It had been a long time since he'd been able to garden, but the amaryllis brought some of the old joy of gardeneing indoors.
Amaryllis come in a wonderful variety of colors: red, salmon, pink, white and stunning bi-color mixes. The giant flowers look like lilies. Each bulb will produce one or two hollow stems. Three to four huge flowers will emerge from the top of each stem. What fun!!
So where do you start? At Tagawa's, of course!
Tagawa's has a wide variety of amaryllis bulbs to choose from. Some are sold loose in bins, so you can pick exactly the bulb you want. Other amaryllis come boxed with a pot and soil included, and make a great gift.
The bigger the bulb, the bigger the flowers it will produce. Makes sense. And the planting takes about two minutes... no more!
Amaryllis like to be a bit crowded, so a pot just a couple of inches larger than the bulb is perfect. The pot has to have good drainage. Soggy soil is a sure way to rot the roots of an amaryllis.
You can set the pot with the drainage into a nice designer pot. The heavier container will give the plant stability as it gets taller, and more inclined to tip. Just remember to take the amaryllis out of the designer pot when you water it and let the excess water drain away before you put it back on display. This can help protect your furniture, too, and avoid the need for a saucer.
Amaryllis do best in good quality potting soil.... something loose and airy.
Fill the pot half way with the soil, set the amaryllis into the pot, then backfill with the remaining soil until only one third of the bulb is still showing. Water the bulb well, then set it in a warm room and don't water it again until the first shoots are a couple of inches tall. Bright light will keep the plant from getting leggy. Give the plant a quarter turn each day to keep it straight.
Next you wait... but not for long!
You should see your amaryllis begin to grow within a couple of weeks after planting. Depending on the size of the bulb, your amaryllis will take about eight weeks from planting to flowering. Larger bulbs take a bit longer. The bud stalks usually emerge first, followed by the leaves.
Water your amaryllis when the top of the soil is dry to the touch.... always remembering never to let it sit in standing water. Once the flowers have begun to bloom, keep the plant in slightly cooler conditions, even if it's just overnight, to help the blossoms last longer.
And there's more, if you choose....
When the flowers finally begin to fade, remove the stalks with a very sharp knife an inch or so above the bulb. Continue to nurture the leaves with bright light and feeding a gentle fertilizer (5-10-5, for example) twice a month. The amaryllis can even go outdoors in the summertime to give the leaves a chance to "bulk up" the bulb for next year's show. You may need to stake the leaves they get floppy.
Once the leaves die back on their own, store the bulb, pot and all, in a cool place for a couple of months. Water it just a bit to keep the soil from completely drying out.
And next fall, start all over again!
Or......
You can also choose to enjoy your amaryllis this season only, and then toss it out. If this is your preference, why not grow an amaryllis in a special glass vase that lets you see through to the lovely tangle of roots.... one more way to enjoy these fascinating plants.
Paperwhites are just as easy!
Tall, elegant paperwhites have been a winter and holiday tradition for years, and for good reason. It's easy and inexpensive to start several paperwhites in a shallow bowl of small rocks, marbles or decorative stones. The reward comes four to eight weeks after planting, with petite white flowers that look like tiny daffodils.
Tagawa's sells pre-rooted paperwhites for no additional charge. Gently transfer the bulbs to your own pot or tray, and watch them take off! The bulbs can sit on top of the pebbles an inch apart, just barely nestled in. Leave the bowls of paperwhites in a bright, cool room until the shoots appear, then move them into direct sunlight to keep them from getting leggy.
You water them with what?
Another trick to keep the leaves and stems slightly more compact: booze!
Specifically, any of the clear distilled spirits like gin, vodka or tequila.
The alcohol serves as a growth regulator that keeps the plants more compact.
Kris, one of Tagawa's amaryllis and paperwhite experts, offers the following instructions: Water the paperwhites normally for seven to ten days. Once the shoots are two- to three inches tall, replace the plain water with a diluted alcohol solution.
With any clear distilled spirit ranging from 40 to 80 proof, use one part of alcohol to seven parts of water. Use this solution for all further watering of the paperwhites. Kris says the result will be plants that are about one-third more compact, with flowers just a large, long-lasting and fragrant as usual.
Why not plant now?
Amaryllis and paperwhites can be grown indoors so easily. The only challenging part is making sure that you buy the bulbs while they're available, like now, leading up to the holiday season.
Whether you grow them for you own home or give them as a lovely holiday gift, amaryllis and paperwhites from Tagawa's are a terrific way to make the season an especially sweet time of year.
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