Posted on by tonytomeo

Autumn Planting Of Spring Bulbs

Spring bulbs start now.

Some of the most familiar flowers to bloom in the earliest of spring get planted now as bulbs. They sit and wait in the garden to finish their dormancy, perhaps get a bit of a chill through winter, and get an early start to their bloom cycles as soon as weather permits. Because winters are so mild here in the Santa Clara Valley, some do not even bother to wait for spring, but are instead happy to start bloom before winter ends.

Bulbs become available in nurseries when they can be planted. Those that are not available yet will become available when it is time to plant them for later spring or summer bloom. The first to become available are generally the first to bloom; although bearded iris seem to know when they want to bloom, regardless of when they get planted.

As long as they do not get stored too long or get planted too late, bulbs do not need to be planted immediately, and actually extend their performance if planted in phases. The earliest phases to get planted will bloom earliest. Phases of the same bulbs planted a few or many days later should bloom about the same amount of time later.

With proper planning, later phases bloom as earlier phases finish. For example, because crocus flowers do not last very long, different phases of bulbs can be planted only a few days or a week apart, so that more flowers start to bloom in time for earlier flowers to fade. Freesia flowers last a bit longer, so different phases can be planted two weeks or so apart.

Narcissus and daffodil bulbs are not so discriminating about how deeply they get planted, so various phases can be put in the same spots. As long as they do not get planted too deep, the earliest phases can be planted deep and covered with only a bit of soil, so that later phases can be planted above. If similarly covered with only a shallow bit of soil, later phases of the same bulbs can be stacked, as long as the last and shallowest phase still gets planted deep enough.

Not many bulbs are actually real bulbs. Most are corms, tubers, rhizomes or tuberous roots. They all do the same thing though; store resources through dormancy to sustain quick bloom as weather allows. Although many bloom reliably only once in their first season, some naturalize to bloom at about the same time each year. Tulips are capable of naturalizing, but rarely get enough chill in winter to bloom after their first season.

Anemone (windflower), hyacinth, lily, rananculus, tulip and small colorful callas are the less reliable of spring bulbs after their first year. Crocus, freesia, hymenocallis and harlequin flower can be more reliable if they get what they want. Grape hyacinth, narcissus, daffodil, watsonia, bearded iris and the old fashioned white callas are the most reliable of bulbs that get planted about now.

Posted on by tonytomeo

Hyacinth

Hyacinth are both colorful and fragrant.

Most flowers that must attract pollinators do so with either color or fragrance. Hyacinth is an exception that does both. It is as fragrant as it is colorful. Its intensely rich fragrance is supposedly comparable to that of lilac. Its floral color range includes many hues and tints of most colors but green. It blooms for very early spring along with many types of daffodil.

Dormant hyacinth bulbs go into their gardens about now, but do nothing until after winter. They then bloom with several narrowly tubular florets on stoutly cylindrical trusses. Each floral stem is only about half a foot tall, but stands above its narrow leaves. Foliage lasts for merely two months or so after bloom. It eventually withers with the warmth of summer.

Hyacinth crave rich soil, sunny exposure and regular irrigation after the winter rain stops. They can work nicely with cool season annuals, such as pansies or violas. They appear and bloom just before pansies and violas finish their seasons. Alternatively, hyacinth are conducive to forcing. Unfortunately, they like more winter chill than they experience here after prechilling.

Posted on by tonytomeo

Hyacinth

Hyacinth is one of the earliest of spring bulbs, and is notably fragrant.

If their bulbs got into the garden early enough last autumn, Dutch hyacinth, which are hybrids of Hyacinthus orientalis, are now blooming with cartoon shades of red, blue, yellow, purple, pinkish orange, pink and white. The small, surprisingly fragrant flowers are neatly arranged on plump, bottle-brush shaped flower trusses up to eight inches tall. Their typically arching, rubbery, strap shaped leaves look like small lily-of-the-Nile leaves. Some types have more vertical foliage.

Like many bulbs and bulb like plants, hyacinth are unfortunately not reliably perennial in such mild climates. They prefer cooler winters. Consequently, they are typically grown only as annuals. However, I am aware of hyacinth that not only bloom annually, but have been multiplying nicely over the years in a few local gardens. Their flowers spikes are never as full as they were in their first season, but are appealing nonetheless. I actually prefer the less refined style of naturalized hyacinth.

French Roman or Roman hyacinth, Hyacinthus orientalis albulus, are still somewhat rare, but should be more common since they naturalize more reliably without cold winters. Each bulb produces a few flower stems with smaller and more loosely arranged pink, pale blue or white flowers.

Large hyacinth bulbs are easily forced to bloom suspended just above water by small stones in bowls, or individually in hyacinth glasses (vases that hold bulbs just above water). Forced bulbs should be kept in the dark until rooted, and can be moved out as foliage appears. They are as colorful as tulips and as fragrant as narcissus; but sadly, are not likely to survive after being forced.  

Posted on by tonytomeo

Early Spring Bulbs Start Now

Early spring bulbs appreciate winter chill.

Halloween seems to be an appropriate time to bury early spring bulbs in shallow graves. The season begins about now, and continues until about the end of the year. Installation of new bulbs might initially be ungratifying. There is nothing to show after their interment. Their spectacular bloom during late winter or early spring should more than compensate.

Freesia, narcissus, crocus, hyacinth and tulip are the most popular of early spring bulbs. So are anemone, ranunculus and several iris, although they may also be summer bulbs. Not all of such bulbs are actually bulbs. Several are corms, rhizomes, tubers or tuberous roots. Like bulbs, these store resources through dormancy to grow and bloom in season.

Early spring bulbs, unlike summer bulbs, prefer to be in their garden prior to winter. They enjoy rain and winter chill. Those that originate from nurseries are prechilled so that they bloom well regardless. After their first season though, some might not perform as reliably. Some bulbs can be slightly less than satisfied with winter chill within such mild climates.

However, a few types of early spring bulbs can naturalize. After their primary bloom, they produce new bulbs to replace the originals. Colonies of prolific bulbs eventually become crowded enough to inhibit bloom. Division of superfluous bulbs while dormant alleviates crowding. Also, it relinquishes a few bulbs for relocation. Freesia might be nicely prolific.

Early installation of early spring bulbs promotes early bloom. Obviously, later installation delays bloom. Therefore, installation in phases throughout the planting season prolongs bloom. For example, as one phase of daffodil finishes bloom, the subsequent phase can begin. This is effective only for their first season though. Bloom synchronizes afterwards.

Because winter weather is so mild locally, some early spring bulbs bloom a bit too early. Also because winter weather is so mild, premature bloom may not be a serious problem. Nonetheless, later installation may be preferable for some bulbs. Heavy rain may thrash tulip or freesia. Like phasing though, delaying bloom is only effective for the first season. Naturalized bulbs as they please.