Garden Talks and Garden Thoughts

Fall Bulbs bring Spring Color: Our Fall bulbs are in! What a great time to start planning for Spring color! Winter can seem so long…but planting these bulbs can give us the courage to face all those cold months!

With visions of Spring in our minds, it is difficult to slow down make sure that our bulbs are planted timely and at the correct depth. Buying bulbs in late September and early October is fine because this is when the best selection is available. However, we should not plant our bulbs until mid October. Planting too early can cause more growth to develop from the bulbs than is appropriate in the fall.

As soon as bulbs are planted they are ready to release their stored energy. First they develop leaves and flower buds. Then to support this growth they develop their roots. Often this growth develops and grows within an inch of the soil’s surface. Bulbs depend on their own biological clock to tell them when to stop growing for the winter. Soil temperature is an important part of this process. If the new bulb is exposed to warm soil temperatures too soon and for too long they will “over develop” and perhaps grow above the soil’s surface before they are ready.

Planting at the correct depth is equally important; please see the listing below for detailed depth instructions:

BULB TYPE
INCH DEPTH
Snowdrops
2 to 3
Crocus
3
Rock garden tulips and narcissus
3
Grape hyacinth
3
Hyacinth
4 to 5
Trumpet daffodils
6 to 8
Darwin tulips
10 to 12
Fritillaria
10 to 12
Allium (ornamental onions)
10 to 12

We had a great training session today taught by Paul Sachs of North Country Organics. (http://www.norganics.com/)

Paul reminded us that the long-term success of any plant in your yard or garden (and also the long-term success of your lawn) can be much better insured by a complex soil environment where the biological activity in the soil is rich and alive! More and more researchers and scientists are starting to realize the awesome value of a biologically active soil.

Almost all of the nutrients utilized by plants—especially those obscure but
essential elements that are not normally added to conventional fertilizer—are
made available to plants by soil organisms. One of the most important and
essential nutrients for all plants is carbon dioxide, which would not be available
in ample quantities if it weren’t for the work of soil organisms (such as earthworms and microscopic yet very beneficial nematodes). Healthy populations of these
beneficial organisms depend on a constant supply of organic residues.

This is where we the home gardener come into play. How can we best provide this constant supply of organic residues to keep our friendly worms and nematodes chugging out that organic matter to keep our soil rich. We can responsibly use good organic and natural products to treat our soil such as rich compost like the Coast of Maine series or well thought out natural fertlizers like Pro Gro or Nature's Turf by North Country Organics. These products are sold here at Skillin's; and now is a great time to get some organic matter to that soil or to naturally feed your lawn if you have not done either for awhile. Your plants will thank you many times over and you will have that super yard or garden you really want. Naturally, of course!

Other benefits of a biologically active soil include soil aggregation, thatch reduction,
more efficient release of available plant nutrients, improved soil atmospheric
respiration, systemic acquired disease resistance, anti oxidant hormone
production, improved water infiltration, increased water and oxygen holding
capacity, deeper and more extensive turf and plant roots, mycorrhizal associations,
reduced soil compaction, and improved turf density with consequent weed
suppression.

What the heck does all this mean? It means if you encourage soil organism activity in the ground you will have a lawn and garden plants with better, stronger and deeper roots that will give you more steady and timely growth and a better ability to survive both cold and drought (two real factors here in Maine), plants with stronger cells, less water runoff (saving precious water) and you will naturally get less weeds.

(Much of the above material was taken from North Country Organic's web site at http://www.norganics.com/).

Are you looking at lawn areas plagued by weeds and drought from this past summer. NOW is a great time to get some grass seed down in those areas. The soil is still warm and the sun is still plentiful for great grass germination.

Let us know at skillins@maine.rr.com if you have any gardening questions!

Thanks,

Mike Skillin