Designing WIth Bulbs

KCB is back. The following post will be used as the basis for our upcoming Bulb Class on 10/06 at all Skillin's locations at 10 AM (Falmouth is sold out at 10 AM but we do have an encore Bulb Class in Falmouth at 2 PM. Openings remain for Brunswick and Cumberland at 10 AM) Contact us at skillins@maine.rr.com to sign up! Just specify store location!

There is a new phrase in town

Dig a hole

                        Drop the bulb          

                                                Done!!!!!

 

Sounds easy, well…..it is almost that easy.  It has been found (by surveys of major bulb vendors and experts) that most failures with bulbs can be traced back to problems at the time of planting. Give yourself time to do proper planting, and don't ignore the details.

First, what is a bulb?  A bulb is the self-contained life source for the plant. A ‘true ‘bulb is the more rounded fleshier store house. Tulips, allium & snow drops are in this category. However, not all ‘bulbs’ are bulbs. 

Corms are usually smaller and flatter in shape. Crocus & Gladiola are common corms.

Tubers are more varied in shape and size with most being cylindrical. Many come in clusters. Begonias & dahlias are the most common. 

Now on to the fun aka the ‘DO’S & DON’TS OF ‘DIG, DROP, DONE’!

Before you DIG you must buy!

DO be adventurous. While you may not want orange, reds or yellows in your summer garden these bright primary colors are perfect tonics after the dull winter.

DO be as fussy picking your bulbs as you would a melon. Avoid bulbs that feel spongy or with visible mold.

DO shop early to get the best variety.

On a budget?  DO opt to select more of 1 or 2 -3 varieties in 2 or more colors.  This will create more impact than a few crocus followed by 3 or 4 tulips and/or hyacinth.

DON’T plant too soon.  Some look to the calendar to plant saying end of September to Mid-October is the time. Others wait until the evening temperatures average 40- 45 degrees, then there is the ‘rule’ that says once there is a ‘soft’ frost its ok. With the warming climates Mid-October until the ground is too cold or frozen to work works best for my gardens.

DO keep in a cool dry place until you are ready to DIG.

DIG. A variety of tools are available to make this task a little easier.

DO choose a place wisely.  Bulbs will rot in wet or poorly draining soil.  Full sun is required for most bulbs however what may be a shady spot in the height of summer may be the perfect spot early in the season. Visualize where you will get more ‘bang for your buck’.  Plant near entrance doorways, along the most used paths or close to your house.

DON’T plant too deep or too shallow. A good rule of thumb is a depth 3 x the largest diameter.  A bulb 1 inch across will be planted 3 inches deep; 2 inches would go 6 inches.  Mix a fertilizer such as BulbTone’ in with the soil. (Tulips should probably be planted 4 times as deep as they are wide--the deeper the better for tulips!)

DO prepare for pesky rodents such as chipmunks and use a product that will repel the perpetrators of bulb planting peril. It’s worthwhile to drench bulbs in taste repellent products, sprinkle repellents on the growing plants in spring, and surround or cover the bulbs with chicken wire. Or

DO use bulbs that animals don’t like: Alliums, Camassia, Fritillaria and Narcissus

DROP:

DO mass plantings. DROP a handful in then place pointed side up and leave a space about 2x the size of the bulbs between each neighbor.

DON’T sweat the small stuff, If a bulb should fall on its side while you are in the throes of planting, let it go. It will find its way.

DO plant with a companion plant.  Remember foliage should remain until all withered. Many nurseries have fantastic sales at the end of the season. Day Lilies make perfect companions as do many Sedums.

Design tips for spring bulbs

Combine flower bulbs with perennial for a succession of bloom. In addition, there's a big bonus: the emerging perennial foliage hides bulb foliage as it yellows and dies off.

Try a double-decker effect. You can plant small bulbs in a layer right on top of large bulbs. If you plant bulbs that flower in the same period you can create an interesting double-decker effect (picture bright pink tulips blooming above cobalt blue Grape Hyacinths). Or you can stagger the bloom time by planting mid- and late-season bloomers together, creating a spring display that blooms in succession, for a whole season of color!

Keep in mind the bulb color, time of bloom and height of the plants and consider which bulbs will mix best with nearby perennials and spring-flowering shrubs. Your combinations can be color echoes, such as the 'Ballade' tulip with bleeding heart, shown right, or color contrasts such as yellow daffodils with blue muscari.

Concentrate your display where it will be most effective in spring. Lots of bulbs in one or two areas of the garden close to the house will give you more bang for your buck than the same number spread all over the garden.

Avoid planting bulbs in rigid toy soldier-like rows. Generous "bouquets" are far more dramatic than a smattering here and there. Combine different bulbs by planting low-growing grape hyacinths and scillas in front taller tulips and daffodils.

Plant drifts of color in triangular patterns with the point of the triangle showing towards the front.

Try planting in layers. Place large later spring bulbs, such as tulips, daffodils or ornamental onions at the bottom of the planting hole, cover them with a layer of soil, then, on top, plant smaller early flowering bulbs such as scilla that require shallower planting.

Expand the bulb menu.  Look for a variety of alliums. Allium Bulgaricum, allium-moly-in-garden, or Allium-vineale-Hair. Fritillaria, Red-Hot Poker.

 

 

 

KCB is a professional gardener and friend who does wonderful work in the Greater Portland area. KCB is also an accredited Master Gardener by the Cooperative Extension Service and we are honored to have KCB as part of our Skillin's Garden Log family. KCB can also be found at the awesome Finishing Touches website.

KCB for Skillin's Greenhouses

 

October 3, 2012

Don't Shrug the Shrubs!

KCB is back this week. She is busy putting the Finishing Touches on many a landscape and she has a few great things she would like us to know!

“I don’t know about you, but my knees are sore and my back is feeling a pang or two.  I’ve done lots of planting this past week.  The rain has erased some of my concern for proper watering still I watered each plant before going on to the next.  So now what?  Patience!  There may be some blank spaces. Nevertheless, if you placed properly the gaps will soon fill in. Don’t forget to take pictures as things progress. Once a week at this time of the year is not too often. Some of the gardens I attend to have considerably changed over the past 2 weeks.  Just the other day, at the site of white & purple lollipops (Alliums) I could not help but smile.  I think it’s the constant changing that may keep me hooked most of all.

Step back, take a critical look.  While waiting for the bountiful blooms there can still be color; have you chosen plants with vibrant foliage?  Still not too late. Adding Heuchera can paint a palette of Rainbow proportions before one bud protrudes.  Sedum for the sun, Fulda’s Glow, cauticola Lidakense, Dragon’s Blood & the Variegatum stand-out sans blooms.  However don’t discount the blooms of this buxom bunch. So many choices, it could make your head spin. Stick to a couple, purchase in odd number lots, all will be fine. Still, I want more. It’s always the way. Therefore, this season I am going beyond the herbaceous for the wonderful woody. I’m looking to shrubs to fill my needs.  A woody plant is one of the best ways to incorporate multi season interest of sum & substance.  With so many options I have some tried and true favorites I’d like to share.

I never weary of Weigela.  Variegated, the new Rainbow Sensation with foliage of yellows, pale pinks and creams, and /or Wine & Roses fill larger gaps.   For smaller spaces look to the Midnight Wine, My Monet, or the new My Monet ‘Sunset’. These take up no more space than a large perennial. All sparkle on their own and the prolific blooms of May & June add to the excitement. Pruning will produce sporadic blooms throughout the summer.  Feeling a little less than angelic?  Check out the ‘Little Devil’ Ninebark. Pair with Magic Carpet Spirea for a show stopping look.  Neon Greens, Deep Plums offer a ‘no thought’ coupling.  The Smoking Cousins of Golden Spirit and Grace Smoke Bush create stop in your tracks autumn color; in the mean time, the pair offer summer fun of the aforementioned Neon & Purple foliage.  Don’t fret if your bushes don’t smoke in the first couple of seasons. Even the shrub families have their age limits before that first puff is produced, often into their 3^rd year.  Want something a little less flashy? Consider what I call, ‘The little Black Dress of the landscape’. The quiet elegance of the Black Lace Sambucas Elderberry.  Pale pink blossoms of June act as lace accents against the dark ebony plum foliage while the blackish berries can be harvested in the fall for your own enjoyment.  On the other hand, leave them for your feathered friends. Want to lighten up a shady corner?  Ivory Halo or Silver & Gold Dogwood will do the trick.  If you don’t head south for the winter you will be able to take advantage of their colorful stems of red or gold against a carpet of snow. Want more fire in the winter, than the Arctic Fire is the dogwood shrub for you.

Is your backyard becoming wetter as more trees are felled for development? Then the ‘Hakuro-nishiki’ Dappled Willow will create a back drop that neighbors will envy. No true blooms as the foliage steal the show.  Cream, white and the palest of pink on tiny leaves sway gently in the slightest of breezes. .  The more the merrier as in sweeps of plantings; it is a party of epic proportions.  A tree form is also available. Use this as a punctuation point in an otherwise ordinary landscape.

A Hedge of Dappled Willow--They Look Great as a Hedge or "by the Single"

Over the years I am including more of these woody wonders as accents in my perennial beds.  When asked why by clients and peers alike I shrug as I answer ‘why not’?  Shouldn’t a mixed bed be truly mixed?

Note:  This is just a small example of the exciting shrubs available.  Once established they often need minimal care. Perfect for the person who is, um, maturing, or those with a growing family with less time to spend gardening.  Try it and next time you won’t be shrugging the shrub.

 KCB is a professional gardener and friend who does wonderful work in the Greater Portland area. KCB is also an accredited Master Gardener by the Cooperative Extension Service and we are honored to have KCB as part of our Skillin's Garden Log family. KCB can also be found at the awesome Finishing Touches website.

KCB for Skillin's Greenhouses

June 1, 2012

Quck Gardening Hits for late May 2012!

Hello again,

KCB who can always be described as "out there" (and by that I mean doing much gardening as the owner of Finishing Touches Landscaping Co.) has sent some information for what she is seeing these past few days as she works in many quality gardens in Skillin's Country. There are some great garden tips here!

“ And they're off……” not just for the start of a  horse race any longer. My mind exclaims this phrase as I visit my favorite Family Owned gardening centers this season. People no longer wait until Memorial Day to start the event but celebrate all week with frequent shopping sprees. Now that all is purchased follow this tried and proven hints to assist in your efforts.

·         To avoid leggy plants in the fall, shear back now:

o   Autumn Joy and taller Sedums-cut completely back to about 3 inches. Repeat again before 4^th of July. In fact this can be done earlier in May which may result in 3 cut backs/before the 4^th!

o   New England Aster- follow the 3 before the 4^th rule.

o   Salvias-all tall varieties-My favorite, the Caradonna, offers dark purple stems. Even the seed heads are attractive.  Cut back to next bud for blooming to frost.

o   Veronica-Speedwell Tall Varieties such as Veronica. Also avoid staking using this trick.

o   Garden Phlox- Cut back to about ½ when about 8-12 inches. Cut back at different times to create different heights and bloom times.

o   Nepeta (Catmint) - Shear back to about 3 inches for a more compact growth. If your garden sports several pockets of this prolific perennial, shear back at different times for scattered blooming.  Another hint, shear back the inside of the plant when blooms become spent, then when new growth/blooms appear, shear along the outside. This way you don’t miss the punches of purple while waiting for new growth.  This also works for tickseed coreopsis.

·         Planting Containers:  If using a planting mix vs. potting soil, moisten the dried mixture before filling containers 2/3rds full. Place plants in container then use the dry mixture to fill in the gaps and as top dressing. Water in.  I have found this causes less stress on the soon to be installed plants. Additionally, I check the moisture of my potted plant. If dry to touch, water before removing from pot.  Don’t forget to gently spread the roots.  Top dress with worm castings. Believe me. You will be the envy of your neighbors with such glowing containers.  Unless, they too read the Skillin’s newsletters.

·         What to do with all the empty bags of organic planting mixes & compost?  Remember scraping the bowl of a cake mix or pudding desert after the task was done? I feel the same way about the residual in these bags. I hate wasting a drop of ‘Coast of Maine Penobscot Blend’ or ‘Little River’ compost.  Add a little water to the bag. Grab the top of the bag and ‘shake, shake, shake’…. Use to water in the newly installed plant.  Repeat with the nearly empty bag of Worm Castings.  I let this set for about 24 hours and use as a compost worm tea.

·         Do not forget to water newly installed plants.  Trees and woodies are especially venerable and need tending the first season until established.  Even those sporting a ‘drought tolerant’ tag!

o   Slow & Deep is the key.

o   ¼ inch per half to one hour twice a week. Less often during rainy periods, more often during the dry heat.

§  Drip hoses work best.

§  Do not wrap directly around trunk or base of plants.

·         Think ‘drip line’ which is the canopy of the tree, shrub or plant. This is where you will find the root endings.

Happy Memorial Day.  God Bless America!

KCB is a professional gardener and friend who does wonderful work in the Greater Portland area. KCB is also an accredited Master Gardener by the Cooperative Extension Service and we are honored to have KCB as part of our Skillin's Garden Log family. KCB can also be found at the awesome Finishing Touches website

KCB for Skillin's Greenhouses

May 24, 2012

Container Gardening in the Round, Square, Oval, or Other Shape of Your Choosing!

Why gardening in a container?

It’s easy, fun, economical, and, did I say ‘easy’ oh, and I can’t forget ‘fun’. A way to add color and blooms throughout the season. Consider your containers, planters and window boxes the accessories of your landscape wardrobe. Attributes of container gardening?
Possibilities are almost endless; opens up a whole world of new plants since the plants need not adapt to your landscapes soil, lighting and water requirements. You are ‘mother nature’. Let your imagination be your guide.

Not convinced yet?

Other benefits?

 No yard, no problem.

 Short on space but long on desire-gardens in miniature are the cure. If you want to grow it chances are it will thrive in a container.

 Serves as a screen for privacy.

 Portability

 Change seasonally or to match a theme

 Easier on the knees and back than traditional beds.

Where to begin?

Which comes first, the container or the plant? Either. Often I have fallen in love with an annual, succulent or even tropical plant that would not work in the planting bed so what better way to showcase than giving it its own space. Other times the shape, color or sheer delightfulness of a container filled my heart so why not return the love by filling it! Think of these gardens in miniature as the Finishing Touches to your landscape design.

Think outside the box. Almost anything can be used as a container.

Tea Kettles; colanders; old shoes, gardening Wellies, or LL Bean boots are often used. Thrift store baskets, old tea cups, vintage Fiesta ware, cigar boxes, wine casks, milk crates. In other words if you can fill it chances are you can plant in it. Some things to consider however

Materials:

Pros:

o Containers made of resin and/or fiber glass are the most versatile.

 Lighter weight than their look-alike counterpart; poured concrete, ceramics or metal.

 Can take the elements that a Maine Winter can offer.

　

No need to store for the season.

Cons:

o Cheep plastic may fade or deteriorate from UV rays.

o Terracotta and clay are porous and dry out too quickly

o Wooden containers are susceptible to rot.

o Avoid those treated with creosote, other toxic compounds.

o Ceramic and or Glazed pots will crack and/or if left out in the winter.

 Display after and before all threat of a deep freeze has passed.

Other consideration:

Choose containers that complement existing architecture in used in close proximity to structure.

o Take into account size and scale in connection to surroundings

Allow for proper drainage

o Drainage holes at least ½ inch.

o line w/newspaper, coffee filters or old screening to avoid soil loss

o Use Perlite or Vermiculite

Set on brick or ‘pot feet’ to allow for air circulation and avoid staining on wooded decks.

Refrain from using containers that are too narrow or shallow

PREPARATION

New Container or using a recycled item:

o Wash with mild bleach solution

o Allow to dry thoroughly

Use Potting Soil or Mixes only

o Do not use soil from your garden

No need to replace all soil each year.

o Reuse ½ of existing potting mix.

o Add organic matter such as ‘worm castings’.

No need to plant directly in container.

o Purchase inexpensive plastic pots sold at all nurseries.

 Use as ‘container’ then place within decorative container.

 Avoid creating a ‘too heavy’ pot

o Invert plastic pot to take up space

o Line bottom with packing peanuts.

 Separate from soil w/material from an old screen.

o Purchase plastic ‘shelves’ designed for containers

CHOOSING PLANTS

Right plant/right place

Combine plants with like light/watering needs.

For drama remember these 3 words:

Thrill, Fill & Spill

Thrill:

Tall plant as focal point.

o Ornamental Grasses

o Snap dragons

o Angelonia

o Heuchera (also serves as fill) shade

o Nicotiana

o Salvias

 Many varieties, annuals & perennials

o Persian Shield

o Dracaena

o Cala or Cana lilies

o Guara

Fill:

Any plant that will surround the focal point

o Lantana

o Heuchera shade

o Petunia (also a spill)

o Million Bells (ditto)

o Alyssum

o Hosta shade

o Geraniums

 Look for variegated varieties

 For bushier and more interesting foliage pinch off blooms

o Scaevola (also a spill)

o Osteospermum

o Impatiens shade

o New Guinea impatiens shade

o Begonias

o Coleus shade

o Sedum Perfect for hot dry conditions

o Portulaca Perfect for hot dry conditions

Spill:

Cascading plant.

o Ivy Geranium

　

o Sweet Potato vine

o Supertunias

o Million Bells

o Nasturtiums

o Lobelia (annual)

Not just for annuals:

Many perennials make excellent container plants.

o Heuchera, small hostas, Astilbe, Dwarf shrubs.

 Avoid plants with tap roots other than that use your imagination!

o At the end of the season can be planted in garden.

o Some will over winter in the container:

 Sedums, Dianthus, Chives, Day Lilies,

Beyond Color:

Incorporate texture

Movement

o Grasses, Perennial Flax, Heuchera (all are ‘thrills’)

Coordinate scale of plant with container

o The size of the ‘Thrill’ to be in balance with the container.

Plants shouldn’t be more than twice the height of the pot or 1 ½ times as wide

o Simple plants show off an ornate pot

o Showy plants will complement a simple pot

Create themes:

o Desert theme using succulents

o Fairy Garden

o Woodland

 Use mini hosta, ferns, & moss.

Color Crazy:   See this post for some more illustration of color!

Monochromatic is elegant and soothing
o Lightness or darkness or strength of the color may vary, but only one color is used

Analogous   calming
o Colors closely related to one another (next to each other) on the color wheel

o More dramatic than monochromatic

Complementary  demands attention

o Colors opposite one another on the color wheel

Neutral   makes other colors look deeper and brighter
o Add depth to the composition; divide colors that clash or are too strong; tone down complementary color schemes in daylight; and glow in the dark

o Black, gray, and white

Polychromeworks (most of the time) flowers naturally blend together

o Mixture of many colors

　

HOW TO PLANT

Fill container ¾ full with potting soil mix

Place ‘Thrill’ plant in center of the container

Add more soil around plant

Alternate fill/spill plants and place as close to the inside.

Add & push-in more soil around plants to avoid air pockets

Water in.

Add more soil if needed.

ODDS & ENDS

Add whimsy

Include decorative elements

Experiment

Have fun!

AFTER MARKET

Keep watered & fed

Turn and reposition when possible.

Lazy Susan plant stands

A large dish filled with marbles.

Remove spent blooms.

Change and recreate if necessary or if mood dictates.

So, go ahead, dress up your front walk, steps, entryway or window; give your deck, porch or balcony the feel of a botanical garden. If you miss the taste of homegrown tomatoes, grow some on your patio. Don’t be afraid to put a splash of color in that full shade area or level and plant that sunny slope. The possibilities are truly endless. Just pick an area that you would like to change and get started! Once you get going and discover how easy and fun container gardening is, don’t be surprised to discover that you’re hooked for good.

Think of these gardens in miniature as the Finishing Touches to your landscape design

KCB is a professional gardener and friend who does wonderful work in the Greater Portland area. KCB is also an accredited Master Gardener by the Cooperative Extension Service and we are honored to have KCB as part of our Skillin's Garden Log family. KCB can also be found at the awesome Finishing Touches website

KCB for Skillin's Greenhouses

April 17, 2012