Hello again,
Okay September is turning into October and it is time to think Spring! How do you do that? By planning and planting a Spring flowering bulb garden, of course! And this Saturday we want to show you how best to do just that! Fall is the time to plant bulbs for Spring color and we have the best selection in Maine as well as easy to use supplies! Come to our Bulb Planting and Planning Class! Remember that tu-lips are better than none and that the first step toward Spring is the planting of bulbs in the fall!
This free class is being offered at 10 AM this Saturday October 3 in Brunswick, Cumberland and Falmouth and you can reserve a space by calling any of the above numbers OR by contacting us at info@skillins.com (just specify the store!).
Before I forget, we will once again have some nice refreshments on hand this Saturday as well for you to sample. All good gardeners need to keep the blood sugar level high and we love our food. So the subject will keep you on the edge of your seat but our hospitality should keep you smiling!
Want a great view of our Falmouth Maine farm where we grow mums, cabbages & more? Folks we are real Maine people growing Maine products—we are strong Buy Local supporters. Check http://www.skillins.com/2009fallvideo.html for a great tour of the range where our fall mums and cabbages are grown. Terry Skillin is your host and he does a great job!
Bulb Gardening Thoughts
Spring bulb planting begins in October as the night and day temperatures begin to fall and the air becomes clear and dry. Purchasing bulbs is another story and that should begin in late August and September when variety and quantities are at their peak. Bulbs should be firm and show no signs of rot or damage. Some retailers sell inexpensive bulbs but be cautious of these, although they will survive they may be too young to produce flowers for several years if at all. Here are some of the products needed:
Bulbs of your choice Spring bulbs need to be planted in full sun (min. 6 hours) in little well drained soil. Each variety of bulbs has a mature height and bloom time so stag your planting low in front tall in back as well as stagger the variety for bloom time to lengthen the season.
Espoma Bulb Tone Bulbs like many of our garden favorites are not always growing naturally in our yards so the nutrients that they require mat not be available in the levels that they need to perform at their best. Bulb Tone is an all natural plant food (3-5-3) a complete blend aiding in the full development of our bulbs. Always follow the recommend amounts that are suggested on the packaging unless a soil test tells us differently.
Coast of Maine Cobscook Blend or Fundy Mix Bulbs like most of our perennials require a moderate amount of organic matter in the soil for them to flourish. The Coast of Maine products are the most consistent and general show the best results.
Bulb Planters Nothing beats a good shovel when creating a mass planting of bulbs. However for spotting bulbs throughout the garden in and around existing plants a bulb planter or auger that fits onto a cordless drill is a very effective tool. Bulbs should be planted at least 3 X their diameter. This is from the top of the bulb to the surface of the garden bed. This means the top of a 2” bulb should be 6” deep in the soil making the hole approximately 8” deep.
Ro-Pel Many of our native animals of all sizes enjoy our bulbs as much as we do but for an entirely different reason. They taste good. We have found that Ro-Pel has been one of the most effective repellant to protect our bulb investment. Before planting bulbs soak them in Ro-pel for one minute allow to dry before planting. For deer and other spring feeders spray all surfaces including both sides of the foliage.
Mark Your Calendar!
Here are our more of our classes and events. Our classes will be held Saturdays at all three locations (unless otherwise stated) at 10 AM. Space is limited so reserve today for the classes of your choice! Class participants receive a special Skillin’s discount coupon for use on the weekend of your class.
SKILLIN'S CUSTOMERS WHO ATTEND SIX OUT OF OUR NINE CLASSES IN THIS SERIES RECEIVE A $60 SKILLIN'S GIFT CERTIFICATE! Check out our whole series of classes at www.skillin.com!
You can reserve a space in our classes by calling any of the above numbers OR by contacting us at info@skillins.com (just specify the date, store and time).
OCTOBER 10-Fresh Floral Arranging (10 AM & 2 PM)We are all about color and fun here at Skillin’s! Or is it fun then color? No matter because everyone’s favorite class is back! We will show you how to make the coolest, most colorist, most funnest arrangement!There is a $15 fee to cover materials.
We hope to see you soon here at Skillin’s!
OCTOBER 17- Birds in the Back Yard Gardening is great! And birding is awesome—they really go hand in hand; 2 outdoor activities that attract people of the same feather. HaHaHa! Let us show you how to attract and keep the finest of our feathered friends.
Mike Skillin
Skillin's Greenhouses
September 30, 2009
Wednesday, September 30, 2009
Falmouth Fall Leaf Collection
Hello again,
We have received a copy of the Falmouth Leaf Collection schedule. Here it is:
The Town of Falmouth is having its annual Fall Leaf Collection Program. Collection dates for the bags are as follows:
Thursday, October 29th
Thursday, November 5th
Thursday, November 12th
Thursday, November 19th
!!Be sure to place bags out at curb by 7:00 a.m.!!
Leaf bags will be available at Town Hall, 271 Falmouth Rd
and Parks & Public Works Building, 101 Woods Rd.
Leaf bags are available in quantities of 15 per resident (while supplies last).
Leaf bags are for leaves only. Please do not put brush in the leaf bags.
*Reminder: The Town of Falmouth no longer does a Spring or Fall brush pickup. However, brush is accepted at the Transfer Station.
We have received a copy of the Falmouth Leaf Collection schedule. Here it is:
The Town of Falmouth is having its annual Fall Leaf Collection Program. Collection dates for the bags are as follows:
Thursday, October 29th
Thursday, November 5th
Thursday, November 12th
Thursday, November 19th
!!Be sure to place bags out at curb by 7:00 a.m.!!
Leaf bags will be available at Town Hall, 271 Falmouth Rd
and Parks & Public Works Building, 101 Woods Rd.
Leaf bags are available in quantities of 15 per resident (while supplies last).
Leaf bags are for leaves only. Please do not put brush in the leaf bags.
*Reminder: The Town of Falmouth no longer does a Spring or Fall brush pickup. However, brush is accepted at the Transfer Station.
Monday, September 28, 2009
Late Blight Update--what to do now
Hello again,
The following is an excellent guide to the background of the very damaging late blight that affected our gardens this summer. It is authored by Jim Dill, the Pest Management Specialist for the UMaine Cooperative Extension. I will publish it in its entirety; the article is well written and pretty clear BUT please contact us at info@skillins.com or any of our Skillins locations (contact info found at http://www.skillins.com/) if you have ANY questions. We love to help!
Gardening after Late Blight
James F. Dill PhD, Pest Management Specialist
The gardening season has come to and end and you are already thinking ahead to next year. The garden was a big success except for LATE BLIGHT that wiped out the tomatoes and potatoes. A few tomatoes managed to ripen and the potatoes, if there are any, are still in the ground. Of course, the potato plants have been dead for 2-3 weeks now and the tomato plants certainly need to be given last rites. So, now what!
Let's first look at late blight and what happened in 2009. Late blight
(which helped to create the Irish Potato Famine and the "hungry forties"
in England and throughout Europe in the 1840's) is caused by Phytophthora infestans, a fungus that overwinters on living tomato or potato tissue. The disease first appears as irregular, pale to dark green, water-soaked spots. These spots usually appear on the tips or edges of the leaves. In cool, moist weather or under humid conditions, the spots enlarge rapidly and form brown to purplish-black necrotic areas with wavy, indefinite borders, surrounded by a yellowish-green halo. Also under these conditions, a ring or a surface of white fungal growth may appear at the edge of the lesion on the underside of the leaf, which produces spores that move to other plants and continue the infection.
In 2009, we had perfect late blight weather for the months of June and July. Unfortunately, there was also plenty of spore inoculum around from store purchased tomato plants to cause very early late blight infections in home and commercial gardens.
These spores continued to spread and caused severe outbreaks of late blight in both tomatoes and potatoes in southern and central Maine.Luckily, the weather in August was hot and dry and eventually slowed the outbreak down and brought it to a standstill.
However, that doesn't mean that the disease is gone. It is just lying dormant in those remaining leaf, stem, fruit, and tuber lesions waiting for the cool, wet weather so it can become active again and start sending out new spores for new infections.
So now the big questions come up. What do I do with my dying plants and disgusting fruit and, oh yeah, what about those potato tubers that I still haven't dug yet? What about next year do I have to worry about late blight in my garden again, especially since I had it this year?
Are there any resistant varieties?
Any healthy tomatoes you can salvage can be eaten. However, the USDA doesn't recommend canning tomatoes from late blight infected plants.
There is a concern that the fungus may change the acidity of the tomatoes and therefore affect canning quality. Late Blight is an obligate parasite and thus needs living tissue to survive. Once the infected plant material is dead the fungus will die and will not carry over to the next year.
The removal of living tissue is the key to preventing carry over. The remaining infected and dead plants (both potato and tomato) and infected fruit should be destroyed by burying or sealing in garbage bags and taken to a landfill. Do NOT compost diseased plants or fruit.
Composting is not recommended because many compost piles are not tended properly and are therefore not "cooked" to the proper temperature to kill the pathogens. Next year, if there are any surviving pathogens in the compost or on partially decomposed plants, they may be spread to living plants if the compost is used in the garden.
ALL potato tubers should be dug and carefully washed and graded. If you leave any tubers behind in the ground and if they have a late blight lesion on them, it is possible they could survive the winter in the ground and give rise to a new infection next year. After you have examined your potatoes, discard any damaged ones as was done with the diseased plants.
If you are storing your potatoes for the winter be sure to examine them every couple of weeks. It could be possible that a small lesion or two may have been missed during washing and grading and could give rise to an infection in storage destroying much of your winter supply, just like in the 1840's!
You are now ready for next year's garden. Don't plant any of the saved tubers from your late blight potatoes from this year. You certainly don't want to infect your plants before you get started. Buy and plant certified seed to reduce your risk of planting infected tubers. You can plant your tomatoes and potatoes in the same spot you did last year and you shouldn't have any late blight problems as long as you cleaned up plant debris well. However, it is certainly good practice to rotate the crops in your garden as much as possible. Don't plant the potatoes in the same spot in your garden year after year. Also, do not rotate with related crops. For example, tomatoes should not be planted where your potatoes were last year.
Planting late blight resistant varieties is also an option. The thing to remember about resistance is that it does not mean immunity.Resistance means that the plant can resist to a point, in this case, the late blight fungus. However, if there is a great spore load from many infected plants, then even resistant plants can get the disease although not as badly as the susceptible ones. The other point to remember is that the fungus can mutate and the mutation may be able to overcome the resistance.
There are some resistant potato varieties available to the backyard gardener such as Kennebec, Sebago, Allegany and Chieftain (a red-skinned variety). There are also some resistant tomato varieties, including Ferline, Fantasio, and Legend that are available.
Good gardening!
The following is an excellent guide to the background of the very damaging late blight that affected our gardens this summer. It is authored by Jim Dill, the Pest Management Specialist for the UMaine Cooperative Extension. I will publish it in its entirety; the article is well written and pretty clear BUT please contact us at info@skillins.com or any of our Skillins locations (contact info found at http://www.skillins.com/) if you have ANY questions. We love to help!
Gardening after Late Blight
James F. Dill PhD, Pest Management Specialist
The gardening season has come to and end and you are already thinking ahead to next year. The garden was a big success except for LATE BLIGHT that wiped out the tomatoes and potatoes. A few tomatoes managed to ripen and the potatoes, if there are any, are still in the ground. Of course, the potato plants have been dead for 2-3 weeks now and the tomato plants certainly need to be given last rites. So, now what!
Let's first look at late blight and what happened in 2009. Late blight
(which helped to create the Irish Potato Famine and the "hungry forties"
in England and throughout Europe in the 1840's) is caused by Phytophthora infestans, a fungus that overwinters on living tomato or potato tissue. The disease first appears as irregular, pale to dark green, water-soaked spots. These spots usually appear on the tips or edges of the leaves. In cool, moist weather or under humid conditions, the spots enlarge rapidly and form brown to purplish-black necrotic areas with wavy, indefinite borders, surrounded by a yellowish-green halo. Also under these conditions, a ring or a surface of white fungal growth may appear at the edge of the lesion on the underside of the leaf, which produces spores that move to other plants and continue the infection.
In 2009, we had perfect late blight weather for the months of June and July. Unfortunately, there was also plenty of spore inoculum around from store purchased tomato plants to cause very early late blight infections in home and commercial gardens.
These spores continued to spread and caused severe outbreaks of late blight in both tomatoes and potatoes in southern and central Maine.Luckily, the weather in August was hot and dry and eventually slowed the outbreak down and brought it to a standstill.
However, that doesn't mean that the disease is gone. It is just lying dormant in those remaining leaf, stem, fruit, and tuber lesions waiting for the cool, wet weather so it can become active again and start sending out new spores for new infections.
So now the big questions come up. What do I do with my dying plants and disgusting fruit and, oh yeah, what about those potato tubers that I still haven't dug yet? What about next year do I have to worry about late blight in my garden again, especially since I had it this year?
Are there any resistant varieties?
Any healthy tomatoes you can salvage can be eaten. However, the USDA doesn't recommend canning tomatoes from late blight infected plants.
There is a concern that the fungus may change the acidity of the tomatoes and therefore affect canning quality. Late Blight is an obligate parasite and thus needs living tissue to survive. Once the infected plant material is dead the fungus will die and will not carry over to the next year.
The removal of living tissue is the key to preventing carry over. The remaining infected and dead plants (both potato and tomato) and infected fruit should be destroyed by burying or sealing in garbage bags and taken to a landfill. Do NOT compost diseased plants or fruit.
Composting is not recommended because many compost piles are not tended properly and are therefore not "cooked" to the proper temperature to kill the pathogens. Next year, if there are any surviving pathogens in the compost or on partially decomposed plants, they may be spread to living plants if the compost is used in the garden.
ALL potato tubers should be dug and carefully washed and graded. If you leave any tubers behind in the ground and if they have a late blight lesion on them, it is possible they could survive the winter in the ground and give rise to a new infection next year. After you have examined your potatoes, discard any damaged ones as was done with the diseased plants.
If you are storing your potatoes for the winter be sure to examine them every couple of weeks. It could be possible that a small lesion or two may have been missed during washing and grading and could give rise to an infection in storage destroying much of your winter supply, just like in the 1840's!
You are now ready for next year's garden. Don't plant any of the saved tubers from your late blight potatoes from this year. You certainly don't want to infect your plants before you get started. Buy and plant certified seed to reduce your risk of planting infected tubers. You can plant your tomatoes and potatoes in the same spot you did last year and you shouldn't have any late blight problems as long as you cleaned up plant debris well. However, it is certainly good practice to rotate the crops in your garden as much as possible. Don't plant the potatoes in the same spot in your garden year after year. Also, do not rotate with related crops. For example, tomatoes should not be planted where your potatoes were last year.
Planting late blight resistant varieties is also an option. The thing to remember about resistance is that it does not mean immunity.Resistance means that the plant can resist to a point, in this case, the late blight fungus. However, if there is a great spore load from many infected plants, then even resistant plants can get the disease although not as badly as the susceptible ones. The other point to remember is that the fungus can mutate and the mutation may be able to overcome the resistance.
There are some resistant potato varieties available to the backyard gardener such as Kennebec, Sebago, Allegany and Chieftain (a red-skinned variety). There are also some resistant tomato varieties, including Ferline, Fantasio, and Legend that are available.
Good gardening!
Friday, September 25, 2009
Composting Class at Skillin's!
Hello again,
Saturday September 26 at 10 AM brings a Composting Class to Skillin's at all 3 locations! (check http://www.skillins.com/ for our location info). In honor of that class we want to write just a little bit about composting for you to consider.
If you can come to the class let us know at info@skillins.com! Or let us know anytime if you have any questions about composting!
Composting is as old as time and by composting we can replicate nature's process of returning plant matter back into the necessary component of healthy soils. Adding compost to soil gives soil the organic matter that creates the environment for the growth and activity of millions of microbes that make plant nutrients available to be used by plants.
Products needed
Compost Bins Bins come in a variety of style and types. The pyramid style is an upright bin with a removal cover for adding rare materials on the top and a door on the side to remove the finished compost. This style allows you to continue adding and at the same time removing the finished product. Tumblers are the other typical style great for smaller yards and gardens and are ideal for batch composting, putting in the rare materials allowing it to completely compost then removing it all before starting the next batch.
Bio Excelerator Excelerator contains billions of microbes especially cultured for composting. These are partially important when composting end of season brown, drier vegetation and plant debris that can be more difficult to fully decompose.
Compost Thermometer Maintaining a composting temperature of 110 degrees is critical to complete composting. As the temperature start dropping it is important to turn your compost adding fresh material to the center of the pile to compost. Repeat this process until all material has been composted.
Compost Aerators Compost must be turned in order to create a fully composted material and like any job the right tool makes a good task that much easier. Compost Aerators are design for easy piercing of the compost and when pulled back up wings fold out pulling compost with it creating a turning of the material. If your compost pile is big enough a gardening fork can also be a great aid.
Terry Skillin
Skillin's Greenhouses
September 25, 2009
Saturday September 26 at 10 AM brings a Composting Class to Skillin's at all 3 locations! (check http://www.skillins.com/ for our location info). In honor of that class we want to write just a little bit about composting for you to consider.
If you can come to the class let us know at info@skillins.com! Or let us know anytime if you have any questions about composting!
Composting is as old as time and by composting we can replicate nature's process of returning plant matter back into the necessary component of healthy soils. Adding compost to soil gives soil the organic matter that creates the environment for the growth and activity of millions of microbes that make plant nutrients available to be used by plants.
Products needed
Compost Bins Bins come in a variety of style and types. The pyramid style is an upright bin with a removal cover for adding rare materials on the top and a door on the side to remove the finished compost. This style allows you to continue adding and at the same time removing the finished product. Tumblers are the other typical style great for smaller yards and gardens and are ideal for batch composting, putting in the rare materials allowing it to completely compost then removing it all before starting the next batch.
Bio Excelerator Excelerator contains billions of microbes especially cultured for composting. These are partially important when composting end of season brown, drier vegetation and plant debris that can be more difficult to fully decompose.
Compost Thermometer Maintaining a composting temperature of 110 degrees is critical to complete composting. As the temperature start dropping it is important to turn your compost adding fresh material to the center of the pile to compost. Repeat this process until all material has been composted.
Compost Aerators Compost must be turned in order to create a fully composted material and like any job the right tool makes a good task that much easier. Compost Aerators are design for easy piercing of the compost and when pulled back up wings fold out pulling compost with it creating a turning of the material. If your compost pile is big enough a gardening fork can also be a great aid.
Terry Skillin
Skillin's Greenhouses
September 25, 2009
Frost Alert!
Hello again,
The weather people have posted a frost advisory for Skillin’s Country this evening. There is much potential for frost especially away from the coast and to the north of the Portland area. You should be aware that early morning tomorrow could bring some hurtful frost particles to some of your plants.
If temperatures drop lower than 40 degrees and we have clear overnight skies with little wind, then frost is very likely to occur. Keep an eye on those night time temperatures!
Tender material planted in the ground (such as annual plantings and most vegetable plants) is really the plant material that is at risk. There is plenty of gardening time left so take a moment to protect any at risk material through tonight and then let’s enjoy what we hope will plenty of more great days!
If you suspect frost damage is likely to occur on a particular night, try to cover the “at risk” material with a bed sheet. If you have no bed sheets to spare, then we carry some awesome thin but protective frost cover blankets here for you. Or give this material a shower of water at dusk and then if frost has occurred give the material another shower to melt off the burning frost just before sunrise occurs. The early morning sun will touch those frost particles and cause the particles to in essence “burn” the plant material.
Let us know if you have any questions about frost damage!
Thanks,
Mike Skillin
The weather people have posted a frost advisory for Skillin’s Country this evening. There is much potential for frost especially away from the coast and to the north of the Portland area. You should be aware that early morning tomorrow could bring some hurtful frost particles to some of your plants.
If temperatures drop lower than 40 degrees and we have clear overnight skies with little wind, then frost is very likely to occur. Keep an eye on those night time temperatures!
Tender material planted in the ground (such as annual plantings and most vegetable plants) is really the plant material that is at risk. There is plenty of gardening time left so take a moment to protect any at risk material through tonight and then let’s enjoy what we hope will plenty of more great days!
If you suspect frost damage is likely to occur on a particular night, try to cover the “at risk” material with a bed sheet. If you have no bed sheets to spare, then we carry some awesome thin but protective frost cover blankets here for you. Or give this material a shower of water at dusk and then if frost has occurred give the material another shower to melt off the burning frost just before sunrise occurs. The early morning sun will touch those frost particles and cause the particles to in essence “burn” the plant material.
Let us know if you have any questions about frost damage!
Thanks,
Mike Skillin
Friday, September 18, 2009
Time to Water!
Hello again,
Folks it is time to water in Skillin's Country.
We have seen much sun and and great late fall breezes that have left the ground surface pretty dry. As Tim our nursery manager puts it: "We have not forgotten all the rain of this past summer but our plants have!"
We must get back into the mode where any such 2009 planted material should get two to three quality waterings per week. In these cases if you don't have an irrigation system, get your garden hoses out and set the hose on slow water next to your plants. Let the water run into the ground slowly for at least several minutes per perennial, potentially up to half an hour for each shrub and up to one hour per tree. Let that water soak into the ground so the healthy white roots of your plant have moist ground to grow down into.
Smaller annuals both in ground and in containers and vegetables that are still producing should get good soakings in a similar fashion. Or if you are standing and watering hold the slow running hose off to the side of the plant and let that water soak in. When you get to run off stage, pull the hose to the next plant but keep in mind to come back to the plant you just left a second or third time.
Good quality waterings take time but your plants will thank you!Post any questions or comments right here at this blog post or shoot us a question at info@skillins.com or 1-800-244-3860.
Mike Skillin
Skillin's Greenhouses
September 18, 2009
Folks it is time to water in Skillin's Country.
We have seen much sun and and great late fall breezes that have left the ground surface pretty dry. As Tim our nursery manager puts it: "We have not forgotten all the rain of this past summer but our plants have!"
We must get back into the mode where any such 2009 planted material should get two to three quality waterings per week. In these cases if you don't have an irrigation system, get your garden hoses out and set the hose on slow water next to your plants. Let the water run into the ground slowly for at least several minutes per perennial, potentially up to half an hour for each shrub and up to one hour per tree. Let that water soak into the ground so the healthy white roots of your plant have moist ground to grow down into.
Smaller annuals both in ground and in containers and vegetables that are still producing should get good soakings in a similar fashion. Or if you are standing and watering hold the slow running hose off to the side of the plant and let that water soak in. When you get to run off stage, pull the hose to the next plant but keep in mind to come back to the plant you just left a second or third time.
Good quality waterings take time but your plants will thank you!Post any questions or comments right here at this blog post or shoot us a question at info@skillins.com or 1-800-244-3860.
Mike Skillin
Skillin's Greenhouses
September 18, 2009
Friday, September 11, 2009
Hard to Find Spring Flowering Bulbs? We've Got 'Em!
Hello again,
The following article appeared lately at http://www.bulbs.suite101.com/ and while brief it does highlight some nice choices that we don't often talk about but never fear such bulbs are available here at Skillin's! (We have the BEST selection of bulbs in Maine for sure!).
Here is the article:
"Snowdrops (Galanthus spp.) for White Winter Flowers
Hardy in zones 3-9. Graceful, drooping blooms are produced that can be lost in a bank of late season snow, but look pristine white in a muddy, early spring. They grow 4-6 inches tall and need rich, well drained soil. Snowdrops take part to full shade and can be used to underplant larger shrubs and ornamental trees. Snowdrops also prefer cooler weather so gardeners will find that by late spring the foliage has yellow, dried and disappeared completely as the bulb goes dormant until the following year. When snowdrops are allowed this process without cutting back the leaves, they will often naturalize by bulblets and seeds.
Dwarf Iris (Iris reticulata) in Early Spring
Hardy in zones 5-8. This small blue, purple, or violet irises only reach 3-6 inches tall, but provide jewel like color in the later winter or early spring garden. They tend to look best planted in large sweeps of color or mass plantings. If gardeners want early blooming yellow irises they should look for I. dandfordiae. According to Missouri Botanical Gardens, if gardeners plant the iris bulbs a little deeper, at least 3 inches, they won't try to spread out via bulblets and the flowering display will be better. Small bulblets will produce lots of foliage but won't produce as many flowers until the mature.
Star-Shaped Blooms With Glory of the Snow (Chionodoxa spp.)
Hardy in zones 3-8. A very hardy bulbs tolerates cold winters well and will provide delicate, star-shaped blooms in the late winter or early spring. The species flowers are purple with white an yellow centers. New varieties are available in pink or white. Another diminutive flower, as many early blooming bulbs are, the Glory-of-the-snow reaches 3-6 inches tall and prefers full sun to part shade. When suitable conditions are provided it will naturalize readily, increasing the show each year. Since glory of the snow flowers are not affected by jugone they can be planted under walnut trees and, indeed, they do well under most deciduous trees since their bloom season is over before most broad-leaf deciduous trees will leaf out.
Winter Aconite (Erantis spp.) for Early, Bright-Colored Blooms
Hardy in zones 4-9. One of the most eye-catching choices for early spring or late winter flowering bulbs, the winter aconite has dark green leaves circling bright yellow flowers like a leafy collar. Bright colored and cheerful looking flowers are a forerunner to the daffodil's golden blooms in the landscape. Winter aconite grows 3-5 inches and prefers rich, well-draining soil. They grow well in full sun to part shade and do well under deciduous trees. Bulbs sometimes bloom better if they are soaked before planting and gardeners should avoid periods of heavy drought even after the bulbs go dormant during summer and fall.
Gardeners can plant these early-blooming bulbs in the fall to enjoy late winter or early spring flowers.Read more: http://bulbs.suite101.com/article.cfm/early_blooming_bulbs_to_plant#ixzz0QYKzgzMh"
Mike Skillin
Skillin's Greenhouses
September 11, 2009
The following article appeared lately at http://www.bulbs.suite101.com/ and while brief it does highlight some nice choices that we don't often talk about but never fear such bulbs are available here at Skillin's! (We have the BEST selection of bulbs in Maine for sure!).
Here is the article:
"Snowdrops (Galanthus spp.) for White Winter Flowers
Hardy in zones 3-9. Graceful, drooping blooms are produced that can be lost in a bank of late season snow, but look pristine white in a muddy, early spring. They grow 4-6 inches tall and need rich, well drained soil. Snowdrops take part to full shade and can be used to underplant larger shrubs and ornamental trees. Snowdrops also prefer cooler weather so gardeners will find that by late spring the foliage has yellow, dried and disappeared completely as the bulb goes dormant until the following year. When snowdrops are allowed this process without cutting back the leaves, they will often naturalize by bulblets and seeds.
Dwarf Iris (Iris reticulata) in Early Spring
Hardy in zones 5-8. This small blue, purple, or violet irises only reach 3-6 inches tall, but provide jewel like color in the later winter or early spring garden. They tend to look best planted in large sweeps of color or mass plantings. If gardeners want early blooming yellow irises they should look for I. dandfordiae. According to Missouri Botanical Gardens, if gardeners plant the iris bulbs a little deeper, at least 3 inches, they won't try to spread out via bulblets and the flowering display will be better. Small bulblets will produce lots of foliage but won't produce as many flowers until the mature.
Star-Shaped Blooms With Glory of the Snow (Chionodoxa spp.)
Hardy in zones 3-8. A very hardy bulbs tolerates cold winters well and will provide delicate, star-shaped blooms in the late winter or early spring. The species flowers are purple with white an yellow centers. New varieties are available in pink or white. Another diminutive flower, as many early blooming bulbs are, the Glory-of-the-snow reaches 3-6 inches tall and prefers full sun to part shade. When suitable conditions are provided it will naturalize readily, increasing the show each year. Since glory of the snow flowers are not affected by jugone they can be planted under walnut trees and, indeed, they do well under most deciduous trees since their bloom season is over before most broad-leaf deciduous trees will leaf out.
Winter Aconite (Erantis spp.) for Early, Bright-Colored Blooms
Hardy in zones 4-9. One of the most eye-catching choices for early spring or late winter flowering bulbs, the winter aconite has dark green leaves circling bright yellow flowers like a leafy collar. Bright colored and cheerful looking flowers are a forerunner to the daffodil's golden blooms in the landscape. Winter aconite grows 3-5 inches and prefers rich, well-draining soil. They grow well in full sun to part shade and do well under deciduous trees. Bulbs sometimes bloom better if they are soaked before planting and gardeners should avoid periods of heavy drought even after the bulbs go dormant during summer and fall.
Gardeners can plant these early-blooming bulbs in the fall to enjoy late winter or early spring flowers.Read more: http://bulbs.suite101.com/article.cfm/early_blooming_bulbs_to_plant#ixzz0QYKzgzMh"
Mike Skillin
Skillin's Greenhouses
September 11, 2009
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