 |
|||||||||||||||||
| #3 - More tips from Denny | |||||||||||||||||
| #6 - Questions Asked | |||||||||||||||||
|
Bulbs and Tubers Info
|
|||||||||||||||||
|
Taken from the B.Y.G.L. (Buckeye Yard and Garden Online) Newsletter
Contributing Authors: Pam Bennett, Joe Boggs, Cindy Meyer, Jim Chatfield, Erik Draper, Dave Dyke, Gary Gao, David Goerig, Tim Malinich, Becky McCann, Bridget Meiring, Amy Stone and Curtis Young |
|||||||||||||||||
| BULB BUYING BASICS. Fall is the time for planting and digging of bulbs. When many of us refer to bulbs in a general sense, we are referencing an entire category of plants that as they grow, produce, swollen roots, swollen modified stems, or modified leaves underground. Traditionally, bulbs sold in the fall are cold hardy. Spring offerings are not as likely to be entirely cold hardy stock. Despite these common similarities of their root systems, the entire group should be sorted into those that are cold hardy and those that are tender (not cold hardy). A true bulb is an underground stem with modified fleshy leaves. Examples that come to mind are onions, garlic, daffodils, and of course tulips. In the case of most onions, obviously we plant them in the spring and dig in the fall. Not so with garlic, daffodils, and tulips which are cold hardy and need to be planted in the fall. Horizontal, swollen, underground stems are called rhizomes. Canna lily and iris are two herbaceous plants that have rhizomatous root systems. The iris is cold hardy, the canna lily is not. If sold as potted plants in the spring, one could mistakenly assume the canna lily will overwinter, only to be disappointed the following spring when it does not reappear in the garden. Other examples exist of plants with similar root systems and different hardiness traits displayed and sold together. When choosing to purchase these types of plants in the garden center, look for advise as to the proper care related to these special herbaceous ornamentals which should include planting directions as well as in some cases, fall digging and storing instructions. Whether dahlia, or daylily, garden centers shouldn't assume all of their customers are seasoned gardeners. Garden centers could always fall back on the old cliché, "Let the buyer beware," unfortunately, that does not always bode well for return sales. |
|||||||||||||||||
 |
|||||||||||||||||
 |
|||||||||||||||||
 |
|||||||||||||||||