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Archive for the spring tag

Springtime bulb problems that you can solve in the fall

September 7, 2022   •   Leave a Comment

Bulbs come up too early

If you want to avoid this problem, plant bulbs deep and don’t plant right next to a sunny south wall.

Bulb foliage may emerge during an extended winter thaw, or come up far enough during an early spring heat wave that we worry it will freeze when normal temperatures return. Relax. That plant may lose leaf tips to the cold, but it’s no big loss. A fully grown tulip or daffodil leaf may be 12 inches long. If it loses an inch at the tip—that part which sits above the zone protected by radiant heat from the soil—the remaining 11 inches is enough to fuel the plant’s growth and bloom.

A hard freeze can hurt if it comes after your bulbs’ flower buds emerge. If a hard freeze is forecast, you can cover bulbs with floating row cover cloth or newspaper to trap ground heat, or run sprinklers during the coldest hours to protect the plants via heat released by cooling water.

Some bulb species are prone to early growth (Dutch iris is an example). If you see a bulb act this way in your garden every year, don’t plant that species or variety anymore. Also, some places are more likely than others to heat up early. Beds along south-facing brick walls are at risk, as are sandy beds that slope south. Recognize these places and don’t grow bulbs there. Finally, some practices contribute to early rising. The most common is too-shallow planting.

Bloom one year, never again

Avoid this by planting your bulbs in full sun this fall. Where it’s already a problem, make site changes to let in more light or move the bulbs.

Most often, failure to bloom means a site is too shady. To flower, most spring bulbs need at least six hours of sun while their leaves are green. Given that, embryonic flower buds form in the bulb this summer to bloom next spring. New bulbs coming from a sunny bulb production field may have enough stored energy to bloom their first spring even in shade. From then on, it’s all downhill.

Shallow planting and summer moisture can also contribute. This is especially true of bulbs that have a tunic (a paper-like covering), such as tulips, daffodils, crocus, and gladiolas. Tunicate bulbs require hot, dry summers. When these bulbs are too cool or moist during summer, they may not form flowers.

The stems flop over before the plants bloom

These daffodils flopped when temperatures dropped suddenly one April day from the 70s to the teens. Within days, they were standing tall and blooming cheerily again. If, however, your bulbs flop even in good weather, the advice below is what you need.
These daffodils flopped when temperatures dropped suddenly one April day from the 70s to the teens. Within days, they were standing tall and blooming cheerily again. If, however, your bulbs flop even in good weather, the advice below is what you need.

In answer to this problem, select sunny spots for your bulbs, keep those beds well watered this fall and again next spring as the bulbs emerge, and use only slow-release fertilizers.

For example, daffodils might have stems that are not strong enough to support the weight of the flower. They either lean over from the base or bend right in the middle of the stem. On the double-flowered varieties, the weight of the bloom may cause the stem to break.

Weak stems are often the result of planting where there is too much shade. For example, daffodils need at least eight hours of sunlight to perform well. When the area is too shady, they often stretch to reach the sun, causing their stems to elongate and become weak.

As far as nutrition is concerned, “balanced” fertilizer is another possible culprit. Daffodils need a slow-release nitrogen in smaller quantities. Too much nitrogen will cause the bulbs to produce lots of weak, green leaves at the expense of blooms. The addition of more potash (potassium) will help produce stronger bulbs, which develop stronger leaves and stems.

Sufficient moisture is critical to daffodils—in the fall to help generate good roots before the ground freezes and again in the spring when the flowers are actively growing. Daffodil stems are hollow and when there is enough moisture, the stem is filled with water, which helps to support itself and the flower. If it’s dry and the stem is hollow, it is more likely to buckle under the weight of the flower.

Leaves emerge fine but quickly discolor and die

Let it be a lesson this fall: If drainage is not perfect, don’t plant bulbs there.

In these cases, the plant also fails to bloom. Bulb rot is often the cause, and poor drainage is the most common contributor to rot. Dig out the suspect bulbs. If the bulbs or roots are discolored and have soft or foul-smelling areas, dispose of them in a hot compost or by burning. Improve the drainage in that area, raise the bed, or switch to plants more tolerant of wet soil. For instance, quamash (Camassia) is generally more tolerant of moisture than tulips.

Failure to exit gracefully

Plan in the fall for a better ending to next spring’s show.

Gardeners love bulbs’ spring show but often hate the clutter factor—the leaves’ prolonged fade. Yet foliage can be clipped away earlier than you may think, if a plant is already full enough. If all you ask is that a plant replace itself each year, not increase its clump size, cut back tulip and daffodil foliage as early as June 1—about two months after the plants emerge from winter rest. If such plants don’t bloom as well the next year, stall that year’s cut by two weeks or replace them with a variety that can put up with our impatient ways.

However, it is simplest to let bulb foliage die back naturally. You can allow this yet reduce the visual distraction by pairing bulbs with late-emerging perennials such as hardy hibiscus (Hibiscus moscheutos) or blue mist flower (Conoclinium coelestinum), or self-sowing annuals such as balsam (Impatiens balsamina) or spider flower (Cleome).

Beneath this kousa dogwood are hundreds of squill (Scilla siberica) that color the lawn blue in April and then are mowed down when lawn clipping begins. Here in late April the squill leaves still show like coarser blades of grass. Even easier, for both gardener and tree: Smother the lawn and then plant the late-emerging, August-blooming groundcover hardy plumbago there (Ceratostigma plumbaginoides) to cover the squills' exit.
Beneath this kousa dogwood are hundreds of squill (Scilla siberica) that color the lawn blue in April and then are mowed down when lawn clipping begins. Here in late April the squill leaves still show like coarser blades of grass. Even easier, for both gardener and tree: Smother the lawn and then plant the late-emerging, August-blooming groundcover hardy plumbago there (Ceratostigma plumbaginoides) to cover the squills’ exit.

Article by Janet Macunovich and photos by Steven Nikkila, www.gardenatoz.com.

RELATED: Proper planning ensures reliable spring bulbs

ELSEWHERE: Naturalizing spring flowering bulbs

Filed Under: Janet’s Journal Tagged With: bulb, bulb problems, fall planting, spring, spring bloomng bulbs

Your plants survived winter—only to be snuffed by spring?

March 21, 2022   •   Leave a Comment

How to help your plants make it through the frosty weeks of April

by Janet Macunovich
Photographs by Steven Nikkila

Plants are most susceptible to cold after they begin to wake up in spring. Buds, bark and roots that were hardened to the point of being able to weather minus 20 degrees in January become irreversibly soft by late March or early April. Then they may be seriously damaged at 25 degrees and killed outright at 10 degrees. Sudden, large drops in temperature hurt them most, and that’s what April frosts usually are—frigid packets of air that drop from clear skies after a balmy, slightly breezy day goes still at sunset.

A magnolia hardens its tissues in late fall and winters its flowers under fuzzy bud caps capable of withstanding minus 15 degrees. Yet once the sap begins to flow in the tree and the bud caps split open, the flowers may be damaged by frost. It’s not practical for home gardeners to protect trees from frost, but this article has tips on how to help other plants past this most treacherous of times.
Frost damaged some petals on this saucer magnolia (Magnolia x soulangiana). The damage won’t hurt the tree, but it can spoil its show.

Consequences of spring freezes may take days or even weeks to develop and are often lumped in with “winter kill.” We may even fail to recognize them as cold damage because they appear long after we’ve forgotten the frost. Then we see leaf drop, bud blast, aborted flowers, splitting bark, scorched foliage, freeze-dried twigs, stunted growth, susceptibility to disease, and failure to flower or flourish.

We often spend hours in late fall putting special plants to bed with wilt-stop coatings, burlap screens, elaborate mulch blankets and one last watering before the ground freezes. Those measures may have made a difference—that marginally hardy rosemary may have survived in its protected alcove and the rhododendrons and boxwoods stayed moist enough to bring their leaves into April unscathed. Yet what’s alive right now may be relegated to the compost pile and labeled “not hardy” if we let down our guard during this last leg of the journey.

Here are ideas to help your plants pass without harm through these next few, most risky weeks.

Oakleaf hydrangea (H. quercifolia) is another plant that must carry its tip buds from one summer right into the next in order to bloom.
Once that densely coated bud cover opens, I try to protect the emerging hydrangea shoot from freezes. If that bud dies, I’ll certainly see the plant’s pretty foliage this year but probably won’t see any bloom.

Moist soil makes a warm night.

You can fight frost with water, but you’ll have to aim the hose at the plants’ roots, not up at the leaves and stems.

An inclination to sprinkle at-risk foliage is understandable if you have seen nursery stock or an orchard protected from spring frost in rather dramatic fashion, by sprinklers that run all night to coat the plants with ice and all morning to ease the ice’s passage. However, this technique is one that warrants a “don’t try this at home” caption. That’s because it’s the creation of ice, not its simple presence, that works the magic. Plants benefit from the heat given off by each new drop of water as it enters an icy state. Standard oscillating and rotating sprinklers can’t deliver the amount of water or relentless coverage needed to foster continual ice formation.

What you can do with water is to stoke the radiator below each plant. Keep an eye on the three-day forecast so you can tend your plants the day before a frost is due. Soak the soil—avoid splashing the branches and foliage. Moist soil absorbs more heat from the air by day and radiates it longer and more steadily into the night than dry soil. That’s one reason that frost is always more likely over sandy ground than clay.

Don’t over-do. If your garden is very well-drained, you may be able to water with abandon but if there’s any chance the soil will become waterlogged, quit. Soggy roots are more trouble to a plant than frosted tips.

Everything’s warmer under a tent.

Everyone knows that heat rises but many are surprised to know just how much warmth can radiate from the soil. Soil temperature in the Midwest in late winter and early spring may be in the 20s or perhaps 30 degrees from ground level to two feet deep. Below that the ground remains at about 50 degrees. If the soil is loose and airy, that heat rises steadily through and out of the soil. It can preserve plants and plant parts close to the ground during a frost.

Cover a plant with something that seals its connection with this radiator. Within that tent the air may be 5 degrees warmer than in the open.

Fiber makes a great frost blanket.

Don’t use plastic to cover plants, or if you do, place props to hold it well up off the leaves and twigs so it can trap ground-warmed air around all parts of the plant. Since plastic is such a poor insulator, any bit of plant touching the plastic is essentially in contact with the frosty air and likely to freeze as if unprotected.

The better choice for frost protection is cloth, replete with tiny air pockets. You can use old linens and blankets if they’re light enough to cover without crushing delicate foliage. To use heavier materials, first place props to bear the weight.

Lightweight fabrics developed specifically for plant protection are called floating row cover, frost blanket, frost cloth, plant cover, and spun-bond polypropylene—all with various brand names. These products are light enough in most cases to be supported by the plant itself and come in sections or rolls wide enough to cover a shrub or a whole bed of flowers or vegetables. Permeable to light and water, they can be left in place even on cold days without smothering the plant they’re protecting. They are made in a range of weights from about one-half to several ounces per square yard. In general, the heavier the cloth the more light it blocks, but the more heat it can hold—the lightest promise just 2 or 3 degrees of frost protection while the heaviest claim eight.

Floating row cover protects newly planted bear’s breeches (Acanthus mollis) during a frost. Lenten roses (Helleborus x orientalis) in the foreground require no protection from this frost because they’ve developed in place and are in sync with normal weather. The newcomer has just come from a greenhouse and is beyond the stage of growth it would be if it had grown on-site.
Frost protection should be removed once danger of frost has passed, to avoid overheating covered plants.

It’s a cloche call.

The traditional cloche is simply a large glass jar that can be inverted over a plant. More recently, sections of glass or plastic clipped together to make tents over individual plants or rows have been included under this term.

Plastic tunnels covering rows of plants are sometimes called cloches, too. They’re made by bending heavy wire into big U shapes, sticking them upside down into the ground, and then covering them with plastic from a roll. Glass is better than plastic in terms of the light, warmth and humidity it affords a plant, but shatterproof plastic is safer for garden use. Plastic cloches can provide protection from hail as well as frost.

Plastic milk jugs and soft drink bottles can be pressed into service as cloches. Cut off the bottom of the jug or bottle and press it firmly into place as you cover the plant so its cut edges sit securely in the soil. If days are warm, remove the bottle cap to vent excess heat.

A modern twist on the traditional cloche are season extenders like the Wall O’ Water. A plant is encircled by this cylinder of compartmented plastic—basically a double sheet of heavy plastic seamed to form pockets that can be filled with water. The water absorbs radiant energy by day and at night releases it to the plant in its embrace.

If you have special small plants and an abundance of two-liter soft drink bottles, you can make your own wall of water. Cut the bottom off one bottle and circle that container with six intact bottles. Use duct tape to hold the group together. Slip the center bottle over a plant. Remove that bottle cap if days are warm, to prevent heat build-up. Fill the surrounding bottles with water.

Gracious sakes, come in outta that wind.

Our mothers, grandmas and aunties were right—one can catch one’s death in a wind. Cold that wouldn’t otherwise harm a plant can kill if drying winds accompany it. Wind is even more damaging to plants during early spring cold spells than it is during the depths of winter. So keep that burlap screen or snow fencing in its place several feet to the windward side of your broadleaf evergreens.

One reason spring wind is so devastating is that air temperatures during the day are warm enough that a holly, rhododendron, boxwood, pieris or grapeholly leaf can sustain photosynthesis. Those leaves lose water through their pores during that process. Yet a cold snap can freeze the top inch of soil where these plants have many fine roots. The next day, the plant sits in the sun losing water through its leaves but the water the roots need to replace it is locked in ice. When water runs short, the losers are the aerial parts furthest out—tips and emerging buds—as well as leaf edges that have “softened” as they quit the devices that added up to seasonal hardiness. We often don’t see the damage until May, but the scorched tips and leaf margins we see at that time began in that April freeze.

If you wonder whether you should protect plants from wind, look around your neighborhood for trees that stand alone, away from the protection of a grove or any buildings. Are those trees symmetrical or distorted? Distortion on one side can indicate severity and direction of the prevailing winds that dry and kill in late spring.

Cover those feet.

Mulch is a another strategy that’s important to understory species with shallow roots, such as rhododendron, holly, Japanese maple and magnolia. A study in Wisconsin put a number on the value of mulch. That is, when air temperature falls to 1 degree, the soil there drops to 16 degrees if it has a three-inch mulch blanket, but can stay at about 22 degrees given six inches of cover.

If you begin to rake off special plants’ extra mulch on warm spring days, don’t be too quick to cart it away. A friend has recently recommended sawdust as a material that can be easily peeled back yet replaced in a hurry. I intend to keep some on hand to rectify the silliness of Japanese wax bell (Kirengeshoma palmata), which is forever leaping up too soon and being cut down by frost.

What gardeners do best: Improvise.

I don’t have many things that I keep on hand especially for frost protection. Like most gardeners, I improvise. Upended plastic garbage pails, five gallon buckets, milk crates, old draperies and cardboard boxes are all in my April bag of tricks. I’ve also grinned over the use of beach umbrellas in one friend’s garden and discussed with another how we might use a hunter’s open-bottom ground blind to protect shrubs and even small trees.

Thank heaven for plants that just take what Nature hands them and keep on chugging. These Red and Yellow Emperor tulips have reckoned with snow and frosts for 20 years, even freezing solid in a late April snow.
Here they are just one day after appearing in the previous, snowy scene. So long as I don’t walk on them while they’re frozen—an abuse resented by all plants from lawn grass to wisteria vines—they come back with gusto. 

Dream of ideal plants and places.

Every spring I vow to eliminate all plants that cause me extra work. Every summer at least a few of them convince me anew that they’re worth the effort. Thank goodness for the existence of perfect plants—species that can handle whatever “normal” happens to be each spring. I’m grateful, too, for ideal places, such as that wind-protected spot about ten feet southeast of my neighbor’s six-foot hedge. It is ground that happens to slope to the southeast so it sheds cold air downhill and catches warming sun early in the year. It’s sandy, well-drained soil there, so it conducts ground warmth well and doesn’t add oxygen deprivation to a root’s winter woes. I can’t ask for more protection.

But I can ask why the spot’s not bigger. I’d like to put my whole garden into it.

Article by Janet Macunovich and photos by Steven Nikkila, www.gardenatoz.com.

RELATED: Proper planning ensures reliable spring bulbs

Filed Under: Janet’s Journal Tagged With: plants, spring, winter, winter survival

Tarda tulip

March 21, 2022   •   Leave a Comment

tulipa-tarda
Tulipa ‘Negrita’ (top), Tulipa tarda. (Photo: White Flower Farm)

As spring bulbs begin to emerge, gardeners often wish they had planted more bulbs last fall. Few “perennials” are this easy to plant, grow, and maintain. However, many bulbs do have shortcomings. Some are planted and immediately become squirrel food. Others bloom so late that gardeners have to wait a few extra weeks for the foliage to die back before annuals can be planted. And the largest concern is their failure to bloom for more than a few years in the garden. Tarda tulip may help you overcome some of these potential problems.

Every year, in late April to early May, each tarda tulip (Tulipa tarda) bulb produces 4 to 6, star-shaped flowers that are about 2 to 3 inches across. The yellow buds open almost flat, revealing bright yellow petals whose lower half is white. Unlike most of the showier hybrids of today, tarda tulip’s flower size and color lends itself to a more refined and subdued display.

Tarda tulip is one of several tulips that can be found in nature, especially if you happen to be walking around the rocky slopes of rural China. Therefore, it is referred to as a species tulip—it hasn’t been bred for bigger blooms or brighter colors. Like several other species tulips, tarda tulip is extremely hardy. Severe winters and hot summers rarely threaten its vigor. This is especially true if you can create well-drained soil that is amended with organic matter such as compost or shredded pine bark. Plant bulbs at a depth of 6 inches in full or partial sun for best results.

The other great feature of this species tulip is its ability to flower year after year after year. Many of the more popular tulip types such as parrots, doubles, single lates, etc., have exceptional flower colors and forms. These, however, rarely last for more than a few years in the garden, even with the best conditions. On the other hand, tarda tulip is a true perennial type and should last for many years with minimal or no effort.

Tarda tulip’s short, yellow and white flowers make excellent partners for slightly taller tulips. Try a rock garden tulip (Tulipa greigii) for a 10- to 12-inch background. Then use the durable blossoms of grape hyacinths as a contrasting blue, spike-shaped flower that grows to about the same six-inch height. Don’t forget spring-blooming perennial groundcovers such as creeping phlox or candytuft. These can be planted right over tarda tulip for a brilliant, double dose of color every spring.

As for the squirrels, I can offer some ideas. The most reliable deterrent is to plant your bulbs under a piece of chicken wire that is buried below the soil surface. It always is effective but can be a chore to install and is especially annoying when it gets in the way of other plantings. Repellents can also be applied to bulbs before planting. These eventually wash away, but usually succeed because bulbs are the most vulnerable for a few days after planting. The good news is that tarda tulip is one of the least expensive tulips available. So, an occasional loss to Mr. Squirrel isn’t as economically devastating as it would be with other, more costly bulbs. 

In the fall, tarda tulip can be found at many garden centers alongside other species tulips. Try these true perennials in your toughest areas and take advantage of their durability and beauty. It’s likely that these little gems will outlast your other bulbs and may even spread to fill nearby open spaces. Just remember to watch out for the squirrels.

Tarda tulip

Botanical name: Tulipa tarda (TOO-lip-uh TAR-duh)
Plant type: Bulb
Plant size: 6 inches tall
Hardiness: Zone 4
Flower color:  White tips & yellow centers
Flower size: 2-3 inches across, star-shaped
Bloom period: Late April to early May
Leaf color: Green
Leaf size: 5 inches long
Light: Full to part sun         
Soil: Well-drained soil, amended with organic matter
Uses: Perennial border, rock garden
Companion plants: Grape hyacinths, medium height tulips (10-14 inch), spring-blooming perennial groundcovers, such as creeping phlox or candytuft.
Remarks: Species tulip; very hardy; longer-lived than the more common, hybridized tulips.

George Papadelis is the owner of Telly’s Greenhouse in Troy and Shelby Township, MI.

Filed Under: Plant Focus Tagged With: bulb, garden, spring, Tarda tulip, tulip

Proper planning ensures reliable spring bulbs

September 2, 2021   •   Leave a Comment

Each year I plan, purchase and plant thousands of bulbs. Here’s what I’ve learned to do in fall to insure the best show of spring bulbs.

In early April, all eyes will be on this blooming cornelian cherry tree (Cornus mas), or gazing at the yard art. Plan the bulb planting scheme in the fall to highlight those attractions.

Think “grocery produce section” when selecting bulbs

When you choose bulbs in person at the local garden center, you have a significant advantage: you have direct control over quality. Make the most of it. Pretend you’re at a grocery store choosing vegetables, because that’s what bulbs are—root crops.

You would think twice about buying a mushy potato, rubbery carrot or shriveled onion. Be just as choosy with bulbs. Select for firmness and even color. Check for soft spots that may be on their way to rotting, and reject bare-root ephemerals like foxtail lily (Eremurus) if they have broken roots. Take the largest of any bunch.

Keep the same mindset if you must store bulbs before planting. If the bulb has a tunic (a papery skin as on a tulip, daffodil, crocus, etc.) or a horny surface (such as snowdrops and spring-blooming anemone), store it cool and dry like you would store onions or garlic. If it does not have a protective covering, like a true lily or a bare foxtail lily root, keep it as you would carrots—cool and humid in a refrigerator crisper drawer or root cellar. If it’s wrapped, make sure that condensation doesn’t collect and puddle inside to incite rot on the surface of the bulb or root.

About price: Bargain basement bulbs are usually disappointing. If you buy the cheapest, you’re almost certain to receive bulbs half the size of premium items. They may be dry and wasted from improper storage. Given years of ideal conditions, such bulbs may produce a decent display. Next spring, however, they’ll present flowers few and small.

Beware of low-priced collections too. Whether of mixed varieties of one species or a “spring collection” of different species, they rarely live up to their promise. The catalog may illustrate a mix of six types of daffodil or tulip yet ship just 5 of the fancier types to each 45 of a pale, small-flowered type. The mixed-species collections often contain only a few of each big, showy species (hyacinths, daffodils, tulips) but many of each minor bulb (squill, winter aconite, glory-of-the-snow, etc.). They sometimes include downright weedy species such as star of Bethlehem (Ornithogalum umbellatum).

Far too often, the tiny, early bulbs are overlooked when we plan and plant in fall. Yet masses of any of this collection can be planted to naturalize most anywhere in a landscape. Flowers, from left: White Puschkinia with its baby blue stripe accompanies early daffodil ‘Jack Snipe,’ fading away as lamium covers that ground. Blue squill (Scilla sibirica) plus the blue and white forms of woodland anemone (Anemone blanda) are great partners with the evergreen perennial lenten rose (Helleborus x orientalis) under a kousa dogwood. Blue ‘Harmony’ and standard purple iris (Iris reticulata) can mix it up with yellow crocus (Crocus chrysanthus) among clumps of blue fescue or perennial fountain grass.

Include early-, mid- and late-blooming types

You can enjoy spring bulb bloom from early March until early June. Most crocuses come early in that line-up, followed by Dutch hyacinth and daffodils in April, and tulips from late April into May. Alliums, foxtail lily and others carry the show into June. Within each group, however, there are early-, mid-, and late-blooming species and varieties. Take the time in fall to plan a mix that will give you spring color every week that’s important to you. (See the sidebar “Parade of bloomin’ bulbs” for a starting line-up.)

Short on space? You can plant two, three or even four kinds of bulbs in one area if you choose for separate seasons and give all players elbow room. For instance, I have planted squill, early species tulip (Tulipa kaufmanniana), checker lily (Fritillaria meleagris), and drumstick allium (Allium sphaerocephalon) in one spot. I excavated that bulb area about 10 inches deep and placed the tulips, then added a few inches of soil and set the checker lilies and drumstick alliums. Finally I added another inch of soil, scattered the squill and covered it all with the rest of the soil.

There’s no right or wrong in bulbs or any other aspect of gardening, just different ways for each gardener and garden. A catalog may recommend 188 Grecian windflowers (Anemone blanda) per square yard, and you certainly can plant that many for immediate impact. Yet you can also place just a few near your favorite garden sculpture and watch them multiply over the years.

Plant them where you’ll see them

Before you plant, stand in the windows you use most in late winter and early spring. Look at your garden from there and from the driveway where you enter and exit. Plant spring bulbs where you will be able to see them from these vantage points or you’re wasting your time and money.

Bulb color goes a long way—if you can see it. So it’s a smart move to plant daffodils where you will see them each day as you leave and come home again. Never forget as you make your choices, however, that most spring bulbs need full sun to bloom well. Note the difference here in the amount of bloom between the daffodils in the wooden barrels and those in the beds. Those in the barrels were sun-grown in pots and moved into the planters for temporary show. Those in the beds have grown there for years, shaded most of each day.

Plant them deep

The rule of thumb for bulb depth is to set a bulb with soil over its nose 2 to 3 times as deep as the bulb is tall. That means to plant a tulip, daffodil, lily or large allium, you need a hole 8 or 9 inches deep. That will accept the three-inch bulb plus at least six inches of soil above it. Most people plant shallow and pay for it in frost damage, toppling flowers and blooms that come one year then never again.

I plant even deeper than recommended. I put large bulbs in holes at least 11 inches deep. If the drainage is good, they don’t mind at all, and need dividing less often. Plus, I won’t harm them as I garden because they’re all below the reach of my nine-inch spade blade.

Doubtful? Experiment with just a few bulbs planted deeper this fall. Note what you planted deep, where, so you can gauge the results next spring. I still do, since I’m not sure I’ve pushed it to the limit, in terms of depth. One fall, after planting a dozen tulips a foot deep, I forgot all about them and later dumped a wheelbarrow of soil there and topped that with a leftover bale of straw. The next spring, the tulips grew from a foot down, through the piled soil, plus 14 inches of baled straw to bloom cheerily above the heap.

That just goes to show that there’s no absolute right or wrong when it comes to using bulbs or any other aspect of gardening. Take that to heart as you plan and plant bulbs this fall. Have fun, and enjoy the surprises spring will bring.


Parade of bloomin’ bulbs

Here’s a list of which bulbs are likely to bloom when, with what. To use it, remember it’s only a guide—winter and spring weather can slow one bulb and speed another—and adjust for length of growing season. It’s geared to use in northern zone 5, where the growing season starts later than it does in a more southern zone 5 but earlier than on the Lake Superior shore zone 5. So change mid-March to early March if you’re in zone 6, or to late February for a zone 7 North Carolina winter home.

Very early (by mid-March): Snowdrops (Galanthus), early crocus (Crocus sieberi, C. minimus, C. tommasinianus), danford and netted iris (Iris danfordiae, I. reticulata).

Early (late March to mid-April): Grecian windflower and wood anemone (Anemone blanda, A. nemerosa), squill (Scilla sibirica), Puschkinia libanotica, Dutch crocus, Dutch hyacinth, early- and mid-season daffodils, firespray- and tarda tulips (Tulipa praestans, T. dasystemon), glory-of-the-snow (Chionodoxa).

Mid-season (late April and early May): Late daffodils, early tulips (Triumph, Foster, multi-flora, and Greigii tulips followed by lily-flowered and fringed types), western trout lily (Erythronium ‘Pagoda’), checker lily (Fritillaria meleagris), summer snowflake (Leucojum‘ Gravetye’), grape hyacinth (Muscari).

Late (mid- to late May): Late and parrot tulips, species tulip (Tulipa wilsoniana), quamash (Camassia), large-flowered alliums, sego lily (Calochortus), perennial glads (Gladiolus byzantinus), bluebells (Hyacinthoides campanulata).

Very late (end of May and into June): Sicilian honey lily (Nectaroscordum siculum), foxtail lily (Eremerus), drumstick and blue allium (Allium sphaerocephalon, A. caeruleum), California hyacinth (Triteleia laxa, Brodiaea).

Article by Janet Macunovich and photos by Steven Nikkila, www.gardenatoz.com.

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Filed Under: Janet’s Journal Tagged With: bulbs, Janet Macunovich, Janet’s Journal, spring

Plant Focus: Crocus

September 1, 2020   •   Leave a Comment

‘Pickwick’ (Photo: Dutch Gardens)

For a gardener, there are few sights as welcome as the first crocus of the year, peeking its flowers through the freshly melted snow of late winter. Crocus is a very hardy perennial and one of the few plants that can bloom as early as February or March. By being hidden deep in the soil, crocus corms are naturally insulated from severe temperature changes, ice and wind. Flowering is initiated by just a few consecutive days of temperatures above freezing. Once the first few inches of soil can thaw, flowers emerge and will last for several weeks despite more wintry weather. Crocus flowers can protect themselves by closing up in the evening and also whenever they experience severe weather.

‘Yellow Mammoth’ (Photo: Dutch Gardens)

Crocus have long been popular with gardeners for several reasons. Their durable flowers are available in many colors including yellow, white, purple, blue, and pink. One plant will usually return year after year and develop offspring that can produce additional flowers in beautiful drifts. The two-inch flowers are made up of 6 oval petals that surround 3 prominent yellow to orange stamens. Crocus grow from one-inch corms rather than actual “bulbs.” Both are just compressed stems: bulbs consisting of fleshy scales and corms being more solid. Gladiolus is another example of a corm.

‘Whitewell Purple’ (Photo: John Scheepers, Inc.)

Crocus are native to the rocky slopes of the Mediterranean countries and southwest Asia. They adapt to cold winters, full or partial sun, and well-drained soil. Most Michigan gardeners have the first two, but well-drained soil may have to be created if clay is prevalent. Drainage can be improved by adding aged pine bark or compost to your soil. Since crocus corms are planted 3 to 4 inches deep, only about 4 inches of soil below them needs to be well-cultivated. Corms should be at least 3 inches apart. However, this is the type of bulb that looks great planted in more natural and random masses.

‘Romance’ (Photo: Van Bourgondien)

Most crocus have only one serious threat to their perennial existence. Hungry bunnies seem especially tempted by the leaves, flowers and corms of several species. Corms can be protected by several methods. Gravel worked into the soil above the corms will make digging them up difficult. Liquid or powder deterrents can be used to treat corms before planting. Keep in mind that freshly planted bulbs and corms are most likely to create curiosity amongst browsers. Once established, they are rarely disturbed. If all else fails, you can plant in below-grade, wire mesh cages that are impenetrable. To protect leaves and flowers, apply a granular deterrent or a spray.

‘Ruby Giant’ (Photo: John Scheepers, Inc.)

There are many varieties of spring-blooming crocus but most of the hardy ones fall into four species. Crocus ancyrensis is golden bunch crocus. The selection ‘Golden Bunch’ produces up to five deep orange-yellow flowers in a “bunch” per corm. Of the four species, this is one of the earliest to bloom; late February is not unusual if Mother Nature is cooperating. This is also one of the more vulnerable to attack from the bunnies.

‘Jeanne d’Arc’ (Photo: John Scheepers, Inc.)

Crocus chrysanthus is available in several varieties, all of which are referred to as snow crocus or golden crocus. ‘Cream Beauty’ is a strong grower that is primarily white with a white center. ‘Ladykiller’ is also white but with purple on the outside of the petals. ‘Advance’ is yellow inside but the outside is unique because the petals alternate creamy yellow and purple. Corms produce 1 to 4 flowers each in late February or early March. Like C. ancyrensis above, rabbits admire this species.

Crocus tommasinianus is a wonderful choice for several reasons. This species is the most pest-resistant crocus available. If you have lost crocus to rabbits or squirrels, this may be the choice for you. C. tommasinianus is also the most prolific grower. It will quickly naturalize to form masses of flowers. The most readily available variety is ‘Barr’s Purple.’ Its deep violet petals fade to a bright white center that is highlighted by bright orange stamens. It blooms almost as early as the above two species, usually in early March.

The most popular species is Crocus vernus or Dutch crocus. Unlike the previous species, one large flower with large gold stamens is produced from each corm. It is available in several colors ranging from white to stripes to purples. ‘Jeanne d’Arc’ is a bright white with large flowers. ‘Pickwick’ has large white flowers with dark lavender stripes inside and out. ‘Remembrance’ and ‘Flower Record’ are deep lavender and pale lavender respectively. Dutch crocus usually bloom from March to early April.

Fall is a perfect season for planting. Cooler weather means less heat stress for both plants and people. Plants are naturally becoming dormant and are far less susceptible to drying out and experiencing transplant shock. Fall is also the only season for planting spring-blooming bulbs and corms. Once the ground freezes, the opportunity is lost and you’ll regret not having these heralds of spring glowing in your early season garden. Crocus are relatively inexpensive and are available almost anywhere bulbs are sold. With minimal effort this fall, you can enhance your existing landscape and welcome spring with the bright blossoms of crocus.

‘Blue Pearl’ (Photo: Van Bourgondien)

Crocus   CRO-kus
Plant type: Corm (commonly referred to as a “bulb”)
Plant size: 3-5 inches tall
Habit: Clump-forming
Flower colors: Purple, violet, reddish- purple, lilac, yellow, cream, white
Flower size: 2 inches wide
Bloom period: Late winter to early spring
Light: Full to partial sun
Soil: Well-drained
Uses: Plant in natural drifts in the perennial border, lawn or rock garden
Remarks: The corms develop offspring that can produce additional flowers to create a naturalized look

George Papadelis is the owner of Telly’s Greenhouse in Troy and Shelby Township, MI.

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Filed Under: Plant Focus Tagged With: bulb, Crocus, Crocus chrysanthus, fall, spring

Plant Focus: Viola

March 3, 2020   •   Leave a Comment

Viola cornuta (Photo: Jonathon Hofley / Michigan Gardener)

by George Papadelis

In the spring, the earliest bedding plants to appear at your local garden center are violas and pansies. These are usually available in flats and look similar except violas have smaller flowers than pansies. So, what is the real difference between violas and pansies and is this the same “violet” that has spread all over my friend’s yard? As a matter of fact, the plants referred to as “violas,” “pansies,” and “sweet violets” are all in the same group of plants, namely the genus Viola.

Viola cornuta ‘Jersey Gem’ (Photo: White Flower Farm)

Pansies are the result of crossing different species of violas. These “hybrids” (called Viola x wittrockiana) have flowers 2 to 4 inches across and include an incredible range of colors including white, black and practically every color in the rainbow. These plants will tolerate freezes and frosts, so gardeners can plant them as early as April 1 here in Michigan. They will flower profusely all spring and if old flowers are removed, they will most likely continue through the summer. The cool fall will encourage more flowering, which often lasts until the winter holidays. In our climate, pansies planted in a protected area usually return one more season for another performance, although somewhat less spectacular. Protected areas include the south side of the house and the cooler east side.

The smaller-flowering viola (Viola cornuta), sold in flats every spring, has evolved greatly. Several series such as the “Princess” series and the “Sorbets” have introduced new colors and color combinations that rival the closely related Johnny jump-up (Viola tricolor). Violas planted in our climate last one or two seasons. Just like pansies, spent flowers must be removed to encourage flowering through the hot summer.

Viola

Botanical Name: Viola cornuta (vy-OH-lah kor-NEW-tah)
Common Name: Violet, horned violet
Plant Type: Hardy annual/tender perennial
Plant Size: 5-10 inches tall
Flower Color: White, purple, violet, yellow, maroon
Flower Size: 1-1/2 inches wide
Bloom Period: Spring to fall
Light: Partial sun to sun
Soil: Well-drained, moist
Hardiness: Zone 5
Uses: Areas that are partially sunny, yet moist
Remarks: Remove spent flowers to encourage blooms through the summer

Viola cornuta (Photo: Jonathon Hofley / Michigan Gardener)

The dangerous member of this group is Viola odorata or “sweet violets” which are often just referred to as “violets.” These are very perennial, produce fragrant, small flowers in the spring, and may spread everywhere if you let them. Like violas and pansies, sweet violets produce seeds which may germinate and produce more plants. However, sweet violets also send underground stems called stolons in all directions, which may be difficult to find and remove. This invasive nature makes it an excellent groundcover or a wildflower in a naturalized site. Sweet violets have also been planted for as long as gardens have existed. The flower market in Athens, Greece sold sweet violets as early as 400 B.C. Its fragrance has been used by the perfume industry for centuries and is still being used by some today.

All members of the genus Viola produce edible flowers. Chefs all over the world use these showy blossoms as an attractive garnish, especially on salads. The blossoms also make great cut flowers and are among the most popular flowers for pressing. Members of the Viola family grow best in partial sun but full sun can be tolerated. High temperatures and drying out will cause stress, so keep the soil moist and cool if possible.

Viola cornuta ‘Cuty’ (Photo: White Flower Farm/Michael Dodge)

Gardeners looking for something different may want to try the purple-leafed viola (Viola labridorica) for its attractive foliage and fluorescent purple flowers. Other violas such as Viola koreana even have attractive silver patterned leaves. The bird’s foot violet (Viola pedata) is easy to identify because the leaves look just like a bird’s foot.

From a naturalizing habit to being self-contained, the genus Viola is so diverse that every gardener is sure to have a spot for at least one variety!

George Papadelis is the owner of Telly’s Greenhouse in Troy and Shelby Township, MI.

Filed Under: Plant Focus Tagged With: annual, pansy, spring, viola, Viola cornuta

Ask MG: Why is my Purple smoke tree not smoking?

March 10, 2018   •   7 Comments

I have a purple smoke tree that is about 9 years old. It is a large, healthy tree, but it has never “smoked.” Every spring it is full of blossoms, then when other smoke trees are beginning to smoke, the blossoms on this tree shrivel and die. I have tried watering it more, I have tried watering it less. Any ideas? J.W., Ann Arbor

Although smoke tree or smoke bush (Cotinus coggygria) requires well-drained soil and full sun, it is quite adaptable to different soil conditions. A large shrub or small multi-stemmed tree that can grow to 15 feet tall, it can work as a background plant for the mixed border or as a single specimen plant. Its claim to fame is the cloud of pinkish gray “smoke” that covers the plant in the summer. The effect is the result not of flowers, but of tiny pinkish hairs on the small fruits that occur in large clusters. There are some popular cultivars with purple leaves and darker flower clusters, such as ‘Royal Purple,’ ‘Velvet Cloak,’ and ‘Nordine Red.’

While smoke bush is relatively easy to grow, it can use some help in the early stages of development. For a new plant, avoid planting in waterlogged or poorly draining soil. For an existing plant, dig a dozen holes with a crowbar at the drip line that are a foot deep. Fill these holes with 5-10-10 fertilizer. This should be a one-time application. Early spring is best but it can be any time. It isn’t necessary to repeat this unless the smoke bush is not thriving in later years. Woody plants are going to be happier if you don’t overdo it. Annuals, tropicals and turf are heavy feeders, but over-fertilizing perennials and woody plants can force them to produce more stems and leaves than they want to, which can lead to unnecessary stress. Once established in the landscape, shrubs and trees adjust to the nutrients in the soil and often don’t want too much extra pampering. Avoid fertilizing (directly or indirectly) with high nitrogen (lawn) fertilizer; nitrogen promotes stem and leaf growth at the expense of flower production.

If your tree is planted in the lawn, remove the grass in at least a 6-foot diameter area around your tree. Mulch the area (do not pile mulch up against the trunk) and water infrequently: a good soaking once per week is much better than multiple small waterings. Smoke bush is drought-resistant and overwatering can result in few or no blooms, and makes it more susceptible to disease. Woody plants need watering less frequently than tender annuals, lawn, or herbaceous plants. Most established trees and shrubs can go weeks without supplemental watering except in very hot or windy weather.

Filed Under: Ask MG Tagged With: blossoms, Cotinus coggygria, purple smoke tree, spring, trees

What is the best time of year to reseed bare patches in the lawn?

July 8, 2011   •   

What is the best time of year to reseed bare patches in the lawn? Can it be done in the spring? If so, please provide tips.

In Michigan, late August to mid-September is the ideal time to seed all grass types. The soil is warm yet the air has cooled down from summer temperatures.

However, most homeowners don’t want to go through the summer with a spotty lawn. Mid to late spring can be a suitable time to reseed bare patches in the lawn, after frost warnings are lifted. The soil temperature needs to be at least 50 degrees for grass to germinate at a normal rate. Waiting longer gives the soil more time to warm up to about 60 degrees and improves your success rate. Given sufficient moisture, the seed will germinate quicker with the added warmth, depending on the seed type.

Do not apply any spring lawn weed killers or crabgrass preventers. If you do, grass seed will not sprout or the seedlings will be killed along with the weeds and crabgrass.

Prepare the patches by removing any weeds. Scratch up the soil with a heavy dirt rake or cultivator. Mix up 1/3 sphagnum peat moss with 2/3 good garden soil to get a light, spongy texture. Add 1-1/2 cups of balanced organic fertilizer per bushel of soil making sure the fertilizer has a high phosphorous (P) content to stimulate root growth. Most “starter fertilizers” are high in phosphorous. Spread this mixture over the bare spot until it is slightly higher than the surrounding soil level. Gently work it into the scratched-up soil originally there.

Use a seed type similar to the existing grass unless it was the wrong kind to start with. Buy new seed. The percentage of seed that will germinate from old seed drops drastically with each year. Also avoid bargain seed. They generally contain the largest amount of annual or rough-bladed grasses.

Hand cast your seed and don’t be stingy. About 15 to 20 seeds per square inch is good. Bury the seed 1/8 to 1/4 inch into the soil by dragging a spring rake over the area with the tines inverted. Do not tamp so hard that you compact the soil. You want water to soak in easily. It is also helpful to cast some of the new seed to the outside of the repaired spot. This helps the new grass blend into the neighborhood!

Grass seed needs both moisture and warmth in order to sprout. Cooler temps will make it germinate slowly. But if there is a lack of moisture it won’t do a thing. Once the seed has germinated, avoid walking on the repaired spots to give the new plant roots time to dig in and acclimate. If you seed with a blended mix, the different types will germinate at different rates. So when you see green sprouts, continue to provide water for the later varieties to germinate.

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Filed Under: Ask MG Tagged With: germinate, grass, lawn, reseed, spring

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