Advice on digging up and storing perennials
JulieGraham
11 years ago
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NHBabs z4b-5a NH
11 years agolast modified: 9 years agoRelated Discussions
digging drying and storing daffs for fall planting
Comments (3)Thank you both for your input. I didn't mention it in the Subject line, but this is #10 (at the moment anyway) of the proposed new FAQ under Daffs. Since there are so many little variations, and really no one 'right' way, I'm thinking of posting all of the above ways, with a little editing. Of course will run it by you all before inputting them. vetivert, (I'm going to start abbreviating that to just v v, OK?) I put them into big buckets and leave them under cover to dry off naturally. A few weeks later I clean off the dirt and the remains of the leaves and roots. I have always been told that putting daffs in plastic, for any amount of time at all, is a very bad thing. Would you mind if I would edit what you posted to substitute 'container' instead of "big buckets"? Donna, I don't remember helping you before digging time, but am glad you had digging and storing success. Just as a note, I had several kinds of jonquils that had formed softball sized clumps of very small bulbs. I have since read that when bulbs are planted too shallowly, they will "blast" into small sizes, but make dozens. I planted them a bit more deeply this week. hmmm...had never heard that. I planted maybe 5 bulbs of Sun Disc in 2006 quite shallowly and dug them this year. I don't recall them being softball sized clumps, but maybe it is because they are by nature a pretty small bulb anyway, since it is a miniature. I had 'lots' of blooms from the clump in the spring so I don't think there were any adverse problems being planted shallowly. I don't remember how much they had multiplied...think I will start noting that info when I dig. Maybe it is because of different climates and different soils, or maybe it depends upon the cultivar? Here is a tip too for those who have a lot of different daffs to dig. In the spring, when the daffs are in bloom, one can mark clumps needing dug by circling the foliage at ground level with some bright surveyor's tape with info written on it...bulb name if known, div/color, if that's all that is known, # of blooms, etc. The tape is available at any hardware or big box store and you can then just write the info on one end with a black sharpie. The writing will hold up for even more than one year, in case they get missed being dug the first year they are marked for digging. TOTALLY OFF TOPIC: Sue, has anyone done any work on daylight length and night temperatures? A link would be so welcome. N canaliculatus and henriquesii are the species under consideration. v v, Now that is a totally new wrinkle with me (something I have not heard of before)....See Morewho likes to dig up new perennials?
Comments (18)"So frustrating, if it's not the deer it's the squirrels, rabbits, skunks, possums, groundhogs, insects, disease. Remind me again why we do all this gardening!" I have that same feeling just when I'm so tired and sore from kneeling for hours transplanting those little seedlings and amending clay soil. I laughed when you mentioned the milk crates from college days...they were a staple of "home design" and were usually free. The rabbits have been sitting in the middle of the lawn which is full of clover this year. Why then did they need to eat almost all of my Gaillardia and half a Coreopsis? I went out this afternoon between thunderstorms and found my New England Aster pulled over, stems snapped where they stood in grid ring so they don't flop when in bloom and eaten from there down. Think that was the groundhog I chased earlier in the day from the Cosmos seedlings he/she was eating because I don't know what else could have pulled down 3.5' NE Asters and snapped them at about 1.5'...although he/she did have a leg up with the grid supports. Now I'm worried there won't be enough new growth to have blooms in Fall for butterflies. May have to get out to farm nursery and try to find a couple young plants to at least have some NE Aster flowers this fall. It's expensive enough to buy/sow plants without having to replace things as the season gets into full swing especially when a lot of garden centers/nurseries are sold out of some things and it's way too late to get things to bloom this year! Why am I whining...at least the gardens aren't under a couple feet of water like some parts of the country. Why do we do it in spite of critters and the rest? Cause it's sheer joy to see all that beauty in bloom and maybe get to see some Butterflies, birds eating seed in Fall...mostly the beauty of each different flower with its unique foliage and their varying colors and forms. It's a sight to behold and makes us smile and feel all's right with the world for a few moments when we don't think about anything but the beauty in front of us!...See MoreNeed advice: Moving/storing perennials for at least six months
Comments (7)Some good advice above. I always pot up several dozen perennial divisions in late summer to middle fall, everything from spring primulas and lungworts to summer and fall garden phlox and asters. I use our own garden soil (upgraded clay) and have a lot of the plants in two gallon pots. The plants are cut back when, or before, they are divided. I water the plants during the fall. They stay outside, all winter, upright in their pots, against a protective wall (between our neighbours' and our houses). The soil in the pots is eventually frozen solid (the plants have their own anti-freeze proteins). The pots are usually soon covered with snow. There is always very little mortality. I suspect a contributing factor to what mortality there is, is me moving some plants (in their pots) too slowly in spring into a sunnier location. This certainly works where we live. We have strong seasonality....See More? re: digging up and replanting perennials
Comments (7)Something I am trying new this year is using roofing paper with wood chips over it. I started a new planting down my lawn fenceline and wanted a border of shrubs and perennials. DH dug large holes for the plants and then I laid the roofing paper out giving a generous space around each plant and then covered with several inches of wood chips. I will have to do some weeding around the base of the shrubs and plants this spring. I had seen this in another forum and hope it works as it has saved me alot of work..savona...See Moremnwsgal
11 years agolast modified: 9 years agoken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
11 years agolast modified: 9 years agorouge21_gw (CDN Z5b/6a)
11 years agolast modified: 9 years agoken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
11 years agolast modified: 9 years agoJulieGraham
11 years agolast modified: 9 years agoken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
11 years agolast modified: 9 years agoken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
11 years agolast modified: 9 years agooliveoyl3
11 years agolast modified: 9 years agodonna_in_sask
11 years agolast modified: 9 years ago
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rouge21_gw (CDN Z5b/6a)