Freeze warning,still planting spring bulbs and chat

11 years ago

We are expected to have a possible freeze tonight as temps by morning may reach 25 degrees F. I actually think we won't be affected but our entire area is under the warning from the weather service. Maybe a frost but we shall see.

Very windy and cold here.

I'm almost done with all the bulb planting. I did order some from Tulip World and I have to say, I wasn't disappointed with any of the bulbs. Added it to my Lowes buying spree and I got overloaded with planting. I would definitely buy from Tulip World again. Great bulbs, excellent customer service and shipped promptly. Was missing one order of daffs but they shipped that quickly.

I received 2 peonies from Gilbert Wild and they are excellent bare roots with plenty of eyes. However, I ordered 4 from Scheepers (they arrived the same day as Wild's) but very disappointed in the quality and packaging so they are going back. So with this hiccup, I've gone back to Wild and ordered additional ones from them. Hopefully they send another set of excellent bare root peonies. I know these may not bloom for a couple of years but at least I've started the growing process. I also got my order of Siberian Iris and they are in the ground near where I planted the peonies. Fingers crossed they make it through the winter.

My 2 seed pods finally ripened. The two crosses I did had 13 and 14 seeds in each pod. Both of the crosses have SPRING MYSTIQUE as the pollen parent. I do have to mention that SM is very pollen fertile. I haven't tried to set pod on it yet but next season I will. Seeds have been air dried and they are now tucked into the veggie draw along with some from last year. My daylilies look terrific with all the rain we've had. None of the dormants have died back fully yet but perhaps tomorrow will bring some of them to a close.

Have a great weekend.

Julia

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Comments (11)

organic_kitten
11 years ago
It sounds as if you have everything under control, Julia. My bulbs won't be here for a while yet, and I have a fair amount of weeding and reworking beds to do yet, so that is good.

We came very close to a light frost early this week, but the warm up came quickly, and it is supposed to be mid 80s the next few days.

Always work to do. Good that you have everything under control in your cooler climate.
kay
jean_ar
11 years ago
Well, you are planting bulbs, too.Dont sound l ike you are into it like RITa is.Bet them Peonies will be pretty next spring.24degrees,huh. wow thats cold.weather channel here said new York waould get a freeze this weekend.I hate cold weather, but, also hate really hot weather, too.I like it in between. more in the 70's.it got up in the 80's here today, and I went out and got some more weeds out.

jean
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If you get reliable rainfall over the winter, a good dollop at least once a week, then you may not need to water much at all. If you get a burst of unseasonable heat - then you will. For the species you've chosen, midwinter heat seems to shorten the flowering time quite a lot. Where I live the ground as such never freezes, except in frost hollows, in highly shady places, several hundred feet higher than I am. A big frost for me is quarter of an inch that's gone by lunchtime. I'm saying this as a run up to saying that you don't really need to park your bulbs in the vegie bin in the fridge until the end of the month - unless your soil holds the heat for a long time into the winter - to have success with the bulbs you want to grow. May I suggest an alternative to burlap? A decorative planter box with excellent drainage and enough room for the pots - plus an insulating filler into which you can plunge the pots to keep the soil temperature fairly even. (Untreated sawdust, bubblewrap covered with a layer of decorative mulch, etc) If you needed to, you could also put up hoops within the planter and cover it with a suitable thickness of horticultural fleece. (And/or a 'canopy' of chicken netting to keep out any rodents, or birds, high enough to let the leaves and flower stalks grow.) The big hazard with bulbs in pots is a freeze that lasts for days, then a thaw, and another freeze. With the soil frozen the actively growing bulbs actually die of thirst, more than the freezing. (In colder zones they go dormant over the long winter - so no harm done.) Bulbs for planting are usually old enough to have converted their bulbs into a freeze resistant carbohydrate - but the flower stalk may well be damaged by a sustained freeze. The leaves are usually fine. Bonedust isn't necessary in pot culture, and it can attract various creatures. If you are buying a potting mix suitable for bulbs then all the ingredients should be there. If you use plain mix - you can add some tomato food according to the instructions. Not too much nitrogen, and higher in potash is what's wanted. The most important thing for overwintering, IMO, is excellent drainage which comes from adding sharp grit to the mix if it hasn't already got it. Not sand. Little pebbles - between a sixteenth and a quarter-inch diameter - about one handful to four handfuls of mix. The roots ripple their way through and get a better grip, which is useful if you live in a windy area. For the Earlicheers - I'd go for a deeper planter, I think. In the garden they're deep-rooting and have a terrific root system. If you want to keep your bulbs for another season then deeper could well be better to get the development needed. Think 2 gallon pail... Dutch Iris - a lean mix, great drainage, and good sun. They need a good baking after flowering to get set up for the following year. About the pansies: yes, you can. The small-face pansies can be useful - and are less likely to be hammered by bad weather. Put them in at the same time you plant your bulbs, put a teaspoon of slow release below, just covered by mix, before you plant over the top. They can be useful indicators of the need to water the pots, too. If the small pansies droop you KNOW it's dry! Remember to keep the dead flowers picked off to have a long flowering season. As you're planning on using quite small pots, put the pansies with the cyclamineus daffodils and the crocuses but perhaps not the Alliums or the big daffs, which produce prodigious amounts of leaves. (You might want to consider adding those bulb hoop thingies to reduce leaf flop in a small space.) Another possible, with Thalia particularly, is to add a couple of Muscari bulbs for a dash of blue, if that appeals. For further protection you can top the pots with gravel or glass pebbles. That helps to keep the soil loose on the top and stops rainsplash.
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Those peas in pots are doing so well that I planted two more pots. Used up the leftover Sugar Lace II seeds that I had. So I had four pots of Sugar Lace II and four pots of Snow peas. Now I will have six pots of Sugar Lace II. I always have good luck planting peas in pots, I planted them in pots last spring. None in ground. Then last fall I planted them in pots again but did put some in ground. This fall I will be planing peas in pots also. I watered all my peas including the inground ones. Those early inground ones (Super Sugar Snap) I planted March 21 and I don't see anything sprouting yet. But the pots I planted March 29 and March 30. So they sprouted quickly. Hurray for spring peas. The peas are the first veggie of the year for me and part of my veggie crazies that I had real bad last year. Going to be lots of veggie crazies for me this year again as late last summer I expanded one of my tomatoe beds and then moved all the TB iris in Tower Sqare so that Tower Square could be a veggie bed this year. Going to have tomatoes, yard long beans and some greens growing there. Going to put cucumbers upstaires again in the main path thru the mid backyard daylily bed.
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The funny thing is, that Walmart has tulips out with their spring bulbs here. These were left over from last fall, I remember seeing these bulbs in Dec still sitting there. If you can, I would take these bulbs back to where you bought them. Chances are they won't be of good quality at this time of year, and won't bloom. In high zone areas, the gardeners there refidgerate the tulip bulbs for 12 weeks before planting out for spring blooms. But they buy fresh tulip bulbs in the fall, Sept or Oct....and they don't get the frozen ground like we do....so they can plant out in Jan. Good luck with your tulip bulbs. Sierra
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Since they have never been planted before you should be able to just plant them. You never put them in the freezer. Tulips bulbs need at least 6 weeks in the fridge or outside cold before re-blooming. I don't know if they will bloom though since tulips are usually planted in the fall in my area so they can establish there roots in the winter . Plant them and see what happens.
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gardenofeden777
11 years ago
I've read rave reviews on Gilbert Wilds peonies. I have 3 peonies, planted them 5 years ago before I was told that they wouldn't live here in the deep south. Well they don't look anything like the ones up north but they hold there own. These were little twigs bought at Wally World. They are tough because all 3 that I bought lived. And I planted them in plain clay dirt. Now when I plant it is in soil that was previously dirt before I amended it.

I was thinking of buying one from Gilbert Wilds and planting it in good soil and seeing how it might do.
Yours will be stunning Julia.

We've not had a frost yet and it is still warm here.
I haven't even begun to plant my bulbs as I'm still planting daylilies and iris. I figure I've got a little more time on the bulbs. But this was odd I was planting today and almost dug into one of my paperwhites & it has a sprout coming up already. Still way to early for those.

Have a nice weekend Julia!

Rena'
Julia WV (6b)
Original Author
11 years ago
Only 40 more muscari to put in and I'll be done but will have to wait till later today to do it. Too cold outside (20's) to plant. My hands will freeze LOL.

I've been waiting for the lilies foliage to die back so I could replant some in the middle of the daylily beds. Maybe I'll just go ahead and cut some back and move them. I don't think the foliage at this point will provide any additional benefit to the bulbs.

You all are lucky to still have warm temps and time to continue planting in your gardens. I think this coming week will be it for me as far as planting (no daylilies though).

Julia
Cindy zone 6a
11 years ago
I was always curious abut the peonies from Wild, that is good to know. Perhaps I will try them. I have been busy planting bulbs too, we have only had a few slight frosts, nothing hard yet.
cindy
Julia WV (6b)
Original Author
11 years ago
Cindy: I just got my second order of peonies from Wild and they are perfect. I was reading a book on Peonies and it said they are deer resistant. Something to do with phenyl compound in the flowers, stems and leaves. All planted today including all the bulbs I purchased from other sources. Back to weeding the gardens.
Miss seeing you post on the forum. Hope all is well.

Julia
organic_kitten
11 years ago
Well, good luck on your weeding. I am still in the process of major work, and my bulbs probably won't arrive for at least another couple of weeks...usually just about thanksgiving is when they get here.

I need at least 2 or 3 more full work days to get the garden in shape. It may take longer than that. I envy you having all your beautiful peonies...they are such gorgeous blooms. Can't wait to see your pics this spring.
kay
newyorkrita
11 years ago
No freeze here but I have bulbs everywhere in stacks all over my living room that still need to be planted. I keep working on it but I bought so many!
jean_ar
11 years ago
Well Rita, Yoou will have to take a break from planting in another day or so,with that storm coming your way.It sure is a monster storm. I heard on the weather chennel today that the south shore of long island will get 20 foot waves with this storm.I am glad you are on the north side.BE SAFE RITAjean
newyorkrita
11 years ago
Yes, I am very happy to be on the North Shore and on high ground. I don't have to worry about flooding. But this weather will cause a break in planting. Probably till the end of the week. And I have so many bulbs still left to do.
Julia WV (6b)
Original Author
11 years ago
Even though I'd like to plant a few more bulbs, I'm done. No way am I going to be able to plant anymore this year. I still have alot of garden work to finish and it will be raining all week here so no gardening.

Julia

Freeze warning,still planting spring bulbs and chat

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organic_kitten

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