I never liked bulbs until one year I bought some Minature Daffodils, tete-a-tete from Wal Mart...(of all places they are so abusive to their plants) I planted them in Red Clay. I had bought 7 plants each had 2 or 3 bulbs, hoping that they would multiply. THEY HAVE MULITPLIED I have 300 bulbs. And am running out of places to put them. Daffodils are pretty easy and will grow in almost any kind of soil. I did water them with Miracle Grow and put time released plant food on them in fall. I also leave the white oak leaves that fall on that garden in fall on them all winter. Planted Red Tulips in my other flower bed they do just as well. Actually they multiply more then the daffodils. The soil in that bed is store bought garden soil..It did take the tulips a year or so to get established. I just left them and fed them and eventually they came around and are lovely. Both areas are VERY SUNNY. I have lots of other bulbs now; I add something new each year. They are a lovely reminder that spring is here. I always use a bulb digging tool...I always dig a little bit deeper then recommended then put loosened soil back in to make the depth right, this makes the soil under the bulb loose for the roots. THEN I put the bulb in, then add just enough dirt to cover the bulb then I put 3 (just 3) granules of multi cote time released plant food, then I give it about 1/2 cup of water, then I put the rest of the dirt on, then add another 1/2 cup of water to that. NEVER Pack the dirt down, leave it loose...Cover with mulch and leave them. Watering them only if it does not rain. Additionally I put time released plant food on them in fall and I give them Miracle Grow Bloom Booster in the spring when I see them start to come up. Bulbs like any plant take some time to get use to their soil and climate..So the plant food helps them. (hummmm lots of "thens" in that paragraph) I did buy 100 crocus one year AND they disappeared...So I guess the squirrels got them..Funny I have 6 cats that live outside; Squirrels usually do not venture onto my property.

I have some questions about the elephant ears. Last year, I cut one of them back and threw the tuber in a shoe box and left it in my cool basement, but it dried to a pulp and I chucked it come spring. The other plant I left potted in the basement, the leaves all yellowed out and drooped to the point that come spring, it was all cut back, but there were new eyes that grew in. It flourished come spring in the sun. This past winter, I just left it potted as a houseplant in a south facing window, I watered maybe once a month...still I think I overwatered as I usually do with my houseplants, but now I have maybe one good stem left. I'll put it outside once the weather warms up. I was surprised to learn after the fact that Elephant Ears are more a shade than sun plant, it has done well for me on my patio in full sun. My question is, are you cutting it back and placing the tuber in a plastic bag for the winter? What's the point of the paper pet shavings? And no air flow?

Thanks, michaelg, I doubt if it will bloom this spring. How could it with only one fairly thin cane? They did a number on the rose I took the cuttings from, cut it way back, cleared some brush around it which is good, but I'll try to get some photos when it blooms, if it blooms there. They're suspicious of me so I have to be careful over there now. I have some pictures of the bush when it wasn't blooming stashed away from before, but I'll see if I can get a better shot of a bud and bloom, caught them pretty late when I took the photo I posted, I see I took it May 28, 2006. So I'd better watch it pretty soon here. I'll drive by there and see what it is doing when I go out. I don't know why I have to dig big holes. Once I get the sod off, the soil is pretty packed, and I like to loosen it up all around, plus I dig the hole as big in diameter as I plan to mulch. Plus I had potted it up in a gallon pot. 90 degrees and I just finished planting 2 Jeanne La Joie on the sides of my arbor, I wanted to get it done, and it is shady for awhile this time of day. I'm worried if it will get enough sun especially on one side of it near the apple tree. Can't just dig a hole, spaded a big area around it, pulled out all the grass and a couple weeds that had sprung up, put more topsoil on, didn't dig such a deep hole then though 'cuz they were in small pots, pint size or so. Now if I want to stick in some other plants around there, it will be easier. The soil is pretty good because for years I never raked my leaves, then have been mulching them the last few years, and I get a ton of them, gave up when I had 30 big garbage bags full sitting in my back yard back when we could still use plastic lawn bags and wasn't near done. Never have to fertilize my lawn. Never water it either.

In other years I've had a few "early birds" get confused during a warm break. I just leave them alone - they seem to bloom in the spring without any trouble. If they're in an exposed spot I might pat a little extra mulch around them, if I think about it. Otherwise, they just have to fend for themselves. Laurel