I planted allium last fall and they are nicely blooming now. The only trouble is they look lonely in a spread-out grid. Will they spread by forming clumps? Or should I plant more in the coming fall?

Rob_in_Maryland wrote:

I planted allium last fall and they are nicely blooming now.
The only trouble is they look lonely in a spread-out grid.
Will they spread by forming clumps? Or should I plant more
in the coming fall?

which kind? there are quite a few.


songbird

wrote:

they will spread by seed! I keep pulling up the young ones or they try to take over.
these are ONIONS and they spread like crazy.
Ingrid

some will and some won't. i have clumps of one
variety (a darker purple almost burgundy color) that
have divided in place but the seeds have not sprouted
elsewhere in that garden.

i have another type (azure) which spreads by seeds
along with dividing in place, but it isn't too bad
as compared to what chives can do.

chives have been the more aggressive seed
producers and spread quite easily.

that is why i asked what type of allium as
there are so many (one latest catalogue had
about 20 varieties and i'm sure there are
plenty more).


songbird

I wish I had kept a record of what kind they are. Based on pictures in Brent and Becky's catalog, they might be allium moly "Jeanine". They are about ten inches tall, with yellow-flowered heads perhaps an inch and a half in width on the bigger ones.

Rob_in_Maryland wrote:
I wish I had kept a record of what kind they are. Based on
pictures in Brent and Becky's catalog, they might be allium
moly "Jeanine". They are about ten inches tall, with yellow-
flowered heads perhaps an inch and a half in width on the
bigger ones.

divide in place more than self-seed. put a good
border around them if you want them to stay put.

we have a small patch of some similar plants (may
not be that specific variety but they are a yellow-
flowering moly) and i don't see them spreading by
seeds that much. they do divide in place fairly
well so if you want to keep them in place you need
a good border. compared to chives they are a cake-
walk...


songbird

Rob_in_Maryland wrote:

.... ok, going back to your original post,
you'll need to plant more if you spaced
them very far apart. they'll take a few
years to fill in.


songbird

On Monday, May 27, 2013 12:49:58 PM UTC-4, Rob_in_Maryland wrote:
I planted allium last fall and they are nicely blooming now. The only trouble is they look lonely in a spread-out grid. Will they spread by forming clumps? Or should I plant more in the coming fall?

Thanks for the help. I do like them anbd will plant more.