Bulb questions...
I live in Marin County, CA...just across the Golden Gate Bridge. I just bought
some quality bulbs on sale for dutch iris, lilium, and bearded iris. Should I plant them now or just keep them dry and plant in the fall? The cold weather (such as it is) has passed. I already had some of each planted ages ago which bloomed just recently and are now in the process of turning brown. * |
Bulb questions...
On Tuesday, May 20, 2014 1:36:41 AM UTC-4, elfa45 wrote:
I live in Marin County, CA...just across the Golden Gate Bridge. I just bought some quality bulbs on sale for dutch iris, lilium, and bearded iris. Should I plant them now or just keep them dry and plant in the fall? The cold weather (such as it is) has passed. I already had some of each planted ages ago which bloomed just recently and are now in the process of turning brown. * Wait until fall MJ |
Bulb questions...
On 5/19/2014 10:36 PM, elfa45 wrote:
I live in Marin County, CA...just across the Golden Gate Bridge. I just bought some quality bulbs on sale for dutch iris, lilium, and bearded iris. Should I plant them now or just keep them dry and plant in the fall? The cold weather (such as it is) has passed. I already had some of each planted ages ago which bloomed just recently and are now in the process of turning brown. Bearded iris are not true bulbs. They are rhizomes. They should be planted immediately since the plants tend to be evergreen and not die down like true bulbs. Dutch iris and lilies, however, are indeed true bulbs. They should be stored in a slightly damp medium (sand, sawdust, peat moss) until fall and then planted. -- David E. Ross Climate: California Mediterranean, see http://www.rossde.com/garden/climate.html Gardening diary at http://www.rossde.com/garden/diary |
Bulb questions...
On Tue, 20 May 2014 07:28:29 -0700, "David E. Ross"
wrote: On 5/19/2014 10:36 PM, elfa45 wrote: I live in Marin County, CA...just across the Golden Gate Bridge. I just bought some quality bulbs on sale for dutch iris, lilium, and bearded iris. Should I plant them now or just keep them dry and plant in the fall? The cold weather (such as it is) has passed. I already had some of each planted ages ago which bloomed just recently and are now in the process of turning brown. Bearded iris are not true bulbs. They are rhizomes. They should be planted immediately since the plants tend to be evergreen and not die down like true bulbs. Dutch iris and lilies, however, are indeed true bulbs. They should be stored in a slightly damp medium (sand, sawdust, peat moss) until fall and then planted. In Marin County, CA with that mild climate I don't think it much matters when bulbs are planted, any time of year is fine. |
Bulb questions...
In article , Brooklyn1 says...
On Tue, 20 May 2014 07:28:29 -0700, "David E. Ross" wrote: On 5/19/2014 10:36 PM, elfa45 wrote: I live in Marin County, CA...just across the Golden Gate Bridge. I just bought some quality bulbs on sale for dutch iris, lilium, and bearded iris. Should I plant them now or just keep them dry and plant in the fall? The cold weather (such as it is) has passed. I already had some of each planted ages ago which bloomed just recently and are now in the process of turning brown. Bearded iris are not true bulbs. They are rhizomes. They should be planted immediately since the plants tend to be evergreen and not die down like true bulbs. Dutch iris and lilies, however, are indeed true bulbs. They should be stored in a slightly damp medium (sand, sawdust, peat moss) until fall and then planted. In Marin County, CA with that mild climate I don't think it much matters when bulbs are planted, any time of year is fine. Glad to hear it because I was going to try some anyway. I was just googling about putting bulbs in the fridge for 6 - 8 weeks before planting them. Would that encourage them to grow even though it isn't fall yet? * |
Bulb questions...
On 20 May 2014 13:15:18 -0700, elfa45
wrote: In article , Brooklyn1 says... On Tue, 20 May 2014 07:28:29 -0700, "David E. Ross" wrote: On 5/19/2014 10:36 PM, elfa45 wrote: I live in Marin County, CA...just across the Golden Gate Bridge. I just bought some quality bulbs on sale for dutch iris, lilium, and bearded iris. Should I plant them now or just keep them dry and plant in the fall? The cold weather (such as it is) has passed. I already had some of each planted ages ago which bloomed just recently and are now in the process of turning brown. Bearded iris are not true bulbs. They are rhizomes. They should be planted immediately since the plants tend to be evergreen and not die down like true bulbs. Dutch iris and lilies, however, are indeed true bulbs. They should be stored in a slightly damp medium (sand, sawdust, peat moss) until fall and then planted. In Marin County, CA with that mild climate I don't think it much matters when bulbs are planted, any time of year is fine. Glad to hear it because I was going to try some anyway. I was just googling about putting bulbs in the fridge for 6 - 8 weeks before planting them. Would that encourage them to grow even though it isn't fall yet? No matter when planted they will adopt a pattern of flowering based on climatic conditions... that's what bulbs do no matter where grown, assuming the climate is generally condusive to growing the particular bulb(s)... I don't think tulips will survive Death Valley. |
Bulb questions...
In article , Brooklyn1 says...
On 20 May 2014 13:15:18 -0700, elfa45 wrote: In article , Brooklyn1 says... On Tue, 20 May 2014 07:28:29 -0700, "David E. Ross" wrote: On 5/19/2014 10:36 PM, elfa45 wrote: I live in Marin County, CA...just across the Golden Gate Bridge. I just bought some quality bulbs on sale for dutch iris, lilium, and bearded iris. Should I plant them now or just keep them dry and plant in the fall? The cold weather (such as it is) has passed. I already had some of each planted ages ago which bloomed just recently and are now in the process of turning brown. Bearded iris are not true bulbs. They are rhizomes. They should be planted immediately since the plants tend to be evergreen and not die down like true bulbs. Dutch iris and lilies, however, are indeed true bulbs. They should be stored in a slightly damp medium (sand, sawdust, peat moss) until fall and then planted. In Marin County, CA with that mild climate I don't think it much matters when bulbs are planted, any time of year is fine. Glad to hear it because I was going to try some anyway. I was just googling about putting bulbs in the fridge for 6 - 8 weeks before planting them. Would that encourage them to grow even though it isn't fall yet? No matter when planted they will adopt a pattern of flowering based on climatic conditions... that's what bulbs do no matter where grown, assuming the climate is generally condusive to growing the particular bulb(s)... I don't think tulips will survive Death Valley. OK...I'll be planting lilium and dutch iris. Any recommendations for any other bulbs I could plant? I also had trans-planted (long ago and gifted from a neighbor) nine bearded iris plants but only two produced any flowers. Maybe I should have added some plant food/fertilizer? |
Bulb questions...
On 20 May 2014 15:14:57 -0700, elfa45
wrote: In article , Brooklyn1 says... On 20 May 2014 13:15:18 -0700, elfa45 wrote: In article , Brooklyn1 says... On Tue, 20 May 2014 07:28:29 -0700, "David E. Ross" wrote: On 5/19/2014 10:36 PM, elfa45 wrote: I live in Marin County, CA...just across the Golden Gate Bridge. I just bought some quality bulbs on sale for dutch iris, lilium, and bearded iris. Should I plant them now or just keep them dry and plant in the fall? The cold weather (such as it is) has passed. I already had some of each planted ages ago which bloomed just recently and are now in the process of turning brown. Bearded iris are not true bulbs. They are rhizomes. They should be planted immediately since the plants tend to be evergreen and not die down like true bulbs. Dutch iris and lilies, however, are indeed true bulbs. They should be stored in a slightly damp medium (sand, sawdust, peat moss) until fall and then planted. In Marin County, CA with that mild climate I don't think it much matters when bulbs are planted, any time of year is fine. Glad to hear it because I was going to try some anyway. I was just googling about putting bulbs in the fridge for 6 - 8 weeks before planting them. Would that encourage them to grow even though it isn't fall yet? No matter when planted they will adopt a pattern of flowering based on climatic conditions... that's what bulbs do no matter where grown, assuming the climate is generally condusive to growing the particular bulb(s)... I don't think tulips will survive Death Valley. OK...I'll be planting lilium and dutch iris. Any recommendations for any other bulbs I could plant? I also had trans-planted (long ago and gifted from a neighbor) nine bearded iris plants but only two produced any flowers. Maybe I should have added some plant food/fertilizer? I would just plant them and see what happens. |
Bearded Iris ( Bulb questions...)
In article
elfa45 writes: I also had trans-planted (long ago and gifted from a neighbor) nine bearded iris plants but only two produced any flowers. Maybe I should have added some plant food/fertilizer? While I have grown bearded iris for years, I have not experimented much with the advice that I have read. That said, the advice I read long ago was that bearded iris will not bloom if they are planted too deep. The rhizomes should (I am told) be at least a little exposed above the soil level. It may be chance, but that is how I have always planted/replanted them, and the only failure to bloom I've seen is in the plants this year, which were transplanted much later than they should have been last year. (One of four is blooming.) I've rarely done much to feed iris, other than keeping a mulch for the worms to work in. They seem to do pretty well in pretty poor clay, though I couldn't say how. All of that is living in seasonal climates (Ohio and N. Virginia). I never grew iris in a freeze-free climate (though I know they do well). -- Drew Lawson | Broke my mind | Had no spare | |
Bearded Iris ( Bulb questions...)
On 21/05/2014 12:42 PM, Drew Lawson wrote:
In article elfa45 writes: I also had trans-planted (long ago and gifted from a neighbor) nine bearded iris plants but only two produced any flowers. Maybe I should have added some plant food/fertilizer? While I have grown bearded iris for years, I have not experimented much with the advice that I have read. That said, the advice I read long ago was that bearded iris will not bloom if they are planted too deep. The rhizomes should (I am told) be at least a little exposed above the soil level. Yep. They like to get some baking rays of the sun on those bits above the soil. It may be chance, but that is how I have always planted/replanted them, and the only failure to bloom I've seen is in the plants this year, which were transplanted much later than they should have been last year. (One of four is blooming.) They also don't like being crowded. If left too long before being lifted and separated, they don't flower well. Additionally once each rhizome has flowered, that rhizome won't flower again but it will produce new rhizomes in the late summer and these will usually flower int he following summer. |
Bearded Iris ( Bulb questions...)
In article , Fran Farmer says...
On 21/05/2014 12:42 PM, Drew Lawson wrote: In article elfa45 writes: I also had trans-planted (long ago and gifted from a neighbor) nine bearded iris plants but only two produced any flowers. Maybe I should have added some plant food/fertilizer? While I have grown bearded iris for years, I have not experimented much with the advice that I have read. That said, the advice I read long ago was that bearded iris will not bloom if they are planted too deep. The rhizomes should (I am told) be at least a little exposed above the soil level. Yep. They like to get some baking rays of the sun on those bits above the soil. It may be chance, but that is how I have always planted/replanted them, and the only failure to bloom I've seen is in the plants this year, which were transplanted much later than they should have been last year. (One of four is blooming.) They also don't like being crowded. If left too long before being lifted and separated, they don't flower well. Additionally once each rhizome has flowered, that rhizome won't flower again but it will produce new rhizomes in the late summer and these will usually flower int he following summer. I think this is my problem. They have been in the ground for about a year. They don't show any signs of producing anything...so maybe this summer? I'm about ready to just dig them up and toss out to make room for something else. |
Bearded Iris ( Bulb questions...)
On 22/05/2014 1:25 AM, elfa45 wrote:
In article , Fran Farmer says... They also don't like being crowded. If left too long before being lifted and separated, they don't flower well. Additionally once each rhizome has flowered, that rhizome won't flower again but it will produce new rhizomes in the late summer and these will usually flower int he following summer. I think this is my problem. They have been in the ground for about a year. They don't show any signs of producing anything...so maybe this summer? I'm about ready to just dig them up and toss out to make room for something else. You should be able to leave them undisturbed for at least 3 years before they'd be considered to be too crowded because they grow and crowd themselves out. If you've crammed them in amongst other plants so that they are crowded form the start then that could (just could) be a problem. Check first to make sure that a) you haven't planted them too deep (the rhizome should show at least a third above the soil) and b) they are getting enough heat and light (at least 6 hours of full sun per day) and, c) you haven't over fed them so that they are producing lots of leaves but no flowers. |
Bulb questions...
On 21/05/2014 8:14 AM, elfa45 wrote:
I also had trans-planted (long ago and gifted from a neighbor) nine bearded iris plants but only two produced any flowers. Maybe I should have added some plant food/fertilizer? If you fertilise your garden once a year then do not add any more plant food. Fertilising Once a year is more than enough for bearded iris. |
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