Managing grass with bulbs
 

Anyone got any useful tips for speeding up ripening of spring / early
summer flowering bulbs planted in grass land? (native daffs, bluebells etc)
The challenge is that the grass gets too long whilst we are waiting for
the the bulbs to show the obvious signs of having ripened-off and when
tis eventually cut it is not a pretty sight. We have been doing the
first cut of the embulbed areas in about June. How can we bring the cut
forward for about 4 weeks without comprising the spreading and
naturalisation of the bulbs?

Anyone got any useful ideas?

rjbl

Managing grass with bulbs
 

In article ,
says...
Anyone got any useful tips for speeding up ripening of spring / early
summer flowering bulbs planted in grass land? (native daffs, bluebells etc)
The challenge is that the grass gets too long whilst we are waiting for
the the bulbs to show the obvious signs of having ripened-off and when
tis eventually cut it is not a pretty sight. We have been doing the
first cut of the embulbed areas in about June. How can we bring the cut
forward for about 4 weeks without comprising the spreading and
naturalisation of the bulbs?

Anyone got any useful ideas?

rjbl

Take the grass down in two or even three stages in June setting the
blades as high as possible the first time, it also helps to give the
whole area a couple of close cuts in the winter/early spring before the
leaves get in the way. but what ever you do it will still not look as
good as areas without bulbs until July
--
Charlie Pridham, Gardening in Cornwall
www.roselandhouse.co.uk
Holders of national collections of Clematis viticella cultivars and
Lapageria rosea

Managing grass with bulbs
 

Charlie Pridham wrote:
In article ,
says...
Anyone got any useful tips for speeding up ripening of spring / early
summer flowering bulbs planted in grass land? (native daffs, bluebells etc)
The challenge is that the grass gets too long whilst we are waiting for
the the bulbs to show the obvious signs of having ripened-off and when
tis eventually cut it is not a pretty sight. We have been doing the
first cut of the embulbed areas in about June. How can we bring the cut
forward for about 4 weeks without comprising the spreading and
naturalisation of the bulbs?

Anyone got any useful ideas?

rjbl

Take the grass down in two or even three stages in June setting the
blades as high as possible the first time, it also helps to give the
whole area a couple of close cuts in the winter/early spring before the
leaves get in the way. but what ever you do it will still not look as
good as areas without bulbs until July

Charlie

Thanks, I appreciate your advice. Will do as you recommend.

rjbl

Managing grass with bulbs
 

rjbl wrote:
Charlie Pridham wrote:
In article ,
says...
Anyone got any useful tips for speeding up ripening of spring / early
summer flowering bulbs planted in grass land? (native daffs, bluebells etc)
The challenge is that the grass gets too long whilst we are waiting for
the the bulbs to show the obvious signs of having ripened-off and when
tis eventually cut it is not a pretty sight. We have been doing the
first cut of the embulbed areas in about June. How can we bring the cut
forward for about 4 weeks without comprising the spreading and
naturalisation of the bulbs?

Anyone got any useful ideas?

rjbl

Take the grass down in two or even three stages in June setting the
blades as high as possible the first time, it also helps to give the
whole area a couple of close cuts in the winter/early spring before the
leaves get in the way. but what ever you do it will still not look as
good as areas without bulbs until July

Charlie

Thanks, I appreciate your advice. Will do as you recommend.

rjbl


Personally I keep an eye on Council verges where there are established
bulbs. When they cut I consider I can, often before I normally would,
worked ok to press.

Managing grass with bulbs
 

"rjbl" wrote in message
...
Anyone got any useful tips for speeding up ripening of spring / early
summer flowering bulbs planted in grass land? (native daffs, bluebells
etc)
The challenge is that the grass gets too long whilst we are waiting for
the the bulbs to show the obvious signs of having ripened-off and when
tis eventually cut it is not a pretty sight. We have been doing the
first cut of the embulbed areas in about June. How can we bring the cut
forward for about 4 weeks without comprising the spreading and
naturalisation of the bulbs?

Anyone got any useful ideas?


I don't think you can speed up the ripening of spring bulbs. They do what
they have to in their own time. If it bothers you when your grass gets long
while you are waiting for the leaves to die down, perhaps you might consider
cutting the grass around them with shears?
That's what I do.

Managing grass with bulbs
 

The message
from "Christina Websell" contains
these words:

I don't think you can speed up the ripening of spring bulbs. They do what
they have to in their own time. If it bothers you when your grass
gets long
while you are waiting for the leaves to die down, perhaps you might
consider
cutting the grass around them with shears?
That's what I do.

That's what we used to do. We had cowslips to mow round too.

A strimmer's handy...

--
Rusty
horrid dot squeak snailything zetnet point co full-stop uk
http://www.users.zetnet.co.uk/hi-fi/