Home |
Search |
Today's Posts |
|
#1
|
|||
|
|||
mystery bulbs
Re-landscaping someone's garden at the min, laying paving etc and I've
excavated a flowerbed in order to pave over it. There are hundreds of bulbs there, I've salvaged a bucketful but no idea what they are, google images isn't helping. They have no roots coming off the bottom, are pure white, no skin (tunic?) they're about 1.5 inches round, they look like new potatoes! also they have an indentation on top where previous growth has been. I suppose the closest match I've found is grape hyacinth, but they seem to have a reddish tinge and these have no other colours anywhere other than white. if they are grapes I'll probably not plant them here as they tend to go a bit berserk |
#2
|
|||
|
|||
mystery bulbs
On 27/07/2015 21:38, Phil L wrote:
Re-landscaping someone's garden at the min, laying paving etc and I've excavated a flowerbed in order to pave over it. There are hundreds of bulbs there, I've salvaged a bucketful but no idea what they are, google images isn't helping. They have no roots coming off the bottom, are pure white, no skin (tunic?) they're about 1.5 inches round, they look like new potatoes! also they have an indentation on top where previous growth has been. I suppose the closest match I've found is grape hyacinth, but they seem to have a reddish tinge and these have no other colours anywhere other than white. if they are grapes I'll probably not plant them here as they tend to go a bit berserk Not sure about the reddish tinge, but might Allium be a possibility? You may find, if so, that they have an onion scent. -- Spider On high ground in SE London Gardening on heavy clay |
#3
|
|||
|
|||
mystery bulbs
"Spider" wrote in message ... On 27/07/2015 21:38, Phil L wrote: Re-landscaping someone's garden at the min, laying paving etc and I've excavated a flowerbed in order to pave over it. There are hundreds of bulbs there, I've salvaged a bucketful but no idea what they are, google images isn't helping. They have no roots coming off the bottom, are pure white, no skin (tunic?) they're about 1.5 inches round, they look like new potatoes! also they have an indentation on top where previous growth has been. I suppose the closest match I've found is grape hyacinth, but they seem to have a reddish tinge and these have no other colours anywhere other than white. if they are grapes I'll probably not plant them here as they tend to go a bit berserk Not sure about the reddish tinge, but might Allium be a possibility? You may find, if so, that they have an onion scent. I googled allium and most didn't look anything like my bulbs, but then i got this page up: http://www.bulbblog.com/big-purple-ball-flowers/ And that bulb on the left (that looks like a spud!) is the spitting image of mine, although that hand must be a child's as my bulbs are about a quarter of that size, some are only an inch across I've got about 50 of them and there must be another 4 - 5 hundred scattered around the site |
#4
|
|||
|
|||
mystery bulbs
On 28/07/2015 6:55 AM, Phil L wrote:
I've got about 50 of them and there must be another 4 - 5 hundred scattered around the site I never say no when I'm offered bulbs of any description given that I have a large garden. They're invariably offered when I have no spot at all available to put them so I have to quickly find a temporary home for them as I hate to see good bulbs go to waste. If you too don't like such waste, I can recommend polystyrene fruit/vegetable boxes as a good temp home. I've sometimes shoved them in many layers deep in potting mix and left them there for far longer than is right, but the insulation provided by the polystyrene seems to work to keep them alive and in good nick. I still have one iris languishing in the potting slum in an old broccoli box and it's been there for at least 3 years and is doing well despite the light level being lower than optimal. |
#5
|
|||
|
|||
mystery bulbs
On 28/07/15 00:16, Fran Farmer wrote:
On 28/07/2015 6:55 AM, Phil L wrote: I've got about 50 of them and there must be another 4 - 5 hundred scattered around the site I never say no when I'm offered bulbs of any description given that I have a large garden. You've never come across Allium viminalis 'Hair', then. Should be renamed Allium verminalis. Another appalling invasive plant whose seeds get everywhere (I think they are more like small bulbils than seeds). If you are offered it, my advice is to say "No"! -- Jeff |
#6
|
|||
|
|||
mystery bulbs
On 28/07/2015 8:08 PM, Jeff Layman wrote:
On 28/07/15 00:16, Fran Farmer wrote: On 28/07/2015 6:55 AM, Phil L wrote: I've got about 50 of them and there must be another 4 - 5 hundred scattered around the site I never say no when I'm offered bulbs of any description given that I have a large garden. You've never come across Allium viminalis 'Hair', then. Should be renamed Allium verminalis. Another appalling invasive plant whose seeds get everywhere (I think they are more like small bulbils than seeds). If you are offered it, my advice is to say "No"! No, I've not come across that one but then now you mention it, I'd say the same for Crocosmia. Nasty bush destroying ravagers they are. I must look up that Allium as the nly time I've tried to grow the big alliums, I managed to kill them. And they always look so lovely in British gardneing magazines. |
#7
|
|||
|
|||
mystery bulbs
On 27/07/2015 21:45, Spider wrote:
On 27/07/2015 21:38, Phil L wrote: Re-landscaping someone's garden at the min, laying paving etc and I've excavated a flowerbed in order to pave over it. There are hundreds of bulbs there, I've salvaged a bucketful but no idea what they are, google images isn't helping. They have no roots coming off the bottom, are pure white, no skin (tunic?) they're about 1.5 inches round, they look like new potatoes! also they have an indentation on top where previous growth has been. I suppose the closest match I've found is grape hyacinth, but they seem to have a reddish tinge and these have no other colours anywhere other than white. if they are grapes I'll probably not plant them here as they tend to go a bit berserk Not sure about the reddish tinge, but might Allium be a possibility? You may find, if so, that they have an onion scent. My thought is bluebell bulbs, but why not ask a neighbour if they know what grew there. To have no foliage now they must be spring flowering. David @ a wintry side of Swansea Bay |
#8
|
|||
|
|||
mystery bulbs
"David Hill" wrote in message ... On 27/07/2015 21:45, Spider wrote: On 27/07/2015 21:38, Phil L wrote: Re-landscaping someone's garden at the min, laying paving etc and I've excavated a flowerbed in order to pave over it. There are hundreds of bulbs there, I've salvaged a bucketful but no idea what they are, google images isn't helping. They have no roots coming off the bottom, are pure white, no skin (tunic?) they're about 1.5 inches round, they look like new potatoes! also they have an indentation on top where previous growth has been. I suppose the closest match I've found is grape hyacinth, but they seem to have a reddish tinge and these have no other colours anywhere other than white. if they are grapes I'll probably not plant them here as they tend to go a bit berserk Not sure about the reddish tinge, but might Allium be a possibility? You may find, if so, that they have an onion scent. My thought is bluebell bulbs, but why not ask a neighbour if they know what grew there. To have no foliage now they must be spring flowering. David @ a wintry side of Swansea Bay That's really good idea! I think 1.5 inches is too big for grape hyacinths and bluebells though. I've never grown alliums so can offer no thoughts on that. |
#9
|
|||
|
|||
mystery bulbs
"Chris Hogg" wrote in message ... On Mon, 27 Jul 2015 22:29:51 +0100, "Christina Websell" wrote: "David Hill" wrote in message ... On 27/07/2015 21:45, Spider wrote: On 27/07/2015 21:38, Phil L wrote: Re-landscaping someone's garden at the min, laying paving etc and I've excavated a flowerbed in order to pave over it. There are hundreds of bulbs there, I've salvaged a bucketful but no idea what they are, google images isn't helping. They have no roots coming off the bottom, are pure white, no skin (tunic?) they're about 1.5 inches round, they look like new potatoes! also they have an indentation on top where previous growth has been. I suppose the closest match I've found is grape hyacinth, but they seem to have a reddish tinge and these have no other colours anywhere other than white. if they are grapes I'll probably not plant them here as they tend to go a bit berserk Not sure about the reddish tinge, but might Allium be a possibility? You may find, if so, that they have an onion scent. My thought is bluebell bulbs, but why not ask a neighbour if they know what grew there. To have no foliage now they must be spring flowering. David @ a wintry side of Swansea Bay That's really good idea! I think 1.5 inches is too big for grape hyacinths and bluebells though. LOL! You've obviously never had to dig out dozens of them as I have, Spanish ones from my mother's garden where they had become rampant, spreading both by seed and bulb offsets. Easily distinguished from daffs and other narcissi. Spanish bluebell bulbs come in all sorts of sizes and shapes, from elongated sausages up to about 4" long, to near-spheres up to about 2" diameter, but all pure white and seem to shed the soil cleanly. No onion smell so not allium. They range in size from chestnut to golfball, some of those left behind resembled fingers, elongated thin ones. I think they are bluebells, spanish ones probably. I've already got a handfull of these in my garden and not keen on having more. There's a few graves I visit, might take a few over later on in the week. Cheers all |
#10
|
|||
|
|||
mystery bulbs
On Tue, 28 Jul 2015 19:59:28 +0100, "Phil L"
wrote: I think they are bluebells, spanish ones probably. I've already got a handfull of these in my garden and not keen on having more. My immediate thought was Spanish bluebell. If you have even one in your garden you will soon have more! I have battled with them unsuccessfully! |
#11
|
|||
|
|||
mystery bulbs
"Chris Hogg" wrote in message ... On Mon, 27 Jul 2015 22:29:51 +0100, "Christina Websell" wrote: "David Hill" wrote in message ... On 27/07/2015 21:45, Spider wrote: On 27/07/2015 21:38, Phil L wrote: Re-landscaping someone's garden at the min, laying paving etc and I've excavated a flowerbed in order to pave over it. There are hundreds of bulbs there, I've salvaged a bucketful but no idea what they are, google images isn't helping. They have no roots coming off the bottom, are pure white, no skin (tunic?) they're about 1.5 inches round, they look like new potatoes! also they have an indentation on top where previous growth has been. I suppose the closest match I've found is grape hyacinth, but they seem to have a reddish tinge and these have no other colours anywhere other than white. if they are grapes I'll probably not plant them here as they tend to go a bit berserk Not sure about the reddish tinge, but might Allium be a possibility? You may find, if so, that they have an onion scent. My thought is bluebell bulbs, but why not ask a neighbour if they know what grew there. To have no foliage now they must be spring flowering. David @ a wintry side of Swansea Bay That's really good idea! I think 1.5 inches is too big for grape hyacinths and bluebells though. LOL! You've obviously never had to dig out dozens of them as I have, Spanish ones from my mother's garden where they had become rampant, spreading both by seed and bulb offsets. Easily distinguished from daffs and other narcissi. Spanish bluebell bulbs come in all sorts of sizes and shapes, from elongated sausages up to about 4" long, to near-spheres up to about 2" diameter, but all pure white and seem to shed the soil cleanly. I stand corrected, Chris, and yes you are right, I've never had to dig Spanish bluebells up. I bow to your experience. I do have some which the previous owner of this house planted, but they are not particularly rampant after 30 years, so I haven't bothered to dig them up. The only thing they stopped me doing when I was establishing my wood was planting genuine English bluebells. |
#12
|
|||
|
|||
mystery bulbs
Re-landscaping someone's garden at the min, laying paving etc and I've
excavated a flowerbed in order to pave over it. There are hundreds of bulbs there, I've salvaged a bucketful but no idea what they are, google images isn't helping. They have no roots coming off the bottom, are pure white, no skin (tunic?) they're about 1.5 inches round, they look like new potatoes! also they have an indentation on top where previous growth has been. Your description is similar to the Spanish Bluebell bulbs I often dig up. Mike |
Reply |
Thread Tools | Search this Thread |
Display Modes | |
|
|
Similar Threads | ||||
Thread | Forum | |||
Mystery Weed Identified, new mystery weed, Central Ohio | Plant Science | |||
Mystery: Fish out of water | Ponds | |||
Julie's Mystery Rose, Take Two! | Roses | |||
Julie's Mystery Rose DE BLOOM | Roses | |||
ID Please: Julie's Mystery Rose | Roses |