Garden Bulb Blog: Flower Bulbs & Gardening Tips

Lovely Lilies!

The next type of spring-planted bulb that we are going to focus on is the Lilies. Perhaps one of the most well-known bulbs and one of the world’s best cutflowers, both Oriental and Asiatic Lilies are known for their spectacular color displays as well as their often intense, sweet fragrance. In this article, we’ll review the advantages of using these beauties in your garden, as well as different planting techniques and tips for growing them.

These Oriental Lilies are a good example of the form and coloration of many of these types of lilies.

Classification

As I mentioned, lilies are often remembered for their pleasant fragrance and their wonderful cutting ability. This can be said about both of the main classifications of lilies, Asiatics and Orientals, although Asiatics will not have as noticeable as a scent. Asiatic Lilies tend to bloom with more solid, bold colors and often have a bit smaller flower than the Orientals. They also bloom earlier than the Oriental Lilies, often one of the first in the summer blooming bulbs category in June to early July. The slightly shorter but more slender stature, as well as the ruffled edges to their petals make the Asiatic Lilies easy to identify. As for the Oriental Lilies, the flowers of these lilies are often speckled and bear multiple colors which fade in and out of the center.  Oriental Lilies also bloom slightly later than the Asiatics, often in mid-July to early-August.

Growing Lilies

Both Asiatic and Oriental Lilies are sold as bulbs and often still bear some of last year’s roots on them when purchased. The end opposite the roots will have a slight point to it, which should be pointed “upwards” when planted in the ground. When selecting lily bulbs, be sure to test them for firmness, as any time of freezing of the bulb during transport will make it soft and not usable. Both Asiatic and Oriental Lilies prefer full to partial shade, but are not extremely tolerant of direct sunlight which causes extreme heat. They are hardy in Zones 3 to 8b/9a and can be grown in warmer zones when protected from the sun and heat and given adequate amounts of water. In fact, one of the greatest characteristics about lilies is that they will perennialize even in zones that receive harsh winters! This unfortunately cannot be said for many of the spring-planting bulbs.

These Asiatic Lilies are just one example of the bold colors and exquisite form of these beauties of the summer garden!

Once you have selected a partially shaded to full sun location, be sure the soil is well-drained. If the soil in this area tends to be heavy or contain large amounts of clay, these bulbs will definitely benefit from amending the soil with organic materials such as peat moss and compost manure. If the bulbs are allowed to sit too wet, they will surely rot and turn to mush. Plant the bulbs pointed-side up approximately 4-6″ below the surface of the ground and water well. These bulbs should not need much supplemental watering from you unless a long drought period is experienced. Again, these  bulbs are winter hardy and therefore can be left in the ground year round to come back year after year!

Both Asiatic and Oriental Lilies can also be grown in containers. When planting them in planters or pots, the same general rules of thumb apply. Place the pot in a partial to full sun location, be sure that the soil it contains is well-drained, and plant 4-6″ below the surface of the soil. One thing to keep in mind if you live in a cooler climate (Zones 7 or above): While these bulbs require the cool temperatures of the winter, allowing them to freeze while being exposed in an above-ground container is not advisable. To protect these bulbs from this severe freezing, either move the container into a cool garage, basement, or cellar, or wrap it in a quilt or a good amount of burlap. Once the weather begins to warm in the springtime, either move the container to the outdoors or unwrap the planter.

One of the best-loved and definitely the most fragrant of the summer blooming bulbs, the characteristics of the lily bulbs make then something you definitely won’t want to leave out of your garden. Easy to grow and wonderful for fresh cut arrangements, these bulbs will become one of your favorite of the garden and will come back year after year for you to enjoy!

Until next time,

Have a question about lilies or any other bulb gardening topic? Ask Bridget! Email her at bridget@bulbblog.com! If she features your question in a future post, you’ll receive a Holland Bulb Farms coupon for your next order at Holland Bulb Farms!

Caught in a Dahlia Daydream!

The first type of spring-planted bulb we’re going to focus on is the Dahlia. Known for its vibrant colors and tightly-packed (often large) flower heads, the Dahlia is truly a wonder to behold in the summer garden. In this article, we’ll review the advantages of using these beauties in your garden, as well as different planting techniques and tips for growing them.

The brilliant colors of Dahlias make quite the statement along a pathway!

Classification

Dahlias come in a wide range of shapes, sizes, and colors. The two largest classification of dahlias refer to the petal arrangement. These classifications are single-flowering (typically grow less than 3′ in height and blooms tend to be less than 4″ in diameter) and double-flowering (typically grow in excess of 3′ in height and forms larger blooms). The single-flowering dahlias include the Impression, Single, Orchid-Flowering, and Collarett varieties and tend to be less popular. The double-flowering dahlias consist of the Cactus, Semi-Cactus, Decorative, Dinnerplate, Ball or Pompon, Border, and Novelty varieties. The terms “single-” or “double-”flowering does not refer to how many times the plant will bloom but rather to the bloom structure itself. The single-flowering varieties bloom with just a single row of petals where as the double-flowering will have multiple rows.

Planting Dahlias

A typical dahlia tuber somewhat resembles a disfigured hand with "fingers".

When purchased as bulbs, Dahlias are sold as “tubers”. These tubers often resemble somewhat of a disfigured hand with multiple “fingers” extending downward from the center. The center of this tuber is actually the crown of the stem from the previous year’s growth! When this dahlia begins to sprout after planting, you will be able to see small green shoot protruding from this center crown. Like most bulbs, Dahlias require a well-drained soil (a good mixture of organic material including peat moss and compost manure does wonders) with little clay content. Again, like most bulbs, the Dahlia tubers will surely rot if allowed to sit wet for long spans of time. Select a location that is quite sunny (receives at least 6 hours of sunlight per day) and protected from strong winds. The tubers should be planted “fingers down” in the soil, with the center of the tuber where the stem was the year before just at the soil surface. Depending on the size of the tuber and the specific dahlia variety, spacing should typically range from 18-36″ apart, leaving them enough room to spread and grow properly.

Growing Dahlias

As previously mentioned, Dahlias should be planted during the spring season, anytime after the threat of frost is gone but before the weather gets too warm. For most of the United States, this time period falls between mid-March and mid-May. Dahlias will

Dahlias come in a wide variety of colors and shapes.

begin blooming mid-summer and most will continue on in the late summer and sometimes early fall! Keep the soil moist but definitely not saturated during the summer months. Once the plants reach a foot or so in height, the terminal shoot (or center stem) of the plant can pinched back to encourage branching. For increased flower size, pinch back the lateral (side) flower buds to direct more energy and nutrients to the main flower bud at the end of the stem. Fertilize once per month during the growing season with a water soluble fertilizer (such as Miracle-Grow).

Tuber Storage

Once the plants have completed their growing and blooming cycle, the leaves and flower stems will begin to die back as they enter their dormant stage. Dahlias are hardy in Zones 8, 9, 10, and 11. In these areas, simply cut the stems back to with 1-4″ of the soil surface once they have completely died back. Leave the tuber in the ground for the remaining fall and winter. If located in zones north of Zone 8 (Zones 1-7), you will need to take special care of the tubers in order to protect them from the harsh winter weather. Southern parts of Zone 7 can usually get away with giving the tubers a good drink of water in the fall and placing a think layer of mulch over the area where the tubers are planted. To be really sure, however, the tubers will need to be removed from the soil and overwintered indoors. To do so, follow these simple steps:

1. After the first frost, cut back the foliage and stems to within 1-4″ of the soil surface.
2. Carefully dig out the dahlia tuber, being sure not to sever any of the “fingers”. In order to avoid this, begin by digging at least 12″ away from the center of the plant in all directions.
3. Gently brush off any excess dirt from the tubers and spread them out in a shaded, well-ventilated area for several days. Do NOT leave the tubers in full sun.
4. Pack the tubers upside down in a well-ventilated box, basket, or bag using slightly damp vermiculite, perlite or peat moss, covering the clumps of tubers.
5. Store in temperatures of 35°F to 50°F and protect from hot or cold drafts.
6. Replant in the spring once ground has thawed.

One of the longest summer blooming bulbs, the variety and vibrant colors of Dahlias are something you won’t want to leave out of your summer garden this year. Whether you’re a veteran gardener or just starting to get your hands dirty, these tubers are sure to please without much fuss. Looking great in the garden as well as in a large vase on your dining room table, try some this year and be the talk of the town!

Until next time,

Have a question about dahlias or any other bulb gardening topic? Ask Bridget! Email her at bridget@bulbblog.com! If she features your question in a future post, you’ll receive a Holland Bulb Farms coupon for your next order at Holland Bulb Farms!

Bridget Bulb | Create Your Badge

Plan your Spring Blooming Bulb Garden for Cutflowers!

So the weather is starting to get warmer and we are all ready for the summer months that are in the not-too-distant future, right? And I realize that fall may be the last thing you want to think about. However, in order to have a beautiful spring garden of tulips, daffodils, crocus, allium, and hyacinth, you need to start thinking about what you’re going to plant in fall NOW! After all, once the time to plant these bulbs come around, the blooms will be long gone and furthest from your mind. So why not select your bulbs for fall now!

A mixture of textures (such as daffodils and tulips) can make for professional looking floral arrangements.

The majority of gardeners plan their garden around one sole purpose: they want to have a yard that’s in bloom for a long time that looks great year round. While this is a very logical goal, you can get more out of your garden if you consider another factor when planning for the colors and types of flowers your garden will include: cutflowers! Who wouldn’t love to have a vase (or maybe two or three) of fresh cutflowers in their house at all times? Now think about how even more lovely it would be if they were flowers which you had grown yourself in your own yard!

If you’re somewhat of an experienced gardener, you probably already plan your garden so that the bloom time is spread out over as long of a period of time as possible, correct? But what about taking into consideration plants and flowers that can be used for cutting over a long period of time? By paying special attention to colors and textures that will look good in a vase together that are also in bloom at the same time, you can also lengthen the period of time you can enjoy these fresh cut flowers in your home!

Two tips when cutting flowers out of the garden: First, be sure to take flowers from various places within your yard…you should not even be able to notice any

Why not plan your garden for gorgerous bouquets?

are missing once you’re done And secondly, always try to cut back to another node or bud (the place where the next leaf comes out of the stem) or to the ground.  By doing so, you will help to disguise the stems which have been cut and still give your garden a “natural” look.

So go out today and bring a piece of your garden indoors!

Until next time,

Have a question about which bulbs work best for cutflowers or any other gardening topic? Ask Bridget! Email her at bridget@bulbblog.com! If she features your question in a future post, you’ll receive a Holland Bulb Farms coupon for your next order with Holland Bulb Farms!

How to Find the Perfect Flower for the Perfect Lady

Surprise her this year with a unique bouquet!

“Think staying power when choosing flowers,” advises Sally Ferguson, the director of the Netherlands Flower Bulb Information Center.  “For long-lasting flowers, choose tight buds just beginning to open.  Fully-open flowers are short-hitters,” says Ferguson whose website, bulb.com, offers these and other cut flower tips.

More flowers are sold on Valentine’s Day than any other U.S. holiday and, not surprisingly, men are the major buyers. 

 “Roses are the most commonly-given Valentine’s flowers, but tulips are closing in as a creative alternative,” says Ferguson.  “Last Valentine’s season, one major national floral retailer alone reported delivering three million roses and nearly one million tulips for the holiday,” she said. Ferguson says, with either of these favorites, the most important thing is to buy buds that are fresh and gift-worthy. Why not go out on a limb and try buying her some Calla Lilies this year? Score extra points if you buy the flower that adorned her wedding bouquet!  Here are some tips to picking the perfect flower:

Classic white calla lilies cut in a vase.

Non-Traditionalist:  Picking Perfect Calla Lilies

• Petals that spring back when touched
• Straight stems (try either classically long for formal vases or stylishly short for low vases)
• Monochromatic (all one color) generally preferred
• Deliver promptly – need water quickly and don’t respond to sitting all day in a box, unless kept cool

• Use cut flower food provided by florist 

  Uncoventional: Choosing Perfect Tulips

• Look for tight buds with some color showing
• Red, Pink, Apricot, and bi-colors dominate for Valentine’s Day
• Monochromatic looks are stylish or pick several for a more fun, flirty touch
• Skip flower food; tulips tend to like plain, cool water — top vase off daily
• Consider potted tulips instead of cut for an unusual gift that will be a lasting treasure!  

Tulips are a great alternative to the over-used rose bouquets!

 After all, you can’t really go wrong with flowers. Says Ferguson, “Candy is fattening, lingerie risky, but flowers are almost always sure to please.”  For longer vase life for all flowers, she adds: re-trim stem tips before arranging, remove leaves below the water line to keep water fresh, and place vases away from sun and heat.  For additional cut flower tips, visit bulb.com.

 Want to REALLY impress her next year? Why not try planting and growing your own spring or fall bulbs for cutflowers! What could be more personal than giving the love of your life flowers which you grew yourself?!