Fall Bulbs-Spring Flowers

 September and October is the time to plan for Spring flowers. Fall planting gives the bulbs time to set roots for a good start in spring.

 Where to find good bulbs: Any local garden center or store with a garden section will carry fall bulbs and the quality is generally good, but the color selection is often limited. There are wholesale bulb suppliers that will sell large and small quantities to anyone. I have dealt with three: COLORBLENDS, JOHN SCHEEPERS AND NETHERLAND BULB COMPANY. Color Blends has been my preference.
It is not too late to order. However, colors and varieties may be limited the later the order is placed.

As you can see from this picture, I have a lot of bulbs, mixed colors as shown in the pictures above, that are free to anyone that wants them.

Planting: The websites I listed will give planting guides and suggestions. Tulips and Daffodils like to be planted 6 to 8 inches deep. It is the same for Imperials, Camassia, Hyacinth and other larger bulbs. Smaller bulbs such as Crocus, Muscari, Snowflake don't need to be quite as deep.

Remember that these spring flowers are most attractive when planted in fairly tight random groups rather than straight single rows. An easy way to plant is to dig a hole 6 to 8 inches deep and 12 to 16 inches in diameter (or any shape and diameter you want) and space the bulbs 3 to 4 inches apart in the bottom of the hole and then simply burry them.

Most of the "fall" bulbs are very hardy. A tulip can be on top of the ground all winter and it will try to set roots and grow in the spring. Obviously it would not do well under those conditions. When cared for, these bulbs will grow and propagate themselves year to year.

Propagation: Most of the fall bulbs propagate themselves by either bulb division or bulblets, which means that year after year the clump gets tighter and tighter with new bulbs. The tighter the clump, the smaller the blooms will be and eventually they won't bloom at all. Digging and separating is essential to maintaining large healthy blooms. The frequency of digging depends a lot on the bulb. Daffodils can stay in the ground much longer than Tulips and Hyacinths. Whenever digging bulbs of any kind, they should be allowed to complete their growth cycle, which means letting the foliage die naturally. Any seed heads that have formed should be cut so that plant growth is directed to the formation of new bulbs. Most fall bulbs should be stored in a dark, cool, dry and well ventilated area. When dry they are easily cleaned and separated and ready to plant in the fall.

If you have any specific questions leave a comment and we'll find the answer. Good luck designing you spring garden.

Bindweed Battle

I have been asked what can be done to get rid of Field Bindweed (alias Morning Glory). The first thing to understand is that Bindweed is the king of perennials; it is bred to survive and thrive with roots that can reach 20 feet in depth. Going after Bindweed is a battle, but you can make progress and even be victorious. I have found that to win requires persistence, patience and knowing when to go for the kill. Here are suggestions that have worked for me:
Perennial: Since it is a perennial you have to go for the roots. Cutting, chopping or pulling the roots of mature plants does nothing. Spaying the leaves with a herbicide is a way to get the roots and can be done anytime, but setting up the plants for the kill can make the spraying more effective.
Setting them up for the kill: Continuous cultivating is important. When you see a seedling, that is the time to chop or pull. Before the seedling has a chance to sink its roots it is easy to kill. Remember that seeds can lay dormant in the soil for many years and remain viable. Cultivating turns up seeds to their ideal germination depth and seedlings pop up where you might not expect. What you are accomplishing with cultivation is the prevention of new plants and prevention of new seeds on old plants. Keep cutting plants back through the spring and summer and then let them grow from mid-August on. It might be a little unsightly but by mid to late September the vines are ready. They will be taking nutrients deep into the roots and that is when you want to hit them with 2, 4-D. That will also kill your annuals, but by late September they are pretty much done anyway and their sacrifice is worth it.
Continuing battle: Know from the outset that the battle against Bindweed will be long and needs to be persistent. Repeating the battle plan from year to year will yield noticeable results and ultimate victory. Don't worry about the weed in your grass. 2, 4-D will not harm the grass and keeping the lawn fed and healthy, along with weekly mowing will eventually eliminate the weed.

Soil and pH

Soils and  pH—You don’t have to be stuck with what you have

If you’ve heard references to pH in soil and wonder a little what that means, you’re probably not as alone as you might think. pH is a measure of the acidic level of the soil; and not just soil, but the tomato or lemon you eat and even stomach fluids and your blood. pH is an abbreviation for ‘power of hydrogen’ or ‘potential hydrogen.’ The pH scale is a measure of concentration of hydrogen ions; the higher the concentration, the greater the acidity. The pH scale is a range from 0 to 14; with 0 most acidic, 7 neutral and above 7 being basic or alkaline.

pH levels are critical to life. Our blood is basic with a normal range of 7.3 to 7.5. Below 7.3 acidosis occurs and above 7.5, alkalosis; below 7.0 and above 7.8 death. Our stomachs are normally between 4 and 5 (acid); when we take in food our stomach release enzymes as well as hydrochloric acid increasing the acidity to as much as 1 or 2. The higher concentration of acid makes nutrients soluble and available for absorption. https://www.thoughtco.com/ph-of-the-stomach-608195

The same thing occurs in our garden soil. Most plants do best in a soil pH between 6 and 7 because the acid environment makes nutrients available to the plant. Basic or alkaline soils may be rich with nutrients, but until the nutrients become soluble, they are out of reach to the plant. Not all plants require the same nutrition to thrive and so some will tolerate a slightly higher pH, but generally speaking, plants will perform best in a slightly acid soil (some, such as blueberries, azalea, rhododendron and others, will only struggle in soils above 6).

Riverton soil is typically between 7.5 and 8.5 (this can vary a lot depending on how the soil has been, or not been amended). Adding sand for drainage and pine bark/needle mulch can lower the pH. Applications of elemental sulfur will also bring the pH down. These are effectively applied in the fall, as it can take months for the chemical reactions to occur that increase the soil acidity.

More about pH at the following links

https://web.extension.illinois.edu/cfiv/homeowners/080818.html

http://vric.ucdavis.edu/pdf/Soil/ChangingpHinSoil.pdf

https://www.hunker.com/13428129/what-is-alkaline-ph

Raspberries

Fall raspberries have been on for several weeks and should continue until frost. I say 'fall' because some varieties are good for a spring crop as well, however that may or may not be desirable. Fortunately you can decide. Care and growing tips for Raspberries:
Soil: Raspberries will adapt to somewhat poor soil, but do best in a rich, sandy soil. They like generous amounts of organic material and prefer a PH less than 7. Organic amendments help keep the PH down and is usually enough to ensure a good crop. Good time to apply a mulch layer is spring or fall, when plants are dormant.
Water: Flooding with open rows or drip system is preferred over sprinkling. They like plenty of water, evenly moist but not soggy.
Fertilizing: Raspberries, like most plants, like to be well fed but not over fed. I have had good results with 16-16-8 applied in the fall. Any good balanced fertilizer will do such as 12-12-12 or 14-14-14. A fall application allows the winter rain and snow to take it down to the roots for spring growth.
Harvest: I have two varieties in my garden; Heritage and Fall Gold.  Each of these will produce a spring and fall crop. If you want a spring crop you can prune the old canes down to 2 or 3 feet; these will produce berries in late June. The new canes that come up from runner roots will produce a heavier crop in Aug/Sept. The problem I have found with a spring crop is that the new growth overtakes the old and makes picking difficult. I prefer to cut the canes to about 2 inches and go for one heavy crop in the fall.
Pests: The only real pest I have encountered is the cane boar. You'll know when you have them by the canes that are healthy one day and appear to be dying the next. To control the boars, the affected cane should be cut below the girdle mark. The cane will usually snap off where the boars have girdled it. Every part of the affected cane should then be put in the garbage and discarded since the boars live and carry over in the old wood.
Pruning/ transplanting: Both can be done in fall or spring. I prefer to do it in the spring as soon as the soil is dry enough to work with. I prune transplants to about 1 foot; that makes them easier to handle during planting. The rest of the patch is cut down to 2 inches. All cuttings go into the garbage so that any boars they might be harboring are taken off site.

Let me know if you have specific questions.

Irises are a favorite for many, but I have often heard and even said, "I wish they would last longer."

Here are two in my yard that have been blooming nearly continuously since the middle of May. There are other rebloomers; here is one link    http://irisfarmer.com/rebloomers.html

Irises are easy to grow and very rewarding. I welcome questions and comments

Fall is just around the corner, which means it is time to start thinking about Spring. There is a lot that can be done in the next couple months that will help you look forward to a new season.

August is the best time to separate Irises and replant for blooms in May. I have Iris starts for anyone interested; otherwise they will go into the compost pit. Send me a message if you're interested.

2016 Garden

A nice white blanket protects the garden