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Saturday, October 26, 2013

Charlie Came By Today and Did a Few Chores

new pine straw to scratch in

Charlie raked four Rubbermaid bins of pine straw for their pen. Since my pine straw under my one pine tree is at least six inches deep, this was two swipes with the rake for each bin, not hard work or time consuming at all. Patsy Cline loves finding her corn in the pine straw. Thelma? You mean you are locking me up this early? "Yes, I am tired, Thelma! Go eat before Patsy Cline eats all the corn."
 

 
The hosta was crowded, so I had Charlie dig some up and put dirt in my pots. Then, I stuck the hosta in and he filled around it. I watered them well. 

 
The two Hostas above were also dug up this spring. They were as sparse as the two I just planted. Two months later, both are really filled out. What is the weed growing around the Hosta?
 
 
 
 
 
Then, I had him dig up the spider lilies. The chunk above is full of bulbs--all volunteers, 27 of them.

Above is another view of the same 27 bulbs. I will have spider lilies galore next year.
 



 
I have planted six. Here are 21 divided and on the ground.
 

 



Spider lilies I posted a few weeks as they sprung up surprising me.

Spider lilies  transplanted late this afternoon

Five bulbs made it into a pot. I am going to take the central one out and plants another bulb that will bloom in the spring. In the spring, I intend to plant a short ground cover that will last from spring through fall. I already have the seeds. Don't ask me what the flower is. Do you have a suggestion for a low plant for the whole top of this pot?

 
My garden guru told me to just put all the bulbs in a plastic bag of water. The bag above is now almost full of warm water and sitting in the sink. Somehow, I feel like this is all wrong, and I am drowning bulbs. What do you think?
 
He did more, but that can wait for another day because I did not take pictures. Some of these pictures were taken at night.
 
Your turn
Is it okay to cover these bulbs all night with water? Do you have a suggestion as to what short plant to grow from seed in these pots that will have spring bulbs and fall bulbs? I am thinking maybe allysium or something like that. 
 

5 comments:

  1. I love your spider lilies - and have had no success with them. Sigh. I have never heard of covering bulbs in water. Did he recommend it just for these, or for all bulbs? And how long are they supposed to stay in it? Overnight wouldn't do any harm, but longer might.
    And alyssum, pansies, violets would all look good.

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    Replies
    1. EC,
      My guru is a she, Heather. I questioned the covering with water, too. I am going to put more in pots today. the ones I don't get in pots will be left in the damp bag with a piece of paper actually touching the water. I think longer in the water might rot them. But, Heather did not say so. Thanks, I had not thought of pansies or violets.

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  2. I have planted 100s of bulbs and have never heard of soaking bulbs.Most bulbs rot quite quickly. However I have heard of soaking ranunculus rhizomes. Do you think that your friend may have thought that if it is good for some plants that it would be good for them all?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Janet,
      Maybe she thought so. I am going to go take them out of the water right now!

      Delete

Okay, hoping the annoyances have gone away.