looking for flower bulbs, with ken druse

HAVE YOU DONE your bulb procuring however? It’s ordering time every for fall-blooming treats like Colchicum, which you can solely buy now when you occur to rush, and for the ever-wider assortment of fall-planted, spring-into-summer blooming species.

Ken Druse and I every have been making lists of bulbs we as quickly as grew nevertheless not have and must replenish, or of ones we have nevertheless want so as to add additional to reinforce the seen affect, and as well as some new-to-us goodies. Plus, we talked about when and divide these Narcissus that’s prone to be blooming a lot much less lustily than they used to after just a few years throughout the flooring.

Ken is a longtime pal and the creator of 20 yard books who gardens in New Jersey, and he’s my co-host quite a few events a yr in our Digital Yard Membership sequence of on-line programs. His intensive gardens are loaded with distinctive crops, along with quite a lot of bulbs (we every love martagon lilies, for instance, like these at Ken’s, above).

Be taught alongside as you’re taking heed to the Aug. 26, 2024 model of my public-radio current and podcast using the participant underneath. You presumably can subscribe to all future editions on Apple Podcasts (iTunes) or Spotify (and browse my archive of podcasts proper right here).

bulb procuring and dividing, with ken druse

Ken Druse: Hey, Margaret. Every time you say, “Oh, let’s talk about bulbs,” I end up doing a little analysis, and I buy the whole thing I see.

Margaret Roach: Are you charging me then? Is that what you’re attempting to tell me; you’re sending me a bill?

Ken: No, no. That’s a superb suggestion. You talked about making an inventory, and yearly I consider making an inventory and I really don’t ever do it. Nevertheless this yr, I took footage significantly to remember I want to buy that, or I would like I had that, or I would really like additional of that. So I really had a photographic guidelines.

Margaret: Oh, that’s an superior thought actually, because of in positive areas, throughout the entrance of beds or borders, I would want quite a few remaining of some little treasure that I had far more of years up to now, nevertheless the mattress’s gotten considerably wider and completely different points in it have gotten higher, and the bulbs have maybe diminished. If I had taken a picture, I’d know exactly the place [laughter] and what now, yeah.

Ken: Properly, you totally set me up.

Margaret: Oh, sorry.

Ken: There’s a patch of Narcissus pseudonarcissus [above], which is a species that grows in Europe and it grows in England and in Wales. It’s the subject of, properly, it’s in William Robinson’s e-book about wild gardening, and it’s in Wordsworth’s poem, “I wandered lonely as a cloud, beside the lake beneath the bushes, fluttering and dancing throughout the breeze,” regarding the golden daffodils. It’s a small daffodil and it’s very early, it begins to bloom in March.

This yr, we had a cool spring, it went on for over a month. Nevertheless I’ve noticed that this patch, which used to naturalize, develop as if it was pure and obtained greater and greater, hasn’t gotten any greater. It’s doing O.Okay., nevertheless I planted it beneath a sapling of a weeping Katsura, which is now an enormous tree. Although it blooms and can get ripe nearly sooner than the leaves come out, it have to be divided to be additional healthful and to unfold considerably additional. However as well as I wish to maneuver just a few of it to a sunnier spot.

Margaret: Yeah, and even what you may have been saying regarding the sapling develop into a large tree, even root rivals can merely be this unseen one factor that’s outpacing the needs of the bulbs which will be among the many many large roots now, relating to for nutritional vitamins and moisture and irrespective of. Yeah.

Properly, we’re going to discuss dividing for sure. I consider first, let’s do some digital procuring or lusting after points. Whilst you obtained to your house, everytime you guys started making the yard there: What variety of years do you’ve got gotten that house now?

Ken: About 30 years.

Margaret: Yeah. I’m even considerably longer than that the place I am. Have been there bulbs everytime you obtained there? Have been there any that you just take into accout throughout the current place?

Ken: It’s humorous, because of I do know we’re going to discuss some fall blooming points shortly, nevertheless there have been hardly any bulbs. Then there was a shock [laughter] about this time of yr when the Lycoris … On this place, the people who lived proper right here remaining and sooner than them for years hadn’t carried out one thing. This place was a big quantity, nevertheless Lycoris [below], sometimes often known as naked ladies, or now they’re calling it thriller bulb or one factor, nevertheless they popped up: Shock! Pink flower lily-like flowers on prolonged stems. And we had them for quite a few years after which they disappeared because of sooner than we raised the wall considerably bit, as you perceive we had floods, and a complete lot of points didn’t make it by the use of, the crops.

Margaret: So the wall alongside the river or stream subsequent to you?

Ken: Correct, a fast division of the river, this yard’s on an island in a small river, and we used to have loads of floods twice a yr on the very least. And a complete lot of crops don’t like that.

Margaret: Correct. Properly, significantly bulbs that they should have usually a dry leisure interval all through their dormancy. They don’t must rot all through that time. It’s attention-grabbing that you just say that the shock lilies or irrespective of we’re calling the Lycoris, Lycoris squamigera is the species: That was what I inherited moreover. And there’s a clump throughout the yard on the hillside, and there’s a clump throughout the entrance yard. And yearly they nonetheless shock me because of I totally neglect because of they’re a form of points that has no foliage apart from at a positive second throughout the lifecycle. You acknowledge what I suggest? Loads of the yr there’s no foliage, so it’s not comparable to you see the clump after which the flower arises from the clump, and you then definately always see the leaves after and also you perceive what I suggest? [Photo above by Namazu-tron on Wikimedia Commons.]

Ken: I do.

Margaret: So it is a shock. And they also’re in order that strong apparently, apart from as soon as they reside subsequent to a river that floods [laughter]. So I didn’t plant them. And so they additionally’ve obtained to be on the very least 35-plus years earlier and who’s conscious of. So it’s unbelievable, and pink won’t be one factor I would’ve chosen, however it absolutely makes me happy. I merely snigger every time: Up they arrive and there they go, and I take pleasure in them. And it’s in August usually, so fulfilling. I was merely saying-

Ken: It’s like, sorry, you talked about that you just don’t see them, and in addition you don’t give it some thought, which makes me take into account the Colchicum, because of I do see these throughout the spring, because of they’ve such large thick leaves and they also’re in one of the simplest ways.

Margaret: Correct. So that they do. And so Colchicum, although we title them autumn crocus, they’re not a crocus. They do appear to be a large crocus, nevertheless they’re not. Crocus are throughout the iris family, Colchicum are throughout the lily family. So that they’re utterly completely different even supposing they offer the impression of being the an identical, which tells you why we shouldn’t use widespread names, even supposing we are going to’t pronounce the Latin ones as a rule [laughter]. And they also’re every corms, not bulbs, so that they’re merely confused, apart from they’ve this very utterly completely different habits. You get a complete lot of large low-to-the-ground foliage in spring, nevertheless no flower then that fades away, that withers and also you chop it once more or irrespective of. [Above, ‘Waterlily’ Colchicum.]

After which instantly, any day now at my place, I consider any day now, subsequent week, month, irrespective of, I’m going to start seeing these purple or white crocus-like flowers, nevertheless the flowers have additional petals or whatever the parts are, and there’s additional to them. It’s not like an individual flower or two out of each corm. It’s additional like groups. And they also’re unbelievable and so they’re, as soon as extra, a shock because of there’s nothing there marking their place from late spring until bloom time.

Ken: Properly, the large trick I consider, or the issue to contemplate horticulturally, is what you plant them subsequent to or with because you want maybe hostas or one factor that comes up late throughout the spring since you want to disguise that foliage. It’s not the nicest foliage.

Margaret: Throughout the, yeah. And it is, however it absolutely’s undoubtedly a complete lot of foliage.

Ken: Correct.

Margaret: And that’s one that you could be solely plant it throughout the early fall. You presumably can solely plant it or get it, get them organized, spherical this time of yr. And I seen a complete lot of areas are already selling out. So it’s one factor when you want to get the Colchicum, the so-called autumn crocus, you really must do it summer season or correct now on the latest with the intention to benefit from their season. They’re not one factor that’s supplied afterward.

Ken: Correct. And I did [laughter]. That’s the issue.

Margaret: Yeah. Oh, so now you’re charging me for that. O.Okay. Put it on my bill.

Ken: I’ve some double white ones coming, I consider.

Margaret: Oh, good, good, good. Yeah. So we’ve all had successes and failures and so forth, and even as soon as extra, with out flooding and stuff, do you’ve got gotten one issue that you just’d much like to shortly establish as your largest bulb of success, one that you just do somewhat properly with? Is there one thing like that? Mine is Eranthis [above], the winter aconite.

Ken: Oh, I’ll say.

Margaret: Which was my least worthwhile to start out with. And I believed, “What have I carried out? Why isn’t it rising?” And this goes once more a very long time. And it was like I had two after which I had three. After which for now I’ve a complete lot and a complete lot and a complete lot and a complete lot and a complete lot because of they wish to, as quickly as they’re happy, they self-sow themselves considerably higher than everytime you plant the bulbs. The success worth from these self-sowns is in order that considerably higher than everytime you put the bulbs throughout the flooring. So now I’ve these mature swaths of them. So yeah, so I’d say Eranthis is my most worthwhile. I merely questioned when you occur to had one that you just suppose, “Oh, we’ve carried out somewhat properly with these.”

Ken: Properly, you’re going to have to help me with the pronunciation.

Margaret: Oh, good luck with that [laughter].

Ken: Nectaroscordum.

Margaret: Yeah, you got it. Nectaroscordum. Correct, correct.

Ken: And it was Allium bulgaricum.

Margaret: Correct, exactly. And now it’s Nectaroscordum siculum [above]. Certain, positive.

Ken: Correct. Properly, they’re merely happy all by themselves.

Margaret: They’re. That’s a fulfilling one.

Ken: Sometimes pop up throughout the place you didn’t know, because of this could be a shady place. They don’t usually have straight stems. They’re humorous like snakes. First they crawl alongside the underside, then they arrive up.

Margaret: Oh yeah. They like additional photo voltaic to be erect and keep up these trusses of flowers. Yeah.

Ken: Nevertheless there’s one different species that is rising proper right here, and it was really pricey. I don’t know if it nonetheless is, nevertheless is Nectaroscordum tripedale [below from Ken’s].

Margaret: I am questioning if it’s pronounced tripedale. I don’t know. I’m merely making that up.

Ken: Yeah, see, I instructed you I didn’t perceive it.

Margaret: Yeah, no, it’s O.Okay. It doesn’t matter. It wasn’t a spoken language, botanical Latin, correct?

Ken: These people are lifeless, all these individuals. Have you ever ever ever seen that Nectaroscordum?

Margaret: Certain.

Ken: It’s lovely. Oh my gosh.

Margaret: Correct. Beautiful. O.Okay., so that’s one different one. So speaking of successes, failures. I can’t develop crocus as a result of animals. Merely neglect about it. And tulips equally, I’ve given up on, because of it was merely always having to protect them and irrespective of. It was an extreme quantity of of a ache throughout the neck. Nevertheless yeah, crocus I don’t do properly with because of they’re much like candy for all the animals.

Ken: And there’s quite a few, there’s actually pretty quite a few fall-blooming crocus.

Margaret: Oh, and do you’ve got gotten any of those? Are you rising any of those?

Ken: Properly, I do now [laughter].

Margaret: Uh-oh, he’s procuring of us. Uh-oh.

Ken: I always wished to develop Crocus speciosus [above, at Ken’s], which is bluish and blooms throughout the fall, and I certainly not have, nevertheless I could be this yr and I consider I’m going to attempt Sternbergia. Sternbergia lutea. I consider that’s often known as autumn daffodil. It’s an ordinary establish I consider, however it absolutely has yellow flowers. Appears to be like a crocus. And that’s one different fall-blooming. So that you simply’ve obtained me into this entire fall blooming issue.

Margaret: Oh, attention-grabbing. O.Okay. Blame Margaret. Merely go ahead, blame Margaret. Yeah, like I discussed, I can’t develop crocus and I even tried the tommasinianus, the Tommies, the crocus. They’re presupposed to be in all probability probably the most animal-resistant and they also have been a disaster moreover, for me. Nevertheless normally speaking, these will do greater. I merely have a complete lot of very determined animals. Even once they don’t eat them exactly, they knock their heads off [laughter] and dig them up and points like that. So I gave up.

Nevertheless speaking of animals, there are points, and I’ve an inventory of… There are animal-resistant bulbs, and some are even almost really animal-proof, similar to the Narcissus for instance, and the Colchicum that we’re merely talking about. Really, no individual’s going to mess with these. And I consider the Eranthis, the winter aconite that I mentioned sooner than. Hyacinths, Galanthus, the ornamental onions; you merely talked about just a few of those and their household.

Ken: The Allium. Properly, I moreover bought, I did this not because of you actually, because of our dialogue, nevertheless I just like the allium and they also’ve been O.Okay. for the previous few years coming once more. Nevertheless sometimes even these don’t because of they’re crowded out or one factor. And they also have foliage, considerably bit sooner than the flower and the foliage then turns yellow. Nevertheless I don’t even see it because of I’ve planted them amongst completely different points. And maybe that’s why they diminish in amount because of they’re considerably crowded. I like one of the simplest ways they pop up. I don’t get the big tall ones. They’re just too outer … Properly, I was going to say they’re outer spacey, nevertheless these low large ones are outer spacey. And I like them for that. They’re Star Trek and they also dry so properly.

Margaret: I used to have additional of the, which one is it that has the really fireworks wanting? I’m going to solely clear on the establish.

Ken: As am I.

Margaret: And I moreover love karataviense…  Oh, schubertii. Allium schubertii, that seems like fireworks. I used to love to dry the flowerheads moreover. They make good dried flowers. And they also peter out in the end. And karataviense, which has gorgeous glaucous low blue leaves and pale pink globes lowish to the underside. I like every of those, nevertheless I don’t uncover that they remaining ceaselessly. So I is prone to be altering just a few of those. The little yellow Allium moly [above], did you ever develop that?

Ken: Yeah, that didn’t come once more properly each, actually.

Margaret: Yeah, I had it for just a few years, nevertheless then it lastly moreover was misplaced. So that’s one which I’m contemplating, it’s in order that cheerful to have one factor much like the little Narcissus, considerably miniature Narcissus and so forth, that entrance of the border or considerably burst of shiny yellow when spring’s merely approaching, it’s merely such a cheerful color and goes with what’s occurring in springtime. So that’s one different one which I’m contemplating of.

Ken: These are all some points that we love, and maybe need to alternate or have additional of because of they did properly. And in addition you and I are every crazy for one factor that must be planted throughout the fall, which are martagon lilies.

Margaret: Correct. Which animals will eat [laughter]. Nevertheless the martagon lilies are gorgeous, European and additional pure wanting. Pendant, drooping; the flowers maintain down. [Below, martagon lily ‘Claude Shride.’]

Ken: Yeah. Little Turk’s cap flowers and prolonged, tall stems.

Margaret: Yeah, really pretty.

Ken: Very tall, like 3 toes on the very least.

Margaret: One other points that animals merely don’t eat, if people are , the glory of the snow, the Chionodoxa; the Spanish bluebells, Hyacinthoides; Muscari is supposed to be pretty animal-resistant. Not completely, nevertheless Siberian squill, the Scilla siberica; Camassia; Fritillaria; the Eremurus, the foxtail lilies—have you ever ever ever grown any of those? Some may very well be 5 toes tall. These are unbelievable. I want to attempt these, the foxtail lilies.

Ken: I tried these and they also didn’t work for me.

Margaret: I must attempt as soon as extra. I haven’t tried them in just a few years and I merely must attempt as soon as extra. Because of they’re in order that dramatic, so fulfilling. So we’ll see. I’d merely buy quite a few, like three or 5 or one factor [laughter]. And the trout lilies, Erythronium, they’re animal-resistant and native as properly. There’s quite a few native ones throughout the nation.

Ken: You talked about camassias. I consider there’s 4 or 5 North American species.

Margaret: Certain. And quite a few them are Western, west of the Cascade Mountains.

Ken: Yeah, Pacific Northwestern.

Margaret: So yeah, I consider there’s one which’s from California, the Sierra Nevadas, and so forth. And there’s a amount, just a few species on the very least. Nevertheless there’s one, I consider it’s scilloides, that’s South Carolina to parts of Texas. And it goes up into western Pennsylvania and even into I consider Wisconsin and Kansas throughout the Midwest and I consider into Ontario. So that’s an attention-grabbing one. It’s the one one which’s additional Japanese, I consider among the many many three or 4 or nonetheless many natives there are. So as soon as extra, not native in every single place and by no means notably the place we’re, nevertheless nonetheless fulfilling to take a look at.

Ken: And they also have blue flowers.

Margaret: Certain, I consider so. I consider so.

Ken: I consider all of them have from mild blue to darkish blue that there is a white one, ‘Sacajawea.’ It’s quite a few leichtlinii, I consider. Camassia leichtlinii.

Margaret: Leichtlinii [left], yeah, that’s a western one. Yeah. We have to save some time for dividing narcissus on the end. Nevertheless speaking of natives, I wish to look on the net website of the Pacific Bulb Society, pacificbulbsociety.org. That has good bulb references for any use, however it absolutely moreover talks about natives. So that’s one fulfilling reference for folk.

And relating to native bulbs, the Erythronium, the trout lilies that we talked about, there’s a pair species of those, a white-flowered one. They’re really Japanese part of the nation, Japanese half or two-thirds of the nation. There is a Western species and one even specific to California. So worth wanting into, an Erythronium is, when you occur to’re into native crops and in addition you want to add some minor bulbs to your yard.

And there’s as soon as extra, the Northwest really seems to have some good ones, some lovely little bulbs. They’re all related to 1 one other, I consider, like Calochortus and Brodiaea and the Dichelostemma—there’s one which’s often known as the firecracker flower that’s purple and yellow, with yellow lips [below; photo by Dinkum from WIkimedia Commons]. That’s solely a unbelievable… a cut-flower farmer pal of mine grows that as considerably tiny, unbelievable cut-flower addition to smaller bouquets. And it’s merely fabulous. So as soon as extra, not native the place I am, nevertheless native to the US. So some prospects. Nevertheless I must ask you regarding the dividing.

Ken: I was merely going to say a really highly effective issue is to know the place the bulbs are. Sadly, with that large patch that I’m going to be engaged on any minute now of the Narcissus pseudonarcissus species, wild species, I do know the place they’re because of they’re beneath the tree and there’s a large patch. Nevertheless when you occur to don’t mark these daffodils to dig up and divide now sooner than they really start making loads of roots, you then definately’re in trouble.

Margaret: Properly, correct now, we couldn’t inform the place they’ve been because of they don’t have any foliage.

Ken: Correct.

Margaret: So we have to go on memory or footage, comparable to you may have been wise to take footage.

Ken: Or tags.

Margaret: Correct. And tags and so forth.

Ken: Tags, when you occur to’re lucky ample that no individual steals them.

Margaret: Nevertheless would this be the time everytime you would divide them? As soon as they’re-

Ken: Yeah.

Margaret: So at bulb-planting time, so to speak, you’d moreover harvest just a few of your private and switch them spherical?

Ken: A couple of of them would possibly want some roots, merely fast roots, nevertheless that’s O.Okay. So I’d dig them up, and when you occur to’ve ever even purchased a daffodil that they typically title them noses, that has higher than one-

Margaret: Double-nosed?

Ken: Yeah. Which could be related to 1 one other, you can pry these apart, and everytime you dig up yours, and in the event that they’ve quite a few bulbs caught collectively, you can pry these apart. Nevertheless I usually, I’ll dig them up and it seems to be like like one daffodil and it appears it’s six. So I merely dig them up with a yard fork, pry them apart. You presumably can permit them to dry when you should, or just replant them immediately. And sometimes, frankly, they may leisure a yr and by no means give you a large current. Nevertheless after that, the second yr, they really go gangbusters. And in case your daffodils are slowing down, digging them up and dividing them is one method to get them going as soon as extra. And in addition you’ll have… If in case you may have 10, you’ll have 100.

Margaret: Yeah. Because of a complete lot of people who I planted after I first obtained proper right here, they’re in somewhat extra shade than they’ve been because of the woody crops adjoining have grown fairly a bit, like what you may have been talking about earlier. And they also should be rescued, or clearly they’re not doing anybody any damage, it’s merely that they’re not performing, really. They ship up greenery throughout the spring, and I let that completely develop and ripen. And usually spherical July 4th, I rake it off, clear up spherical them as soon as they completely have withered, the foliage has withered. Nevertheless I’m not getting the flowers like I did years up to now, to the diploma that I did years up to now. So yeah, I undoubtedly need to do that. I’ll do an experimental clump or two and see the way in which it goes.

Ken: It will make them happier.

Margaret: Yeah. And the issue is, you’re going to pierce some bulbs because you’re not going to know the place exactly they’re when you occur to didn’t mark them as soon as that they had all their foliage. I suggest when you occur to didn’t mark the perimeter exactly, are you conscious what I suggest? And that’s O.Okay.

Ken: It may not kill them actually.

Margaret: Correct. And we merely have to be O.Okay. about that, because of it’s for the bigger good, correct? [Laughter.]

Ken: Maybe go gradual. And in addition you talked about cleaning up in July. We’re saying divide them now, nevertheless you can divide them as soon as they’re dormant, really starting in July, I would say. Nevertheless that’s the tip of the time you can dig them up and divide them, as you talked about, the time you got dormant bulbs.

Margaret: Correct. So throughout the remaining minute or so, inform me, is there the remaining in your wishlist that I’m paying for now? [Laughter.] Is there the remaining we didn’t level out or that you just’re getting additional of in any other case you haven’t had sooner than?

Ken: Properly, the tripedale, I’m going to get that.

Margaret: You’re going to keep up calling it tripedale?

Ken: It’s such a pleasing establish.

Margaret: Nevertheless I don’t know. You’re correct. Who’s conscious of?

Ken: In truth you’re correct. Why wouldn’t you title it tripedale? That looks like a avenue in London or one factor. I can’t think about it. That’s crazy. [Laughter.]

Margaret: So that you simply’re going to get additional of that. You’re going to get that.

Ken: Oh, just one additional maybe. Usually you want … That’s one issue to say, buy ample.

Margaret: Correct. Don’t skimp.

Ken: Nevertheless throughout the case of the tripedale, it’s so spectacular. You presumably can have solely a pair. And it’s tall and it’s a large current and it’s gorgeous and it’s even gorgeous decrease. Nevertheless you talked about Brodiaea, which I consider modified its establish to Triteleia.

Margaret: Yeah. Triteleia, yeah.

Ken: Oh, see I’m mispronouncing points.

Margaret: No, I consider it each means. It doesn’t matter. As soon as extra, it doesn’t matter.

Ken: Properly, the Brodiaea, I had that for years, and it has blue flowers, blooms considerably late throughout the spring, and it’s merely easy and reliable until you place a paving stone on excessive of it, which is any person who shall keep nameless, because of we’re doing-

Margaret: Paved it.

Ken: … considerably growth, it obtained a paving stone. And it’d come once more subsequent yr, nevertheless I consider I must get additional of those, because of they did somewhat properly. That’s one issue, when you occur to obtained one factor that’s carried out really well-

Margaret: Repeat, repeat, repeat.

Ken: … maybe get some additional repeat.

Margaret: Yeah. All correct, properly no paving stones in your bulbs, all individuals, nevertheless go order some bulbs, all individuals. So that’s our message within the current day, our twin message [laughter]. Thanks Ken for making time. And I’ve a way I’m having a procuring binge considerably later after we maintain up.

Ken: Dangerous.

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MY WEEKLY public-radio current, rated a “top-5 yard podcast” by “The Guardian” newspaper throughout the UK, began its fifteenth yr in March 2024. It’s produced at Robin Hood Radio, the smallest NPR station throughout the nation. Hear domestically throughout the Hudson Valley (NY)-Berkshires (MA)-Litchfield Hills (CT) Mondays at 8:30 AM Japanese, rerun at 8:30 Saturdays. Or play the Aug. 26, 2024 current using the participant near the very best of this transcript. You presumably can subscribe to all future editions on iTunes/Apple Podcasts or Spotify (and browse my archive of podcasts proper right here).