dahlia monoculture fix?
John Bryan (Sun, 21 Aug 2005 09:37:30 PDT)
Dear Diane Whitehead:
Just when the Dahlias are removed I am not sure, after frost is when? I
would have thought that Narcissus, certain early flowering tulips,
Crocus, Eranthis, Galanthus, Muscari, Oxalis, providing the species
selected were appropriate.
No doubt the Dahlias are in beds, so perhaps these could become the beds
become paths when the bulbs are planted, in the former paths for the
Dahlias. The removal operation of the Dahlias could perhaps be confined
to their beds? Thus the paths would be available a little earlier?
Cheers, John E. Bryan
Diane Whitehead wrote:
I'm on the board of a public garden that has a dahlia test garden run
by a volunteer group. Looks fine when the dahlias are blooming, but
the rest of the year it's an eyesore. We get a lot of visitors even
in midwinter, so I'd like some ideas for what to grow the rest of the
year.
The club digs out their dahlias after frost, which doesn't leave much
time for something to get going and be respectable in winter and
spring. I had thought of doing a "rice-straw revolution" sowing of
something early in fall, but I'm sure the digging of the tubers would
destroy most seedlings.
They come in again in mid-May, rototill and plant the new dahlias.
Our usual pbs suggestions of companion planting for bulbs is for
bulbs that will remain in the garden, so perennials and small shrubs
can be grown. That won't work with dahlias, though.
Any suggestions will be appreciated.
--
Diane Whitehead Victoria, British Columbia, Canada
maritime zone 8
cool mediterranean climate (dry summer, rainy winter - 68 cm annually)
sandy soil
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