Undependable Garden Bulbs
totototo@telus.net (Tue, 06 May 2008 11:17:14 PDT)
On 5 May 08, at 22:04, Jane McGary wrote:
Rodger Whitlock, gardening somewhat north of me in the Pacific
Northwest, listed as undependable (i.e., difficult or impossible to
establish) some bulbs I also have trouble with. The big snowflakes
(the ones still in the genus Leucojum and not transferred to Acis) do
not flower here though the plants hang on. I attribute this problem to
a fast-draining mineral soil that I can't keep adequately moist in
summer.
Oddly enough, dirty ol' commercial from-a-garden-centre Leucojum
aestivum (maybwe 'Gravetye Giant') does quite well for me. Flowers
reliably and no signs of grass due to fly attack.
But I *do* garden on a quite heavy soil with a high water table so
there's always at least a whiff of moisture, even in mid-summer.
This inspires me to pass on some advice for those of you frustrated
with sharp-draining soils who want to do something about it. Clay
works, but the trick is to dry it out during the summer, break it up
into smallish lumps, and broadcast these on the surface in the fall.
The winter rains will break down the lumps and wash the clay into the
soil. If you try digging it in, all you end up with is sand with
lumps of clay in it here and there.
It may also help if you can excavate your beds and put a thick layer
of old newpapers at the bottom before backfilling with soil.
Back to narcissus fly: I am surprised that no enterprising pesticide
company has come up with a pheromone attractant. Anybody heard of
such a thing?
--
Rodger Whitlock
Victoria, British Columbia, Canada
Maritime Zone 8, a cool Mediterranean climate
on beautiful Vancouver Island