Subject: Ted Fisher: Naturalizing Bulbs

From: [email-masked] (Dewey Coffman)
Date: Mon, 28 Nov 1994 12:31:30 GMT

Naturalizing spring bulbs a bright idea for landscapes

   [Scanned in from Austin American-Statesman(11/05/94) and posted to the
           Internet with permission of Ted Fisher and the AAS ]

	It's cheap. It's easy, It's spectacular. And once done, your efforts 
will endure for years without ever lifting a trowel. 
	It's called "naturalizing," a bulb planting technique that offers an 
inexpensive and carefree way to  enjoy flower bulbs in your landscape. 
	The term naturalizing has two meanings. In one sense, it is a design 
that refers to planting in a manner that appears natural and unplanned. In 
another, it is the horticultural term for plants that survive and thrive in 
areas to which they are not native.
	It doesn't take an expert to create a dazzling naturalized spring bulb 
flower' display, one that will perform well the first year and improve over 
time. It requires only a small amount of knowledge, common sense and the 
motivation to get out this fall and buy and plant the bulbs.
	Naturalizing as a design style uses spring flowers to accent landscape 
features both natural and man-made. Daffodils planted at the base of trees or 
lining a stone wall are examples of first technique.
	The key to a successful naturalized design is knowing that after the 
bulbs flower, they must be left alone with the leaves intact for about six 
weeks, allowing them to yellow and wither naturally. Bulbs need this period to 
regenerate and gather strength for next year's flower production.
	This requirement means that the more native areas of your yard or 
garden might be the most suitable for naturalizing. Other areas, such as the 
front lawn. might be best suited to low, early-flowering bulbs.
	A quick look around your yard will offer many choices for naturalizing:
a hill or bank that can tolerate being left unmowed until April; the area 
beneath a stand of fruit or other deciduous trees; the area around woodpiles or
garden storage sheds; in certain perennial beds, such as around evergreens or 
shrubs; or in any marginal, slightly wild or meadow-like area of your property.
	As a rule, bulbs love sunny Spots with good drainage. When looking for 
a sunny site, keep in mind those areas that are shady in early fall might be 
sunny in early spring before leaves return to the trees.
	Naturalizing exploits an inherent characteristic of many bulbs, the 
ability to adapt themselves to their surroundings and return every year. With 
bulbs suited to naturalizing, you basically plant once then sit back to watch 
your investment grow and multiply each year.
	Not all bulbs will naturalize, however. And not all bulbs which 
naturalize will naturalize everywhere.
	As a rule. bulbs naturalize best in climates that are similar to those 
>from  whence they originally came,
	Narcissus. for example, hail from the temperate mountains of southern 
Europe, where the summers are hot, and the winters are cool. Hence, they tend 
to naturalize well in the Austin area.
	Many bulbs such as narcissus, muscari, alliums and anemone are vigorous
naturalizers and also excellent investments as they will return and multiply 
over the years.
	After you've planned and purchased your bulbs, it's time to plant.
	The trick in a naturalized planting is to make it look ... well, 
natural. The best way to do this is to grab a handful of bulbs, gently toss 
them in the general direction of your chosen location, then plant them where 
they fall. 
	This random method will give you as natural looking and pleasing a 
display as mortals are likely to achieve. No matter what anyone tells you, this
throwing technique will not harm the bulbs.
	As for actually planting the bulbs. some gardeners prefer bulb planting
tools that take out a plug at a time. Others say a spade or garden trowel works
best. Some take the direct approach, cutting into the sod and removing large
sections, laying out the bulbs, then replacing the sections of sod.
	Whatever method you choose, the correct planting depth for the bulbs 
will be listed on the package or on signs or tear-away sheets at the nursery.
	For those who choose a spade as their planting weapons, here's a tip: 
slice into the soil with the spade then just pull back, opening a pocket in the
earth, and slip the bulb in. It isn't necessary to dig a proper hole that 
requires the soil to be shoveled back in. This method works well for bulbs such
as grape hyacinths planted right in the sod.
	Just as mature trees and shrubs add value to a home, so do mature, 
naturalized plantings of bulbs.
	As for long-term care. there's really very little to do. Each fall, you
might want to broadcast a handful or two of slow-release, low-nitrogen 
fertilizer in your planting area. And, in 10 years, if some of the daffodils 
start to look a bit peaked, you might want to dig a few up. divide the clumps 
and re plant them.
	But then again, you might not want to. After all, naturalizing really 
means just that. Once they're in the ground, they're nature's problem and your 
pleasure for years to come.
# # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # #
     Ted Fisher is the horticulturist with the Travis County Extension
          Service. His column appears on Saturday.  (512)-473-9600
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If you like these postings, you should tune into KLRU, Public TV channel
18 on Saturdays(check listings) and Sundays for The Central Texas Gardner
Show. Ted Fisher has his own spot on these shows and the shows are always
very local and informative. They are on every 4th Saturday and repeated
on Sunday and sometimes the next weekend.

Side Note: Currently, I'm scanning these in because Ted Fisher writes these
on a *typewriter*, if you like to contribute PC parts, software or dollars to 
a cause to get Ted a computer with some good wordprocessing software, and
modem, please contact me, not Ted. It's a surprise... ;-)  -dewey

-- 
Dewey Coffman  	[email-masked]  [email-masked]  [email-masked] CTC Texas Inc.
Notary Public, after 5pm service available.	 USDA Zone 8. Compost Happens.
All opinions expressed are unrelated to reality.	Austin Beer Club
"If you fail to plan, plan to fail" 		"One Dollar, One Vote" [\]