Plant Bulbs Now For Early Display Of Color Next Spring
BY KATE COPSEY — GARDEN COLUMNIST
Fall weather is the perfect time to plant bulbs for early spring bloom.
Most people think about daffodils and hyacinths, but there are other spring bulbs that can be planted now that will give a delightful show earlier next spring, just when you need it.
Most of these bulbs bloom before the snow has finished flying in Northwest Ohio, and do best in full sun where the late winter sun can melt the snow.
The earliest flowers in spring are the crocus and snowdrops, which are happy to break through frost-hardened ground to surprise you in the late winter sunshine.
Snowdrops come in a variety of sizes and many of them will naturalize in the grass or the hedgerows, and they will be going into dormancy when you need to start mowing the lawn.
For larger snowdrops, look for Galanthus elwesii, which reaches about 8 inches in height and blooms slightly earlier than the species G. nivalis.
Snowdrops mixed with crocus should be planted in drifts for the best effect and look great when placed close to the house where you can pass by them and admire them.
Most people associate irises and tulips with mid to late spring, but there are some that will bloom almost as early as the crocus.
The tiny iris reticulata comes in blue and yellow colors and contrasts beautifully with small, early-blooming daffodils as well as crocus.
There are also some very early-blooming tulips that work very well with the other small, late winter-blooming bulbs. The bright red Emperor tulip is one such bulb that looks lovely with white snowdrops and white or blue crocus that bloom around the same time.
These plants all look lovely near a foot path, in a rock garden or on a slope where they can be seen against a snowy background. Plant the bulbs in full sun to get the maximum bloom from them.
Choinodoxa, or Glory of the Snow, will also bloom in late winter or very early next spring. These very hardy bulbs grow to about a foot in height and produce white stars in the garden bed. The flower color can range from pure white to blue or pink, and they prefer to have full sun or part shade to get the best bloom.
Eranthis gives a bright yellow flower that reflects the winter sun and will grow in part sun as well as full sun. These delightful flowers colonize slowly to give a mat of color among leftover leaves and winter debris.
The flower is related to the buttercup and sometimes called a “winter aconite.” They grow to about 4 inches in height and give a nice contrast to the emerging hellebores that will bloom a slightly later in early spring.
All these bulbs give a welcome break to the bleak late-winter landscape and can make getting through those last snowfalls that much more pleasant.
They can be planted while the ground is still workable, which gives you plenty of time. Most of the bulbs are readily available online if you cannot find them at your local garden center.
Kate Copsey is a freelance writer and host of “America’s Home Grown Veggies” on www.americaswebradio.com. To contact her, visit www.katecopsey.com or e-mail ktcopsey@aol.com.
Mirror Garden Calendar
Fall Plant Sale Planned At Sunshine Greenhouse
Sunshine will host a fall plant sale on its main campus at 7223 Maumee Western Rd. in Maumee. Items offered for sale include mums, decorative scarecrows, fall décor, bales of straw, pumpkins, corn stalk bundles, apples, apple cider and more. The greenhouse at Sunshine employs people with developmental disabilities as a part of Sunshine’s vocational services.
The sale will be open Thursday, September 29, 1:00 to 6:00 p.m.; Friday, September 30, 10:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.; and Saturday, October 1, 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. For additional information, contact greenhouse supervisor Kathleen Johnson at kjohnson@sunshine.orgor (419) 944-1685.Readers interested in submitting items to this column may do so by sending an e-mail to info@themirrornewspaper.com or by sending a typed press release to The Mirror, 113 W. Wayne St., Maumee, Ohio 43537. Deadlines are at 5:00 p.m. on each Thursday prior to following Thursday publication. All items will be used solely at the editor’s discretion.