TOPIC: Hardy Bulbs By: Sara Williams When picking out bulbs, consider those hardy for your growing area. Bulbs like well drained soil. Read more below. Bulbs and More Bulbs, What to Grow: Most gardeners are familiar with daffodils, hyacinths, and crocuses. Fewer have heard of squills, Tulipa tarda, or ixiolirion. Yet the squills, Tulipa tarda, and ixiolirion are dependably hardy on the prairies, while the daffodils, hyacinths, and crocuses survive only in sheltered locations with dependable snow cover! So why not plant something a bit different this fall? The most reliable TULIPS for the prairies are usually the Darwin or cottage types. Generally, tulips classified as "mid-season" or "late" will do better on the prairies than those listed as "early." The early ones often come up too early, only to be nipped by hard frost. The species tulips are the "original" plants found by early plant explorers. The better known hybrids have been developed from these species tulips. Many of the species tulips are shorter than the hybrids and are ideally suited for the rock garden. One of the best and most ruggedly hardy is Tulipa tarda. Native to Turkestan, it produces masses of yellow flowers with white tips and multiplies rapidly over the years. Highly recommended! GRAPE HYACINTHS:(Muscari botrytis) bloom in May with dense spikes of nodding, purple-blue flowers about 15 cm (6 in.) high. They do best in full sunlight in a location where they can be readily seen and appreciated - near a walkway, entrance, patio, or in the rock garden. PUSCHKINIA: (Puschkinia scilloides var. libanotica) are similar to the scilla, but have white flowers striped with blue as well as a pure white form. SIBERIAN SQUILL: (Scilla sibirica) have delicate blue flowers on 15 cm (6 in.) stems which bloom in May. A pure white form is called Scilla sibirica alba. Plant squills 5 to 8 cm (2 to 3 in.) deep and 5 to 8 cm (2 to 3 in.) apart in groups of 10 or 12 of one color for the best effect. Although the widely advertised Fritillaria imperialis is not hardy in Saskatchewan (nor is it easily forced) the SIBERIAN FRITILLARIA: (Fritillaria paalidiflora) is not only perfectly hardy, but also soon multiplies. These are vigorous plants with soft, yellow, nodding flowers on 30 to 38 cm (12 to 15 in.) stems with blue-grey leaves. ALLIUMS:There's more to onions than stews! Ornamental alliums are, in fact, members of the onion family. They are showy, hardy, easily grown, and come in a wide range of heights and colors. Although the much publicized Allium giganticum is not hardy in Saskatchewan, the following species have proven reliable: The Blue Globe onion (Allium caeruleum, formerly listed as Allium azureum) is a native to Siberia, 1/2 m (20 in.) in height, producing 5 cm (2 in.), deep blue flowers in June. The Ostrowsky onion (Allium oreophilum, formerly called Allium ostrowskianum), a native of Turkestan, is an excellent bulb for the rock garden. Only 15 cm (6 in.) high, it produces soft pink flowers in June. The Golden garlic (Alium moly) is a native of the Pyrenees Mountains of France and Spain and has lovely golden flowers on 30 cm (12 in.) stems in June. Finally, the Naples onion (Allium neapolitanum, formerly listed as Allium cowanii) has white, star-like flowers on 30 cm (12 in.) stem in May and a delightful fragrance which makes it ideal as a cut flower. IXIOLIRION: blooms in late June, producing masses of soft, tubular, lavender-blue flowers on 30 to 45 cm (12 to 18 in.) stems. Courtesy U of S Horticultural Extension. Autumn is bulb-planting time, and once again the garden shops and catalogues are full of Dutch bulbs and the promise of another spring. These bulbs consist of a growing tip (or bud) surrounded by fleshy layers of tissue containing the stored-up food supply. All are held together by a disk of hardened stem tissue known as the "plate." Roots develop from the plate when the bulb is actively growing. When you purchase bulbs, they are in a resting or dormant state, and the roots are not present. The flowers have already been formed by the time you purchase the bulbs, but they need a "cold period" (winter) of several months in order to develop properly. What to Look For: When buying bulbs remember the old adage, "You get what you pay for." Given adequate care, the larger the bulb planted in the fall, the better the quality of the flowers the following spring. Keep in mind, of course, that size will vary with the type of bulb. A hyacinth bulb, for example, will always be larger than a scilla bulb. The flesh of the bulb should be plump and fairly hard with no feeling of squishiness or looseness when it is compressed in the hand. You should be able to feel the weight of the bulb. The skin should be smooth, bright, and free from mechanical injuries, with no corky spots or fungus. Planting Bulbs: Bulbs should be planted as soon as they are available. Plant them in well-drained soil in full sunlight. The bed should be weed-free and dug to a depth of 20 to 30 cm (8 to 12 in). Thoroughly incorporate a 5 to 8 cm (2 to 3 in.) layer of peat moss into the soil as well as 67 gm of 11-48-0 fertilizer per sq m (2 oz per sq yd). The depth of planting is determined by the type of soil and the type of bulb, and is measured from the top of the bulb to the soil surface. For tulips, 20 cm (8 in.) is recommended for sandy soil, while 12 to 15 cm (5 to 6 in.) is sufficient for a heavier clay soil. Do not plant deeply in poorly drained soil, heavy soil, or soil that is not properly prepared to a depth of 20 to 30 cm (8 to 12 in.). Do not use fresh manure near bulbs, as it is believed to be a carrier of botrytis and other fungal diseases to which tulips and other bulbs are very susceptible. Set bulbs 15 cm (6 in.) apart, keeping the varieties and colors separate for the best effect. Also, keep in mind the height of the flowers when selecting a location. The smaller "minor" bulbs will appear lost in a distant border, especially in early spring when viewing might involve a trip across a soggy lawn. Plant these near an entrance, walkway or patio where they can be seen and appreciated at close range. Plant bulbs with the pointed side up and the basal plate down, firm well so they are in good contact with the surrounding soil, and water thoroughly. Water to the depth of the bulbs and 5 cm (2 in.) below immediately after planting. Repeat this thorough watering a few more times prior to freezeup. Mulching the soil with 8 cm (3 in.) of grass clippings, compost or peat moss will extend the period during which root growth may take place in the fall under the soil. During mild winters, with alternate freezing and thawing, mulching prevents the bulbs from "heaving" and breaking off new roots. As long as there is no danger of hard frost, mulch should be removed in late spring when the bulbs are about 5 cm (2 in.) high.