Design trends

Tips for Planting Bulbs in the Fall

Grow tulips in sun or light shade

I’ve never had the perfect growing conditions for bulbs. I don’t get enough sun in the spring when the bulb is storing energy after blooming to ensure a good show the following year. I save last year’s bulbs and replant them hoping for the best but I get new ones each year so I’m not disappointed when spring rolls around and I get spring fever like everybody else.

This fall I’m thinking about planting those dramatic allium bulbs. Member of the onion family, their purple pom pom flowers are deer resistant, too. I see there is a variety with shorter stems which I think will be more successful given my partly sunny garden. Who knows? Maybe I’ll even have a stunning photo to share with you next year.

Who does’t love daffodils? I see there is a collection of more shade tolerant daffodils I might try this fall. I’m thinking they have might shorter stems which help them recover after a spring rain without having to be staked up. You remember spring rain? Fragrant miniature Hawera narcissus falls into this category. They are animal proof like all daffodils and naturalizes easily, too. Other bulbs for the shade include crocus, scilla, some tulips, grape hyacinth, leucojum, snowdrops, chionodoxa and lily of the valley.

There are so many types of tulips now. I’m always torn between classic Darwin tulips, parrot tulips and double flowering are spectacular also. There are the early blooming Fosteriana tulips and Lily flowering tulips which are elegant with graceful stems and goblet-shaped flowers with pointed reflexed petals. These are late bloomers and excellent for bouquets as are all tulips.

The ground is perfect now to plant your bulbs. Best selection is now, however and you can store them in a cool, dry place. Most bulbs are pre-chilled before they are shipped. To make sure they have 12 to 16 weeks of chilling you can store your bulbs in the refrigerator set to around 40 degrees. Just be sure not to store them near any fruit as the released ethylene gas reduces bloom.

And in case you forget about them until after Christmas go ahead and plant them anyway. The stems will be shorter but that’s all. The flowers will still be beautiful.

Squirrels, mice and moles are observant and crafty. Once they discover newly planted bulbs, they’ll assume it’s food. Just disturbing the earth is a tip off for them. Daffodils and narcissus bulbs are toxic but if they dig them up then leave them exposed with just a nibble taken, so much for any spring flower display. Protect your bulbs with wire baskets or spray them with foul tasting repellent, letting the spray dry before planting. You can also bury the bulbs with ground up egg shells. Another way to foil squirrels is to plant the bulbs deeply, This only works if you have good drainage, however. Next year, if the squirrels start nibbling the foliage as it emerges try spraying it with hot pepper spray.

Whatever you bulbs you choose to try this fall, you will be happy you planted some bulbs come spring. And to help them bloom again the following year fertilize them at the time of planting with bulb food or bone meal worked into the soil a couple inches at the bottom of the hole. Mature bulbs respond to an early spring feeding with the same fertilizer.

Design trends

Japanese Maples for Fall Color

Autumn Moon Japanese maple are breathtaking every season of the year.

I’m starting to see the beginning of fall color on some trees. It’s an exciting time of year. My friend, Kate, in Bonny Doon has an Autumn Moon Japanese maple that’s always in color, no matter the time of year. On a visit to her fabulous gardening in June this gorgeous small tree was a vision of burnt orange and bronze. I’m looking forward to seeing it when it turns vivid orange and red soon. What other Japanese Maples are my favorites for our area?

I have a Bloodgood Japanese maple that I love for the burgundy red foliage during the growing season turning to brilliant scarlet in fall. The interesting red-black bark provides interest in winter, too. This slender, upright tree is great for patios and entryways. It does well in sun also.

Another favorite Japanese maple is the Coral Bark (Sango Kaku) with the variety ‘Beni Kawa’ getting my highest marks. A cultivar originally developed in 1987, they are prized for their brilliant salmon red bark which is much brighter than the regular Coral Bark maple. The ‘Beni Kawa’ is a fast growing Japanese maple that will eventually reach 10-15 feet tall and 5-12 feet wide. It is hardy to 15 degrees. You can even polish the coral bark in the winter if you really want to see that beautiful bark.

There are so many awesome varieties available these days. From the variegated ‘Butterfly’ to ‘Oshio Beni’ with its crimson and orange fall color to ’Seiryu’, an upright lace-leaf variety with an upright habit that turns bright gold, yellow and crimson in the fall.

I see trees of all kinds going into an early dormancy showing a touch of fall color only. Every year is different.

Other things besides hot weather and not enough summer water to consider regarding fall coloring is that it can be disrupted by wind and rain coming at the wrong time. Japanese maples have a more delicate leaf than some of other trees and are more susceptible to the elements of nature. We most likely won’t get rain spoiling the display but wind during this time will put a quick end to the autumnal display.

Leaves change color when they are going into winter dormancy. When nights get long enough, leaves develop a corky layer of cells between the leaf stalk and the woody part of the tree. This slows the transport of water and carbohydrates. The manufacture of chlorophyll is slowed and the green color of the leaves begins to fade, allowing the other pigments to show through. Since the transport of water is slowed down, food manufactured by the remaining chlorophyll builds up in the sap of the leaf and other pigments are formed which cause the leaves to turn red or purple in color depending on the acidity of the sap.

For example, sumacs and California wild grape almost always turn red because red pigments are present and their leaf sap is acidic, While many of the oak and sometimes ashes will get a purplish color because the sap is less acidic. Trees like birch don’t have much orange pigment, so they appear mostly yellow in the fall. Others don’t have much yellow pigment and turn mostly orange or read. Some trees have a balance of pigments and look pinkish. The brown color or many oaks can be attributed to a buildup of tannins which is a waste product in the leaves.

So don’t miss out on Japanese maple season. You won’t regret getting a new one for your yard or patio.

Design trends

Halloween Fun in the Garden

With a few things from the grocery store you can create a fun Halloween arrangement.

This year I happen to have lots of fall blooming perennials. Just in time for Halloween the ornamental sunflowers. golden coreopsis and black-eyed-Susan are still providing some color.

ff you want to decorate for Halloween there is plenty of plant material you can harvest from your own garden or nearby woods. Manzanita branches can often be found on the ground and make great arrangements combined with nandina or other berries. Some of the trees have started to turn color and their leaves can also be used for wreaths. The leaves of New Zealand flax last a long time and add fall color in bouquets.

it’s time to bring in any plants that you plan to overwinter in the house. Whether they’re the houseplants that you put out on the patio for the summer or frost tender plants that you want to save, this is the time to bring them in and here’s why.

Although our nights are still above freezing, plants need to acclimate to the indoor environment before you start turning on the heater regularly. Be sure to wash them thoroughly and inspect them for any insects that may have taken up residence while they were vacationing outside. Usually you can dislodge any hitchhikers with a strong spray of water but if that doesn’t do the trick, spray them with a mild insecticidal soap or one of the other mild organic herbal sprays like oil of thyme.

Another tip: Fall is not a good time to prune. Wounds heal slowly, leaving them more susceptible to disease. As a general rule, don’t prune when leaves are falling or forming. Wait to prune most trees until late in the dormant season or late spring after leaves and needles form. To avoid sap flow on birches and maples, prune after leaves mature.

Several years ago a friend gave me a Blue Hokkaido winter squash to decorate my front entry and eat afterwards. It was delicious. Another year, I received a Cinderella pumpkin (Rouge viv d’Etampes) to decorate my front entry. It is said to have been the inspiration for Cinderella’s carriage. This French heirloom pumpkin was very popular during the 1880’s and will be tasty in pies and savory dishes later this fall. For now, the glowing orange-red color contrasts magically with the very pronounced lobes and flattened top.

Many gardeners feel the Cinderella pumpkin is the very best pumpkin to grow in your garden. It’s the first to set fruit, first to ripen and is mildew resistant. Their bright orange creamy flesh is perfect for baking. Oven roasted they produce a pumpkin puree that is neither watery or bitter. Delicious in pumpkin spice muffins, pumpkin soup, or with vegetables and sausage. I even found aa recipe for pumpkin mac n’ cheese baked in a pumpkin. I’m so excited.

Pumpkin was a staple food for the early pioneers. It was easy to grow as a few seeds dropped into a shallow hole grew into a mature fruit. Yes, technically they are a fruit not a vegetable along with summer and winter squash and gourds. Their thick rind would allow them to be kept almost indefinitely.

If you decide to grow the Cinderella pumpkin next year, you can start inside in pots or wait to plant in the ground when night temps are 55 degrees or over. In the garden, group them with other deep rooted plants that grow rapidly and need lots of water such as corn, cucumbers, melons and tomatoes.

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