I just purchased some daffodil bulbs to plant this fall for Spring.
Any hints before I get started.
I am going to put some in my urns so they come up for an early spring display.
I don't have a bulb planter tool (maybe I will check with some neighbours) and what should I buy at the garden center (soil or mulch?)
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Status report:
The daffs that I planted in the fall are up and sprouting. The buds just a need another day or so.
Now.
Today, I open the door, don't I find a chewed up dead flower head on the ground walkway. Seems like my squirrels just had to ruin another plant.
The reason why I purposely put in the daffodils - supposedly squirrels won't touch them. True, they didn't dig up the bulbs - but they tried eating the flower heads. I see they spit them out !!!
can't they tell the difference between yellow tuplips & daffs ?
Very disappointing. I hope they will leave the other buds and let them flower.
I can't enjoy my cherries nor raspberries - daffodils too !!:mad:
& the bulbs that I planted inside at the same time have sprouted in the last 6 months but no flowers. That experiement to force the blooms inside went bust:cool::cry:
I hope we could see that on pictures. Before the winter comes. It's pretty interesting.
Just wanted to give an update.
When I was planting some of the fall daffodil bulbs in the garden, there were some that already had some green new shoots growing. I took those ones that were already sprouting and I placed them in some indoor potting soil in a container indoors and placed pebbles on the top of the soil. The new green shoots/growth have popped through amongst the stones.
I will continue to give progress as time goes by.
& more importantly, there are no signs that the squirrels have discovered my planted bulbs, yet.
Soon the ground will freeze and be snow covered.
Thanks Lacombe !
I was aware about the wire mesh but the tricks about placing some jagged edge rocks/stones around might also deter the critters. I planted only daffodils because they seem to be the 'toxic' natures bulb to critters.
I will see with time. If the squirrels decide to dig them and toss them aside I will then resort to wrapping the mesh.
However, I did just read about dipping them in castor oil if one wanted to forego the wire mesh. Too late for me now, but who knows, I might be out next week or so gathering my squirrelly mess and then off to plan B.
Nature.
Gotta love it at its best and worst of times.
:hairpull:
Hi SamKing here's a couple of sites that might help. [url]http://www.garden-marketplace.co.uk/garden-bulbs/daffodils-planting-care.html[/url] [url]http://flowergardens.suite101.com/article.cfm/protect_bulbs_from_animal_damage[/url]
I got all my bulbs planted. I noticed some were already sprouting,
I took those ones and potted them to grow inside.
Does anyone think they will actually flower indoors ? I'll see and post my progress.
I am situated in zone 4 .
what zone are you in?? I am in zone 3a which suffers from similar challenges.
PG, excellent tip ! thanks :)
I also heard if you place human hair around it may also deter the critters.
& I don't think I am going to bother with the wire mesh. My zone is quite north so the thaw issue is unthinkable.
:rolleyes:
After you dig and plant your bulbs you can cover the soil with a wire mesh, even chicken wire will do, and then in the spring take it up when you start to see signs of foliage. As for your pots or urns, if you have a garage that is not heated and maintains a steady temperature over the winter season then you may want to plant your bulbs in your urns and then keep them in the garage. I live in a very cold zone and :rolleyes: unfortunately do not have the problem of a freeze-thaw-freeze situation like many others do but it certainly is something to consider when planting in an urn. Good bulbs after all are expensive, don't want to waste them.
For bulbs you are just planting, you can sprinkle about a teaspoon or so of blood meal per bulb to the hole that you will be putting the bulbs in. Make sure you mix the blood meal in thoroughly with the dirt before you put the bulbs in so that there is an even distribution of blood meal in the soil. You may also wish to sprinkle the blood meal over the bulbs in the hole to help [B]deter squirrels and chipmunks.[/B]
It is also a nitrogen supplement for the bulbs. Nitrogen will give more blooms. :) A small box is about $6.00.
Thanks for the input. I purposely bought daffodils because of the squirrely rodents
:mad:
I saw that they would chop the flowers/tulips right off the stem and was told that they would stay away from the toxic daffodils.
Now, I am thinking that THEY will dig them up and when realize what they are just toss them.
So how would I stop this. Would I have to encase the bulbs in some type of wire/mesh netting.
This is sounding more cumbersome than I originally intended.
:p
Love nature but my cherry tree and raspberry bushes do get raided every summer and I don't really want to spend any energy on prevention/security.
:hairpull:
I am going to put in daffodils as the deer and sheep don't eat them but they sure like tulips they eat them off at the ground level.
You are right, they will not eat daffodils, however they will dig up the bulbs. In that regard all rodents are rarely fussy. Of course they just leave them on the ground and search for tasty tulip bulbs.
Nasty, eh??
As far as I know, squirrels don't eat daffodils, only tulips and crocuses. My only tip about planting bulbs, is make sure the area gets full sun by spring. Most of my bulbs came up on time this spring, but the ones that got only half sun, came up much later when the perennials were emerging and were in the way for the annuals.
I am not sure if you have planted buls in urns before but just a little advice if you have not. You need to think about your zone first. In certain zones you will have a problem with your bulbs rotting due to the occurence of freeze-thaw-freeze situations over the course of the winter. This will not usually happen when planted into the ground. The other thing to consider when planting in the ground is your squirrel population. Is that a problem for you? I do not have a problem with squirrels but I know friends who do and they have to protect their bulbs in a very creative manner.