Got Shade? Most bulbs want full sun to grow well. If you have only partly shady spots, INTERESTING FACTS ABOUT BULBS however, here are some bulbs that will perform beautifully! Allium giganteum Giant Allium Bearded Iris Amaryllis belladonna Naked Lady Asian Lily ulbs have a long, rich history, having been cultivated for thousands Anemone Windflower Oriental Lily of years. Art, literature, philosophy, and botany from ancient Crete, Freesia Freesia Narcissus Paper White Fritillaria Fritillary Zantedeschia Calla Egypt, Greece, Rome, and biblical times are replete with bulb motifs Band references. History's first recorded horticultural craze was "tulipomania" Forcing Bulbs in the early 17th century, when tulips originating in Turkey made their way to GROWING the Netherlands where they became wildly popular; their possession became "Forcing" is such a harsh word for a process that results in such a GROWING the ultimate status symbol, and stock-market-like trading and speculation delightful product! Forcing is actually coaxing spring flowering bulbs into reached a frenzy before it crashed. Fortunately, Holland's bulb industry not blooming ahead of schedule to fill a winter room with color and fragrance. only survived but thrived; it has given us thousands of outstanding hybrids, The easiest bulbs to force are hyacinths and narcissus. For a dra- BULBSBULBS and continues to supply a major part of the world demand. matic presentation, place the bulbs in a hyacinth vase (keep water just Botanically, bulbs are actually modified stems surrounded by fleshy leaves. touching the bulb's base and add a piece of activated charcoal) or nestle Therefore, what most of us refer to collectively as bulbs may be true bulbs, bulbs in a 3"-4" deep container filled with pebbles. Keep water level at the corms, tubers, rhizomes, or tuberous roots. All have one thing in common: bulbs' base. They are highly efficient food storage bins in which a plant gathers and holds Set the container in a cool, dark place until nutrients, then draws on the stored food to start active growth after its season it fills with roots, then move it to a cool, bright of dormancy. A perfect spring flower is already nestled within the sleek brown spot. Narcissus will bloom about 6 weeks after jacket of each tulip or daffodil you plant this fall. planting, hyacinth in 8 to 12 weeks. Begin in Oc- In addition to being fascinating and not a little magical, bulbs are easy for tober and plant at 2 week intervals, and have flow- even inexperienced gardeners to grow successfully. By following a few simple ering narcissus indoors over a 2 month period. rules, you can grow a spectacular display of spring blooming bulbs. More difficult but equally rewarding are tulips, daffodils, and crocus. For these, fill a flower pot half full of Sloat SELECTING & GROWING BULBS Potting Soil (do not press down). Fill the pot with as many bulbs as possi- SELECTING & GROWING ble without quite letting the bulbs actually touch each other. Set tulip about bulbs... Sloat Garden Center offers packaged bulbs for your ease and convenience as bulbs with their flat side facing outward. Sprinkle more soil between the about bulbs . selecting and planting... well as bulk bulbs so that you can individually select the colors and mixes you bulbs until just their tips are showing. Soak thoroughly. want. We select our bulbs for the best grade and size. None of our bulbs are Place in a cool, dark place (40°- 50°F) for eight to twelve weeks. selectinforcing...g and planting . harvested from the wild. Water as needed to keep the soil just slightly damp. After the initial treatment, move the bulbs to a cool but strongly depth/heightforcing . .chart . ... CHOOSE bulbs that are firm and large. Look for “double noses” on daffodils. lighted location. The cooler the spot the better the quality and longer last- The quantity of flowers and the quality of the blooms are the result of the ing the flowers. Keep the bulbs damp at all times. Flowering will occur andd more!epth/height chart . bulbs you select this fall. Fall is the time to purchase and plant your spring within a few weeks. blooming bulbs. and more! OCTOBER is ideal for planting those bulbs that don’t require pre-chilling. Great plants and great advice to help them grow! WWW.SLOATGARDENS.COM San Francisco, Marin, Contra Costa & San Mateo Soil temperatures are cooling and winter rains are around the corner. Most bulbs can be planted directly in the ground using Sloat Forest Mulch Plus, or PLANT WATER GROW in pots using Sloat Potting Soil. There are a few exceptions in our mild winter climate. CHILLING is required for tulips, hyacinths, crocus and freesia in order for their stems to elongate sufficiently. Place these bulbs in the refrigerator for 4 to GOT SHADE? 6 weeks (not the freezer). Be sure they are not stored with apples which release Interesting Facts About Bulbs ethyleneCHI LthatLI NinhibitsG is required sprouting! for tulips, Plant hyacinths, them the cro- same day you remove them Most bulbs want full sun to grow well. If you have only partly shady fromcus andthe freesiarefrigerator. in order Paperwhite for their stems Narcissus to elongate do notsuf- require chilling but can be spots, however, here are someG bulbsot S hthatade ?will perform beautifully! ficiently. Place these bulbs in the refrigerator for 4 to “stalled” with refrigeration. AlliumMost bulbs giganteum want full (Giant sun Allium)to grow well. IfNarcissus you have (Paper only p White)artly shady spots, Bulbs have a long, rich history, having been cultivated for thousands of years. 6 weeks (not the freezer). Be sure they are not stored however, here are some bulbs that will perform beautifully! Art, literature, philosophy, and botany from ancient Crete, Egypt, Greece, LATEwith NOVEMBERapples which orrelease December ethylene is a greatthat inhibitstime to plant chilled bulbs (but Amaryllis belladonna (Naked Lady) Zantedeschia (Calla) Rome, and biblical times are replete with bulb motifs and references. evensprouting! January Plant is not them too the late). same Ideally, day you all removebulbs should them be planted by the 1st of AnemoneAllium (Windflower) giganteum Giant Allium Bearded IrisBearded Iris Amaryllis belladonna Naked Lady Asian Lily History's first recorded horticultural craze was "tulipomania" in the early January.from the refrigerator. Paperwhite Narcissus do not Freesia (Freesia) Asian Lily Anemone Windflower Oriental Lily require chilling but can be “stalled” with refrigeration. Fritillaria (Fritillary) Oriental Lily 17th century, when tulips originating in Turkey made their way to the Freesia Freesia Narcissus Paper White Netherlands where they became wildly popular; their possession became the PREPARE your soil to ensure good drainage. Use plenty of Sloat Planting Mix or ForestLAT MulchE NO VPlus.EM AddBER Boneor December Meal or E.B.is a Stonegreat Bulb Food to supply extra Fritillaria Fritillary Zantedeschia Calla ultimate status symbol, and stock-market-like trading and speculation time to plant chilled bulbs but even January is not too nutrition. reached a frenzy before it crashed. Fortunately, Holland's bulb industry not late. FORCING BULBSForcing Bulbs only survived but thrived; it has given us thousands of outstanding hybrids, PLANT bulbs with their “points” up (Ranunculus are planted “toes” down). If GROWING PREPARE your soil to ensure good drainage. 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All have one thing in com- IN CONTAINERS, plant as shallow as possible to allow for good root growth. TheThe easiest easiest bulbs bulbs to force to force are hyacinths are hyac iandnth snarcissus. and narc iForssu sa. dramaticFor a dra- BULBS PLANT bulbs with their “points” up (Ranunculus are planted “toes” down). 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A perfect spring flower is already nestled bulbsdeep in container a 3"-4" deep filled container with pebbles. filled Keepwith pebbles.water level Keep at the water bulbs’ level base. at the within the sleek brown jacket of each tulip or daffodil you plant this fall. IN CONTAINERS, plant as shallow as possible to allow for good root growth.