The weather has been really nice lately, highs in the 70s. It was getting pretty chilly for a while and really fall like, but it feels like later summer again, save for all the colorful leaves. I went on a nice walk on the Tree Farm Trail today. Yesterday and Thursday I planted more bulbs, over 100.
I planted:
- grape hyacinths
- garden hyacinths
- regular snowdrops
- giant snowdrops
- small narcissus (daffodils)
- glory of the snow
- snow crocuses
- saffron crocuses (fall)
I hope they all can root in well before it gets cold again. I did a similar layering as I did last year, but mostly larger holes dug with a trowel and a hori hori knife I bought recently. I did layers of compost and garden soil, with a layer of a gravel like additive and bulb fertilizer below and above the bulbs. I put leaf mulch on top except the couple spots where I was planting under existing plants.
As I was layering, starting with the first layer with bulbs, I would toss on some cayenne pepper. I did this at several points per hole and then once more on top. I’m hoping that and the gravel additive will help keep critters from eating my bulbs. I did run out the gravel for some of the later holes though. So far it seems to be working. I may have to sprinkle on some more cayenne occasionally.
I did 8 of the patches in the foundation garden around my house, and three in the back yard along the edge of the forest. The digs in the garden were mostly much easier than in the hard clay and roots of the back yard, but there were still clay spots plus some roots, and a thick cover of ivy, grass, and weeds to cut through in some spots. There was a small tree growing in one spot that was really tough and quite a battle. I was quite sore and stiff after both days, in my knees, legs, back, wrists.
I haven’t planted fall bulbs before. They are supposed to go in in summer. Hopefully they can make it till next year. I planted several other kinds I hadn’t planted before. My parents have hundreds of snowdrops that naturalized in their yard and come up very early spring every year. I’m hoping mine spread and do the same thing. I didn’t get any directly in the lawn though. I may have to do that next year.
I will have to be careful not to dig up the bulbs when planting other things in the garden. I will probably have to use those spots to plant seeds, particularly wildflowers.