Re: Multiplying spring bulbs ???

Ornithalogum, start of Bethlehem, qualify as invasive.  They look like grass,
have an attractive white bloom that closes at night.  Two years ago, I had
occasion to sift bulbs out of a bed perhaps 2' wide and 8' long.  I removed
perhaps 3 quarts of bulbs, including many very tiny ones.  The ones I missed
were obviously quite productive, because today I see thick patches of it coming
up.  It's deep green is rather nice on a late February day, but I would not let
them in a flower bed again by choice.  My local nursery was selling them at the
same price per bulb as more interesting things like snowdrops.

Yesterday, I divided several bunches of snowdrops that had become too overgrown
to bloom.  Packs of perhaps 20 bulbs which had clearly multiplied from one
planted years ago.

My daffodils are the same way.  I dug up a shovelful whose tops are up perhaps
4", but growing so thickly that most cannot reach blooming size. (Yes, I know,
this is not a great time to do it, but I've had decent success in the past with
January thaw digs, and have finally learned to do things when time and
inspiration are available rather than waiting for the appointed time!)  The
roots were so intertwined that I ended up putting the whole thing in a very
large basin of water, and kept twirling it and gently teased the individual
bulbs free.  I got something like 70 bulbs from the one shovel-ful, and they
are now spread over many portions of my property.  I'm guessing these came from
2 or 3 planted 20 years ago, long before I bought the property.

Embarrassed to tell you that yesterday I also planted a number of narcissus and
crocus that I had dug up in August and kept in the garage.  Hoping for an
extended season of bloom!

Wyn Achenbaum
Stamford, CT

Mark Speakman wrote:

> Query from my spouse the official household spring bulb planter .... conned
> her into putting down a sack of daffs last year, and she expects to see two
> this year as a result !
> Do daffodils ever spread themselves around in the manner that wild
> bluebells do ?
> Fondly imagining there is a particular kind which will.
>
> What other spring bulbs are of a invasive nature ?
>
> Mark Speakman in Annaghdown, Ireland
> markspkn@iol.ie
>
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