Re: Bulb augers
- To: perennials@mallorn.com
- Subject: Re: Bulb augers
- From: B*@aol.com
- Date: Sun, 17 Jan 1999 00:18:12 EST
In a message dated 1/16/99 7:02:45 PM Eastern Standard Time, WHTROS@aol.com
writes:
<< This method was suggested by Brent Heath when he spoke at our local garden
club last year.
He also talked about planting thousands of bulbs different places using an
ordinary garden trowel, pushing it in, pulling back on the handle, dropping
the bulb in & then stomping the spot down. >>
I've done something similar with success in very hard clay, but I don't see
how a garden trowel would accomplish it. Instead I use a spade so I can put
my entire body weight behind penetrating the clay, push in the entire length
of the spade, and then pull back, or in some cases just lift up a bit and
insert the bulb under and tamp back down. If there are two people, one can
insert the spade and lift and the other on hands an dknees can insert the
bulb. I've done this for years. I wouldn't recommend it for expensive show
cultivars, but for the very hardy, not very particular, garden varieties, it
works.
Someone earlier worried about digging up bulbs when they plant something else.
Just put them back. They'll be OK. If you have slit them, put them back
too--many will survive, although it may take a couple years to get back to
health. You can try dusting with fungicide around the split before
replanting, and one of the other subscribers to this list makes a mud paste
and "glues" them back together and replants.
Don't know how tulips and minor bulbs would respond to this, but daffodils are
tough.
Bill Lee
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