Re: Lilies & Voles

In a message dated 6/18/01 7:18:38 PM Eastern Daylight Time, 
mygarden@easystreet.com writes:

<< said winter lows could be minus 40 (I assume Fahrenheit) degrees and I
 wondered aloud why the bulbs didn't freeze.  They said they planted them 18"
 deep.  I can't say if voles go that deep because here in the city, I don't >>

Marilyn,

I have been aware for some time that deeper planting is beneficial in more 
ways than as a vole deterrent but like you, I cannot dig a hole that deep.  I 
would need to remove a wheelbarrow load of rock to get one group planted.  I 
am in the mountains and underlying rock is everywhere.  Some of our garden 
areas were established with a backhoe.  Some of the gardens were built on top 
of the existing soil and rock by dumping garden waste, compost materials, 
right on site for a few years and covering with chips.  Then they are planted 
right through the "sandwich".  This also saves stripping sod.

Planting the lilies as deeply as possible, putting rock beneath and all 
around plus over the bulbs sometimes makes them last longer.  You get a bit 
annoyed doing all this work from time to time and just get them in where you 
can.  I buy cheaper mixes and call them annuals.  The Tiger Lily (lancifolium 
now I think) is the only one that reproduces faster than mice.  

Until one puts a shovel in the ground and hits a rock nine times out of ten, 
one does not understand mountainside gardening.  Marilyn, one house that I 
owned, years ago, had a blue colored clay close to the surface.  That was as 
bad as the rocks.  Another house had sandy soil, no rock, no clay but also 
held no water.  

If anyone has a perfect garden site (and good weather - no humidity) write 
quick.  We'll all come and look it over.  Thank you for the kind thought 
Marilyn.

Claire Peplowksi
NYS z4

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