Overview

Flower bulbs offer gardeners an easy, economical way of producing a vibrant flower garden. Bulb flowers come in a vast array of colors, sizes and flowering periods. Gardeners often plant bulbs in intervals to obtain continuous blossoms throughout the spring and fall seasons. Even when the blooms have faded, these plants accentuate flowerbeds or containers with their showy foliage. Bulbs provided with satisfactory growing conditions will fervently blossom year after year.

History

Flower bulbs cultivated for commercial purposes began in the late 16th century in Haarlem, a municipality in the Netherlands. Haarlem, however, is not the place of their origin. Tulip bulbs came from central Asia, and dahlias originated in Mexico. The amaryllis bulb originated in South America, while freesias and calla lilies hailed from South Africa. When these bulbs were brought to Haarlem, their marketing value was quickly recognized. Thus, they became popular throughout Haarlem and surrounding regions. Today, flower bulb production continues to be an important, profitable industry in the Netherlands.

Types of Bulbs

Bulbs are divided into two general categories: Spring-flowering bulbs should be planted in the fall since root development is stimulated through the dormant period of frigid temperatures. These bulbs must be in the ground before the first heavy frost, be exposed to full or partial sun and be planted in locations that have good drainage. Spring-flowering bulbs include tulips and daffodils. Summer and fall-flowering bulbs are planted in late spring. These flowers do well in borders, rock gardens, ground covers, containers and hanging baskets but cannot survive winter temperatures. Bulbs dug up each fall should be stored in a cool location until planting time. Lilies, colchicums and saffron crocuses are examples of this type of bulb.

Identification

“Bulb” is a common term referring to the fleshy storage system of plants that grow from underground. In reality, not all of these storage systems are bulbs. All flowers grown in such manner are not grown from bulbs. Some plants, such as the cannas, are grown from rhizomes. Gladioli are grown from corms. Dahlias are produced from tuberous roots. Corms are shorter and rounder than bulbs and usually have a flat top and a concave bottom. Rhizomes are plants with a root-like stem and tuberous roots are just that–roots.
Conditions for Growing

For a bulb plant to develop properly and produce every spring, it must be given a proper growing environment. Bulbs should be planted in an area where they can remain undisturbed through cold winter temperatures. Poor soil can be fortified with organic matter. Mulching the ground can help protect the plants from heaving–uprooting that can occur through continuous freezing and thawing of the ground. All foliage should remain on established plants after spring or fall blooms have faded. This enables the plants to replenish food supplies through photosynthesis. When this process is complete, foliage will die back naturally. Dried plants can be removed when foliage has died back completely.

Reproduction of Plants

Some bulbous plants produce seeds that can be germinated and grown into flowering plants. This method of propagation is not as popular as propagation by division. Propagation by division is, in most cases, easier, and flower color and type can be predicted. New bulbs develop quickly in the spring. These young bulbs are closely attached at the bottom of the mature bulb. Separation must take place for the mature bulb to continue to produce proficient plants and blooms.

Garden Guides

Where we all run out and spend tons of money on mosquito repellents.  Though most of us are aware that Citronella and Lemon Grass will help ward off the blood sucking insects; beyond those two, most aren’t aware that there are tons of plants that are foes to the flying menace.  Below we have listed several additional plants that you can become familiar with and place around the yard and house as you see fit.

lemongrass

Citronella Grass (Cymbopogon nardus)

catnip

Catnip (Nepeta cataria)

peppermint

Peppermint (Mentha piperita)
Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis)
Marigolds (Tagetes spp.)
Lemon balm (Melissa officinalis)
Garlic (Allium sativum)
Clove (Syzygium aromaticum)
Eucalyptus (Eucalyptus spp.)
Tea tree (Melaleuca alternifolia)

Lavendar

Lavendar (Lavandula angustifolia )

Wild Plants That Repel Mosquitoes

Vanilla Leaf (Achlys triphylla) is a plant native to the northwest and Japan. Indigenous peoples were known to hang bundles of the dried plants in and around their dwellings to keep mosquitoes and flies away. The plant can be rubbed on the skin fresh or dried to deter mosquitoes. I think its interesting that it often grows in shady, moist areas – the very places where mosquitoes can be the thickest.

wormwood

Sagebrush, Wormwood, and Mugwort (Artemisia spp.) are in the same genus (plant grouping). All of these species can be used as an aromatic smudge that is known to be a very effective mosquito repellent. The crushed leaves can also be applied directly to the skin. These species grow in the drier habitats of the west, including the plains, deserts, and mountainous regions.

pineapple weed

Pineapple weed (Matricaria matricarioides) (pictured above) is a common weedy species that grows all over North America. It can be found growing in lawns, edges of roads, and other disturbed areas. The aromatic crushed plant can be applied to the skin to help repel mosquitoes.

Additional wild plants known to repel mosquitoes:

Nodding onion (Allium cernuum)

Wild bergamot

Wild bergamot (Mondarda fistulosa)
Snowbrush (Ceonothus velutinus)

Sweetfern

Sweetfern (Comptonia peregrina)
Cedars (Thuja spp.)

A Hydrangea is a cup-shaped fruit which follow the hydrangea’s showy blossoms looks like little water pails.

Many of the more than 30 varieties grow in Asia, but several are native to the United States. The wild hydrangea of the southern Appalachians is perhaps less beautiful than the cultivated oriental varieties, but it has the same heavily-veined oval leaves and similar flowers.

The showy white outer flowers are sterile and serve only to attract insects to the inconspicuous fertile inner flowers. In some of the cultivated varieties, differences in soil change the flowers from the usual pink to blue or white.

A pink hydrangea can be made to bear azure-Uses of Flowersby burying a handful or two of rusty nails or other scraps of iron among its roots. When grown as an ornamental shrub, hydrangeas demand a rich soil and plenty of water.

Larger shrubs, sometimes grow to eight – ten feet high, and bloom from late summer through early fall.

Sweet Pepperbush

This shrub adapts easily to most soil conditions, making it one of the best choices for a variety of soils. The sweet pepperbush prefers moist soil, but tolerates wet soils with poor drainage. It grows in both sunny and slightly shady areas, and produces fragrant blossoms in the middle of the summer. The foliage turns golden yellow in the autumn. It reaches a mature height between of between 3 and 8 feet.

Common Pearlbush

The common pearlbush grows to a height and width of between 6 and 10 feet. It produces upright, arching branches. Once established, this shrub tolerates droughts and arid conditions. This tough shrub adapts to a variety of soil conditions and thrives in a shrub border. The common pearlbush produces white blossoms in late April, adding floral beauty to a spring landscape.

Northern Bayberry

This shrub produces suckers and forms colonies, making it one of the best selections for mass plantings in many yards and parks. This semi-evergreen produces clusters of gray berries in the fall and thrives in poor soils. At a mature height and width of 5 to 12 feet, the northern bayberry forms a bushy, rounded shape in areas with full sun or light shade. This shrub tolerates soil compositions high in salt, and withstands periods of drought.

Flameleaf Sumac

The flameleaf sumac requires little care and thrives in neglected areas. It reaches a height and width of between 20 and 30 feet at maturity. Although it prefers well-drained soils, it tolerates infertile, dry and rocky soil compositions, making it an excellent choice for areas resistant to other types of plant growth.

Keep in mind, if you don’t trim your shrubs, they will turn into trees.

Garden Guides

Annuals - Everybody knows of these garden favorites, prized for their showy display of flowers. They live for one year, and die in winter, sometimes re-seeding themselves to grow again the next year. They definitely require more attention and maintenance than other plant types, but there is no denying the value of their showy flowers throughout the spring, summer and fall. These bring an enormous array of colors to the garden palette, and are the material of choice for avid gardeners.

Perennials – Like shrubs, these plants live for a number of years, often 10 or more. They are differentiated by the fact that they die back to the ground every winter, re-growing each spring, and thus do not typically have woody (hardened) stems. They are typically smaller than many shrubs (less than 3 feet tall), and can have more prominent flowering characteristics, although some are still chosen for foliage, texture or function. These plants are the backbone of low-maintenance flower gardens.

Vines – Vines are basically shrubs that prefer to grow on or up another structure, such as a fence, pergola or even a tree. They can climb, ramble, and sprawl over man-made constructions, thus softening them by adding a touch of life. They also enhance the vertical dimension, raising your garden into the air, to places where plants would otherwise not be able to grow. Many vines have been selected for their flowering characteristics, such as clematis, wisteria or climbing roses.