Bulb Planting

 Yesterday I got some happy mail!  Just a few fall bulbs to plant.  I already have a scant few Hyacinths which have never done that much.  So I am going to try again in a different spot.  I love Hyacinths.

Dutch Vintage The Sky is Blue

Hyacinth Pink Pearl

Dutch Vintage Bubble Blend Allium

I have never tried Alliums before.  I added a small allium to my spring garden this year, but I have a spot which I thought would look really nice with the big alliums.  I have a new worry with fall bulbs.  I have some sort of critter rooting around in my bulbs.  It could possibly be a squirrel, chipmunk, raccoon or skunk.  Or maybe something I haven't even thought of.  Our squirrel population is pretty low right now.  Chipmunks tend to drill holes.  Raccoons usually taste whatever they dig up.  Therefore I think it is the skunk.

Whatever it is just sort of uncovers the bulbs and maybe disrupts them, but doesn't seem to eat them.  That doesn't really worry me with my older bulbs.  I just cover them back up.  But if I am paying for brand new bulbs I really don't want them disturbed.

Once I find my spot, I brush the mulch away for later, and sort out how many go in each spot.

I only have the short, starter version Power Planter Auger for my existing drill, but man does it make a difference in my life.  It makes short work of hard packed soil.

Bulbs should be covered with twice as much soil as their own height. I also add Bulb-Tone to the planting hole.

Now because I am worried about these being dug up I used squares of hardware cloth to cover them.  I pinned them down hard with landscape staples (I left these high so you can see them.)  The staples are in the undisturbed hardpack soil so they aren't coming out easy.

I covered two of the hyacinth groupings with the wire cloches.  This is sort of a comparison,  I think the cloches would offer a little more protection.  We'll see.  I do not intend to leave the wire squares in the spring, but in the event I do, the one inch squares would allow the plant to push up through without much trouble.

The large blue alliums went on either side of the Southern Charm Verbascum.  

Also tucked in well with hardware cloth pinned down firmly.

In my comings and goings I noticed another of my garden helpers.  He (or she?) was hopping furiously across from the pachysandra towards home.  I got right in front of him to slow him down for a moment.

"Will I have to go over you or through you?"

A minute later he was burrowing into his home under the old stump behind the Heuchera.