The general rule for bulbs is to plant them at a depth roughly twice
that of the bulb itself. Either that or some types have specific
depths recommended for them. But I have up to three inches of coarse
mulch on my flower beds (shredded hedge trimmings etc). Do I include
this when estimating planting depth, or do I ignore it, scrape it
aside and plant at the appropriate depth in the underlying soil? If
the former, then for many smaller bulbs they wouldn't actually be in
the soil at all, but just in the mulch, which doesn't seem right.


--
Chris

E-mail: christopher[dot]hogg[at]virgin[dot]net

Chris Hogg wrote in message
...
The general rule for bulbs is to plant them at a depth roughly twice
that of the bulb itself. Either that or some types have specific
depths recommended for them. But I have up to three inches of coarse
mulch on my flower beds (shredded hedge trimmings etc). Do I include
this when estimating planting depth, or do I ignore it, scrape it
aside and plant at the appropriate depth in the underlying soil? If
the former, then for many smaller bulbs they wouldn't actually be in
the soil at all, but just in the mulch, which doesn't seem right.


--
Chris

E-mail: christopher[dot]hogg[at]virgin[dot]net

Hi Chris,
No, it wouldn't be right. Any bulb simply planted in the mulch would be a
gift for birds, mice, squirrels, etc.
Ignore the mulch. Take the soil surface as your working stratum and plant
below it as per instruction for each bulb type.
Spider

On Sat, 11 Sep 2004 22:19:45 +0100, "Spider"
wrote:


Hi Chris,
No, it wouldn't be right. Any bulb simply planted in the mulch would be a
gift for birds, mice, squirrels, etc.
Ignore the mulch. Take the soil surface as your working stratum and plant
below it as per instruction for each bulb type.
Spider

Thanks Spider. That's what I suspected, but I'm grateful for the
confirmation.


--
Chris

E-mail: christopher[dot]hogg[at]virgin[dot]net

"Spider" wrote in
:

Hi Chris,
No, it wouldn't be right. Any bulb simply planted in the mulch would
be a gift for birds, mice, squirrels, etc.

If you have very heavy/wet soil though, a mulch can be a way of growing
bulbs that would otherwise rot. You simply put small bulbs on the soil
surface, and stick the mulch on the top. Works very well for crocus, for
example.

I did this successfully, (though it was not a garden that had problems
with bird or mouse attacks: in fact most of the time I was there, the bird
population was spookily low: it's weird how you notice the absence of
birdsong...)

Victoria
--
gardening on a north-facing hill
in South-East Cornwall
--

I've always heard that it doesn't matter as the bulbs pull or push themselves to the correct depth

In article , laura laura.1clfjp@n
ews.gardenbanter.co.uk writes

Chris Hogg Wrote:
The general rule for bulbs is to plant them at a depth roughly twice
that of the bulb itself. Either that or some types have specific
depths recommended for them. But I have up to three inches of coarse
mulch on my flower beds (shredded hedge trimmings etc). Do I include
this when estimating planting depth, or do I ignore it, scrape it
aside and plant at the appropriate depth in the underlying soil? If
the former, then for many smaller bulbs they wouldn't actually be in
the soil at all, but just in the mulch, which doesn't seem right.


I've always heard that it doesn't matter as the bulbs pull or push
themselves to the correct depth

Wishful thinking, I think. Or else Allium moly *enjoys* rolling around
on the surface ;-)
--
Kay
"Do not insult the crocodile until you have crossed the river"

"laura" wrote in message
...

[snip]

I've always heard that it doesn't matter as the bulbs pull or push
themselves to the correct depth

Why then do half of my Kaufmannia tulips always lie on top of the soil
this time of the year?

Franz

"Janet Baraclough.." wrote in
message ...
The message
from "Franz Heymann" contains
these words:


"laura" wrote in message
...

[snip]

I've always heard that it doesn't matter as the bulbs pull or
push
themselves to the correct depth

Why then do half of my Kaufmannia tulips always lie on top of the
soil
this time of the year?

They're trying to escape from your garden?

Could be.

Or squirrels.

No squirrels, no mice, but vast hordes of jackdaws. However, I have
never seen them rooting around in the soil. They content themselves
with stealing what they can from the bird feeding sites.

Franz

On 18/9/04 20:25, in article ,
"Janet Baraclough.." wrote:

The message
from "Franz Heymann" contains these words:


"laura" wrote in message
...

[snip]

I've always heard that it doesn't matter as the bulbs pull or push
themselves to the correct depth

Why then do half of my Kaufmannia tulips always lie on top of the soil
this time of the year?

They're trying to escape from your garden? Or squirrels.

Janet


I hate to add to a possible myth but I do remember an old gardener telling
me this about tulip bulbs - that they somehow 'work' themselves to the
surface. And a few months back I read a book written by a woman making a
garden in France who recommended planting tulip bulbs at least 9" deep to
get the best results.
Van Tubergen are now selling tulip trays. You fill these circular trays
with soil and bulbs, plant them and then, when the tulips are finished, take
them up, still filled with soil and put them somewhere out of sight to let
the tulip foliage finish.
--
Sacha
www.hillhousenursery.co.uk
South Devon
(remove the weeds to email me)

"Sacha" wrote in message
k...
On 18/9/04 20:25, in article
,
"Janet Baraclough.." wrote:

The message
from "Franz Heymann" contains
these words:


"laura" wrote in message
...

[snip]

I've always heard that it doesn't matter as the bulbs pull or
push
themselves to the correct depth

Why then do half of my Kaufmannia tulips always lie on top of the
soil
this time of the year?

They're trying to escape from your garden? Or squirrels.

Janet


I hate to add to a possible myth but I do remember an old gardener
telling
me this about tulip bulbs - that they somehow 'work' themselves to
the
surface. And a few months back I read a book written by a woman
making a
garden in France who recommended planting tulip bulbs at least 9"
deep to
get the best results.
Van Tubergen are now selling tulip trays. You fill these circular
trays
with soil and bulbs, plant them and then, when the tulips are
finished, take
them up, still filled with soil and put them somewhere out of sight
to let
the tulip foliage finish.

How about just planting them in ordinary plastic pots and sink them
into the soil?

Franz

"Martin" wrote in message
...
On Sat, 18 Sep 2004 22:08:23 +0000 (UTC), "Franz Heymann"
wrote:


"Sacha" wrote in message
. uk...
On 18/9/04 20:25, in article
,
"Janet Baraclough.." wrote:

The message
from "Franz Heymann"
contains
these words:


"laura" wrote in
message
...

[snip]

I've always heard that it doesn't matter as the bulbs pull or
push
themselves to the correct depth

Why then do half of my Kaufmannia tulips always lie on top of
the
soil
this time of the year?

They're trying to escape from your garden? Or squirrels.

Janet


I hate to add to a possible myth but I do remember an old
gardener
telling
me this about tulip bulbs - that they somehow 'work' themselves
to
the
surface. And a few months back I read a book written by a woman
making a
garden in France who recommended planting tulip bulbs at least 9"
deep to
get the best results.
Van Tubergen are now selling tulip trays. You fill these
circular
trays
with soil and bulbs, plant them and then, when the tulips are
finished, take
them up, still filled with soil and put them somewhere out of
sight
to let
the tulip foliage finish.

How about just planting them in ordinary plastic pots and sink them
into the soil?

The bowl has a bottom like a sieve to allow the roots to grow
through
see picture
http://www.vantubergen.nl/media/9753.jpg


We've used them. My wife thinks the diameter 30cm is a bit small.

Three for Euro4.90 incl VAT p&p

Hey, they sound like the cat's whiskers.
What is the approximate depth?

I am considering using them for a production line wormery. When the
worms have done one bowlful in, start another one on top. When you
have a stack of three, harvest the bottom one and keep it in readiness
for the next top unit.

Franz

On 18/9/04 23:08, in article , "Franz
Heymann" wrote:


"Sacha" wrote in message
k...
snip
I hate to add to a possible myth but I do remember an old gardener
telling
me this about tulip bulbs - that they somehow 'work' themselves to
the
surface. And a few months back I read a book written by a woman
making a
garden in France who recommended planting tulip bulbs at least 9"
deep to
get the best results.
Van Tubergen are now selling tulip trays. You fill these circular
trays
with soil and bulbs, plant them and then, when the tulips are
finished, take
them up, still filled with soil and put them somewhere out of sight
to let
the tulip foliage finish.

How about just planting them in ordinary plastic pots and sink them
into the soil?

You could certainly do that but I think these planters would make for a more
interesting arrangement of the bulbs. From what I remember it's a hollow
ring, so the bulbs would be more spread out and something to come on later
could go directly into the earth in the middle. Then when you lift the ring
out of the ground, you won't be left with nothing there at all, as you would
be with a pot.
--
Sacha
www.hillhousenursery.co.uk
South Devon
(remove the weeds to email me)

"Martin" wrote in message
...
On Sun, 19 Sep 2004 09:45:10 +0000 (UTC), "Franz Heymann"
wrote:


"Martin" wrote in message
.. .
On Sat, 18 Sep 2004 22:08:23 +0000 (UTC), "Franz Heymann"
wrote:


"Sacha" wrote in message
. uk...
On 18/9/04 20:25, in article
,
"Janet Baraclough.."
wrote:

The message
from "Franz Heymann"
contains
these words:


"laura" wrote in
message
...

[snip]

I've always heard that it doesn't matter as the bulbs pull
or
push
themselves to the correct depth

Why then do half of my Kaufmannia tulips always lie on top
of
the
soil
this time of the year?

They're trying to escape from your garden? Or squirrels.

Janet


I hate to add to a possible myth but I do remember an old
gardener
telling
me this about tulip bulbs - that they somehow 'work'
themselves
to
the
surface. And a few months back I read a book written by a
woman
making a
garden in France who recommended planting tulip bulbs at least
9"
deep to
get the best results.
Van Tubergen are now selling tulip trays. You fill these
circular
trays
with soil and bulbs, plant them and then, when the tulips are
finished, take
them up, still filled with soil and put them somewhere out of
sight
to let
the tulip foliage finish.

How about just planting them in ordinary plastic pots and sink
them
into the soil?

The bowl has a bottom like a sieve to allow the roots to grow
through
see picture
http://www.vantubergen.nl/media/9753.jpg


We've used them. My wife thinks the diameter 30cm is a bit small.

Three for Euro4.90 incl VAT p&p

Hey, they sound like the cat's whiskers.
What is the approximate depth?

About 10 cm.


I am considering using them for a production line wormery. When
the
worms have done one bowlful in, start another one on top. When you
have a stack of three, harvest the bottom one and keep it in
readiness
for the next top unit.

Van Tubergen only seem to sell them in threes

That's the number I would need.

Isn't the bottom a bit too open to retain worms?

You tell me. I haven't seen them yet.

You could probably do the same on a larger scale with a pvc laundry
basket.

I am thinking only of disposing of the vegetable kitchen waste this
way. Since there are only 2 of us in this menage, I doubt if we would
need bigger units. (Assuming that the worms are as voracious as they
say)

Franz

"Sacha" wrote in message
k...
On 18/9/04 23:08, in article ,
"Franz
Heymann" wrote:


"Sacha" wrote in message
k...
snip
I hate to add to a possible myth but I do remember an old
gardener
telling
me this about tulip bulbs - that they somehow 'work' themselves
to
the
surface. And a few months back I read a book written by a woman
making a
garden in France who recommended planting tulip bulbs at least 9"
deep to
get the best results.
Van Tubergen are now selling tulip trays. You fill these
circular
trays
with soil and bulbs, plant them and then, when the tulips are
finished, take
them up, still filled with soil and put them somewhere out of
sight
to let
the tulip foliage finish.

How about just planting them in ordinary plastic pots and sink
them
into the soil?

You could certainly do that but I think these planters would make
for a more
interesting arrangement of the bulbs. From what I remember it's a
hollow
ring, so the bulbs would be more spread out and something to come on
later
could go directly into the earth in the middle. Then when you lift
the ring
out of the ground, you won't be left with nothing there at all, as
you would
be with a pot.

I must be missing a trick somewhere. What purpose does the ring
serve? I thought the idea was to allow you to remove the bulbs soil
and all to somewhere else to mature, so that the ground becomes
available for something else for the rest of the season.

Franz

On 19/9/04 18:34, in article ,
"Janet Baraclough.." wrote:


Whatever happened to post editing, folks?

(Departs left, confused and emotional)

Janet

But not pursued by a bear - I hope.
--

Sacha