Planting Pansies & fall bulbs

Some Fall notes:

(When I refer to bulbs in this blog, I am referring to bulbs that you plant in the fall & they bloom in the spring, other wise known as "Fall bulbs". These can include tulips, daffodils, crocus, alliums, fritillarias, hyacinths. "Spring or Summer bulbs" are planted in the spring, bloom in the summer and should be dug in the fall and stored for winter. These include caladiums, begonias, glads, some lilies, Dutch iris, dahlias, cannas.)

People get frustrated with tulips because they plant them & then they don't don't come up well after the first spring. They look fantastic the first time & then the next year there won't be as many, then the next year is even worse. Maybe you have noticed the big landscaping companies in Lexington digging up tulip bulbs in front of large businesses- they plant them & then throw them away just like they were marigolds or any other annual flower. Here's the problem: tulips are not winter hardy enough to live a long time, or... squirrels or chipmunks might be eating them. When you buy tulip bulbs, instead of buying the prettiest, most tantalizing varieties in the pictures, look for tulips that are "good for naturalizing" or are described as perennial. These tulips will rebloom each spring for you!! As for the rodent problems- put bird netting or chicken wire down on the ground where the bulbs are planted to keep them from digging in your flower bed. Side note: the wire or netting will annoy cats so bad that will stop using that spot for a litter box!

Now is a fantastic time to plant pansies!!! And it has finally rained!!!!! Yeah!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Pansies will live all winter here. They will bloom on days when it is sunny in winter and look wonderful in the early spring when it is still too early to plant flowers that cannot tolerate frost!

Dig up a spot & plant bulbs, then plant pansies on top of the bulbs. Day lilies are another great companion plant for bulbs. Plant the bulbs, especially daffodils, and then plant day lilies on top and the day lily foliage will camoflage the bulb foliage as it dies back. Bulb foliage should be allowed to die back naturally instead of cutting it down because the leafs provide nutrients to the bulb to help it bloom well the next spring.

If you plant hyacinths, WEAR GLOVES!!!!! The bulbs will burn your skin!