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When you're oogling at bedding plants and aahhing at
perennials this spring, why not check out summer-blooming bulbs,
too? Tubers, corms, tuberous roots, rhizomes and bulbs will offer
striking accents to your summer Garden. You'll find them sleeping
in bins, boxes and plastic bags at local Garden centers.
Shop early for the best selection and choose only the largest
and firmest specimens. Consider exposure, soil type and watering
requirements to ensure a command performance.
These plants represent a relatively large one-time investment;
cultivate them with care to get the best return on your money.
Allium is a member of the onion family and is a spectacular
addition to any flower Garden. Plants vary in height and flower
size ranges from 2 inches to 10 inches across. Dwarf species are
well-suited to rock Gardens while the tall-growing species are
sentinels in your flower Garden.
Ball-shaped alliums bloom in tight, round clusters of 60 to 80
small, star-shaped florets with colors ranging from pink to purple.
They are long lasting when cut. Flower heads can be left in the
Garden to dry for use later in dried flower arrangements.
Anemones are among the most colorful plants of spring, ranging
from cream to vivid shades of pink, red, blue and purple surrounded
by delicate foliage.
The DeCaen strain grows 6 to 8 inches high with saucer-shaped
single flowers about 2 inches in diameter. The St. Brigid strain
features large, mostly semi-double flowers that resemble asters.
Anemones like rich, well-drained soil and do well in full sun or
light shade. They are most attractive when planted in clusters.
Begonias are grown from tubers and are unsurpassed as summer
plants with light-to-medium shade. They blossom profusely until
frost and make fine cut flowers when set afloat in shallow bowls.
Bush-type begonias grow up to 2 feet tall with a full range of
colors, while trailing begonias are a favorite selection for
hanging baskets. Begonias can be started indoors and transplanted
outside after danger of frost is past.
Cannas vary in height from one-and-one-half feet to five feet
and bear flower spikes about a foot tall from early summer until
frost. The 4-to-5-inch blossoms range in colors from white through
shades of yellow to pink, red, orange and scarlet. Tall varieties
are good background plants against fences.
Dahlias are among the most accommodating of all Garden flowers
and come in a wide variety of shapes, sizes and colors. They bloom
from mid-summer until frost, providing constant color and superb
cut flowers. Some varieties become as large as dinner plates. You
can purchase dahlias as bedding plants, as well as root divisions.
Dahlias perform well in rich Garden soil with bright sunshine,
but they will tolerate light shade if they receive at least 3 to 4
hours of sun each day. The more sun, the sturdier the plants.
Gladiolus are grown primarily for cutting and are prized for
their unique appearance and variety of colors. Plants range from 1
foot to more than 5 feet tall; they prefer full sun. Individual
plants bloom only a week to 10 days, but you can extend the bloom
by planting the corms at intervals of 7 to 10 days, starting after
the last spring frost and continuing until 2 months before the
first fall frost.
Gardeners often place a double row of bulbs in an 8-inch-wide
trench, staggering the bulbs to achieve proper spacing. Plants can
be held erect by mounding earth around the stems to the height of
about 6 inches. Or, you can stake the plants. All gladiolus have
sword-shaped foliage that remains green until frost.
Lilies create a very special focal point in any summer Garden.
Plant in groups of at least three for the greatest effect. Lilies
do best with 5 to 6 hours of sun a day, but tiger lilies and wood
lilies tolerate light shade. They will not tolerate wet soil around
their roots; they do well in raised beds.
Ranunculuses bear 2-to-5-inch flowers crowded with delicate
petals. They bloom over a 2-to-3-month period. They are usually
grown for cutting and come in every color except green and blue.
Each plant bears several flowers on 18-inch stalks and may produce
up to 75 flowers a season.
The fern-like foliage withers in early summer. Ranunculuses
require full sun and dry soil around the crows of the plant with
moist soil around the roots. You can achieve this by planting them
in clay pots with the bottoms removed. Set the pots directly in the
Garden with the rim raised one to one-and-a-half inches above the
soil. Set the tubers in the pot and cover with one-and-one-half
inches of soil. Water thoroughly and then withhold moisture until
sprouts appear, unless the soil becomes excessively dry.
Alliums, anemones and lilies do not need to be dug and stored
over the winter, but they should be mulched well for protection.
Begonias, cannas, dahlias, gladiolus and ranunculuses should be dug
after the first hard frost. Allow the dug portions to dry and then
place them in vermiculite and store in a frost-free location until
spring. If storing bulbs in a garage, where temperatures could drop
below freezing, place the bulbs and vermiculite in a styrofoam
cooler.
For more information on Gardening, contact your
local Colorado State University Extension office.
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