by Connie Oswald Stofko
“Alliums are flowers that people see in the spring, and they come in expecting to buy them,” said Mark Yadon, vice president at Mischler’s Florist and Greenhouses in Williamsville. “It’s showy and they think, ‘I’ve got to have that.'”
Although these great flowers appear in spring, you have to plant them in fall.
“Right now is the time to plant them,” Yadon said. You can plant them through mid-November, if you can still work the soil then.
Now is also the time to plant other spring bulbs, too, including daffodils or narcissus, tulips, crocus, hyacinths and fritillaria.
Most garden centers carry spring bulbs now, he said, but they may sell out if you wait too long. Even if you don’t intend to plant for a few weeks, you may want to buy bulbs now to make sure you can get the ones you want.
Protecting spring bulbs from deer, rabbits, squirrels
One of the problems that many gardeners have with spring bulbs is that certain animals like them as much as we do. Deer and rabbits may eat the plant and squirrels like to dig up the bulbs and eat them.
Here are some tips for dealing with these pests.
Tip #1: Plant bulbs that critters don’t like
Tulips are showy, but you have to protect them from deer and rabbits or those animals will go right after them and eat them, Yadon said. The same with crocuses. In addition, squirrels dig up the bulbs.
To save yourself some trouble right from the start, plant bulbs those critters don’t go for. Good choices are allium, hyacinth and daffodils or narcissus.
Deer don’t mess with fritillaria, either, but those spring bulbs from the lily family are a target for the red lily leaf beetle.
Tip #2: Create a barrier
To prevent squirrels from digging up bulbs, create a barrier. You can use chicken wire or those black plastic trays that hold an entire flat of plants. (See photo.) The six-packs of plants are placed in the tray, and the bottom of the tray is mesh. You might have one in your garage or shed now.
Plant your bulbs and cover them with some soil, Yadon said. Next set the chicken wire or plastic mesh tray over the soil, then add more soil to completely bury the chicken wire or tray. The plants will grow up through the mesh or chicken wire, but the squirrels won’t be able to dig up the bulbs.
Tip #3: Try stinky sprays on your bulbs
To keep squirrels from digging up your bulbs, apply commercial sprays or homemade sprays that have been created to repel animals, said John Farfaglia, extension educator with Cornell Cooperative Extension in Niagara County.
More tips on bulbs:
Enjoy waves of spring color– in a single spot
Get spectacular spring color without sacrificing summer splendor
What perennials to plant around spring bulbs
How to prepare bulbs to force inside
Nancy, I don’t know the answer to this question. I suggest you contact the Master Gardeners in your area. Maybe they can help you figure out what’s going on. I hope that helps.
Please help. I planted allium in the fall of 2015, which i purchased from a nursery. Leaves came up within a few weeks and then died during the winter. in the spring no flower. Same the next year. The leaves just came up now. I have had no flowers from any of these bulbs. Thanks for your help.