A Gardeners DecemberBy Greg Draiss
The turkey is gone or at least down to the last little bits of dark meat hiding somewhere in the refrigerator. Hopefully there is some stuffing left. Stuffing is to me the best part of the Thanksgiving feast. My second favorite part of the holiday is the obligatory nap on the couch regardless of who is sitting there. I rarely take a nap except for Thanksgiving day afternoon. Things like this just do not happen in my household. Dad take a nap? Perish the thought! There are newspapers articles to write, footballs to be tossed, photographs to be taken and dishes to wash.
I do not do dishes on Thanksgiving. Never have and unless my wife reads this article never will.I do dishes almost every night the rest of the year. Well at least every day that ends in “q”. But dishes aside a nap on the couch awakens me to that wonderful stuffing. Yes the bird was wonderful as well the yams, pies, storytelling and the lousy football game on TV. Those poor people sitting in a stadium watching their home team get trounced when they could have been at home with turkey and stuffing. I hope the vendors perusing the stands offered up at least a turkey hot dog to the kids.
But why you might ask do I refer back to the stuffing? I hope after all the inference to the great stuffing it did not end up coming out of a box. Simply put stuffing is the quintessential Thanks- giving food. There are more flavors and subtle nuances in stuffing than the rest of the meal put together. The secret is in the spices and herbs mixed with the bread crumbs and whatever else goes into stuffing. Don’t ask me how to make stuffing I have not a clue. I do know that the wonderful aroma of stuffing, the tongue teasing tastes all combine for a completely satisfying taste.
To me stuffing represents the essence of the holiday. All of us gathered together in mixed families representing the generations passing of the torch to the next. A perfect blend of seasoning, textures and tastes all mixed (or stuffed) together to celebrate the bountiful harvest of the past year. Many of the flavorful herbs in stuffing can be easily grown and harvested in our own gardens. Dried thyme, rosemary, oregano and savory from the back yard taste better than those from a box.
Which brings me to December. December is the month for giving. December is not really a month for gardening in these parts. December is in fact about the only month devoid of real outdoor gardening activities. Let’s face it the lawn is too frozen to mow even if it needs it like mine. The compost piles freeze up like a gas tank full of water and the ground too hard to plant a small crocus bulb. Even orchards must wait until January or February before they get their winter pruning.
So what is there for the gardener to do in December? Give. Give a thought as to what the new garden year will bring you. Seed catalogs in the January mail? Seminars, lectures and garden shows throughout the entire winter perhaps.
Give your favorite gardener a hug! There is no place else a gardener would rather be than to be outside in the garden. And since there is nothing to do in the garden in December gardeners get kind of down. While we do cover it up well by singing Christmas carols, decorating with lights and wrapping boxes in colorful paper, we would really rather be outside playing in the dirt. Or defending our lawns from bugs and thugs whether two legged, four legged or six legged, from invading our personal space.
It is a depressing time of year for gardeners. Some of the seasonal afflictions I suffer from in December are as follows: LOFT: Lack of Fresh Tomatoes.WARF: Where Are the Real Flowers?CHILLY: Cold Hands (and other extremities) In Lieu of Luminous Yummy chile peppers.And finally CROP: Cardboard like Really Obnoxious Pretenders. (Offerings of veggies in winter compared to fresh in season selections).
So what to do? Gather up some tropical plants for your home, huddle next to them in your favorite chair under a grow light, take a nap and dream of stuffing!
Lighthouse Navigationkayak/canoe sales and rentalsathens on the hudson, ny845-559-7892
Life should be easier. So should your homepage. Try the NEW AOL.com.
30 November, 2008
December Equals Despair for Gardeners
A Gardeners DecemberBy Greg Draiss
The turkey is gone or at least down to the last little bits of dark meat hiding somewhere in the refrigerator. Hopefully there is some stuffing left. Stuffing is to me the best part of the Thanksgiving feast. My second favorite part of the holiday is the obligatory nap on the couch regardless of who is sitting there. I rarely take a nap except for Thanksgiving day afternoon. Things like this just do not happen in my household. Dad take a nap? Perish the thought! There are newspapers articles to write, footballs to be tossed, photographs to be taken and dishes to wash.
I do not do dishes on Thanksgiving. Never have and unless my wife reads this article never will.I do dishes almost every night the rest of the year. Well at least every day that ends in “q”. But dishes aside a nap on the couch awakens me to that wonderful stuffing. Yes the bird was wonderful as well the yams, pies, storytelling and the lousy football game on TV. Those poor people sitting in a stadium watching their home team get trounced when they could have been at home with turkey and stuffing. I hope the vendors perusing the stands offered up at least a turkey hot dog to the kids.
But why you might ask do I refer back to the stuffing? I hope after all the inference to the great stuffing it did not end up coming out of a box. Simply put stuffing is the quintessential Thanks- giving food. There are more flavors and subtle nuances in stuffing than the rest of the meal put together. The secret is in the spices and herbs mixed with the bread crumbs and whatever else goes into stuffing. Don’t ask me how to make stuffing I have not a clue. I do know that the wonderful aroma of stuffing, the tongue teasing tastes all combine for a completely satisfying taste.
To me stuffing represents the essence of the holiday. All of us gathered together in mixed families representing the generations passing of the torch to the next. A perfect blend of seasoning, textures and tastes all mixed (or stuffed) together to celebrate the bountiful harvest of the past year. Many of the flavorful herbs in stuffing can be easily grown and harvested in our own gardens. Dried thyme, rosemary, oregano and savory from the back yard taste better than those from a box.
Which brings me to December. December is the month for giving. December is not really a month for gardening in these parts. December is in fact about the only month devoid of real outdoor gardening activities. Let’s face it the lawn is too frozen to mow even if it needs it like mine. The compost piles freeze up like a gas tank full of water and the ground too hard to plant a small crocus bulb. Even orchards must wait until January or February before they get their winter pruning.
So what is there for the gardener to do in December? Give. Give a thought as to what the new garden year will bring you. Seed catalogs in the January mail? Seminars, lectures and garden shows throughout the entire winter perhaps.
Give your favorite gardener a hug! There is no place else a gardener would rather be than to be outside in the garden. And since there is nothing to do in the garden in December gardeners get kind of down. While we do cover it up well by singing Christmas carols, decorating with lights and wrapping boxes in colorful paper, we would really rather be outside playing in the dirt. Or defending our lawns from bugs and thugs whether two legged, four legged or six legged, from invading our personal space.
It is a depressing time of year for gardeners. Some of the seasonal afflictions I suffer from in December are as follows: LOFT: Lack of Fresh Tomatoes.WARF: Where Are the Real Flowers?CHILLY: Cold Hands (and other extremities) In Lieu of Luminous Yummy chile peppers.And finally CROP: Cardboard like Really Obnoxious Pretenders. (Offerings of veggies in winter compared to fresh in season selections).
So what to do? Gather up some tropical plants for your home, huddle next to them in your favorite chair under a grow light, take a nap and dream of stuffing!
Lighthouse Navigationkayak/canoe sales and rentalsathens on the hudson, ny845-559-7892
Life should be easier. So should your homepage. Try the NEW AOL.com.
The turkey is gone or at least down to the last little bits of dark meat hiding somewhere in the refrigerator. Hopefully there is some stuffing left. Stuffing is to me the best part of the Thanksgiving feast. My second favorite part of the holiday is the obligatory nap on the couch regardless of who is sitting there. I rarely take a nap except for Thanksgiving day afternoon. Things like this just do not happen in my household. Dad take a nap? Perish the thought! There are newspapers articles to write, footballs to be tossed, photographs to be taken and dishes to wash.
I do not do dishes on Thanksgiving. Never have and unless my wife reads this article never will.I do dishes almost every night the rest of the year. Well at least every day that ends in “q”. But dishes aside a nap on the couch awakens me to that wonderful stuffing. Yes the bird was wonderful as well the yams, pies, storytelling and the lousy football game on TV. Those poor people sitting in a stadium watching their home team get trounced when they could have been at home with turkey and stuffing. I hope the vendors perusing the stands offered up at least a turkey hot dog to the kids.
But why you might ask do I refer back to the stuffing? I hope after all the inference to the great stuffing it did not end up coming out of a box. Simply put stuffing is the quintessential Thanks- giving food. There are more flavors and subtle nuances in stuffing than the rest of the meal put together. The secret is in the spices and herbs mixed with the bread crumbs and whatever else goes into stuffing. Don’t ask me how to make stuffing I have not a clue. I do know that the wonderful aroma of stuffing, the tongue teasing tastes all combine for a completely satisfying taste.
To me stuffing represents the essence of the holiday. All of us gathered together in mixed families representing the generations passing of the torch to the next. A perfect blend of seasoning, textures and tastes all mixed (or stuffed) together to celebrate the bountiful harvest of the past year. Many of the flavorful herbs in stuffing can be easily grown and harvested in our own gardens. Dried thyme, rosemary, oregano and savory from the back yard taste better than those from a box.
Which brings me to December. December is the month for giving. December is not really a month for gardening in these parts. December is in fact about the only month devoid of real outdoor gardening activities. Let’s face it the lawn is too frozen to mow even if it needs it like mine. The compost piles freeze up like a gas tank full of water and the ground too hard to plant a small crocus bulb. Even orchards must wait until January or February before they get their winter pruning.
So what is there for the gardener to do in December? Give. Give a thought as to what the new garden year will bring you. Seed catalogs in the January mail? Seminars, lectures and garden shows throughout the entire winter perhaps.
Give your favorite gardener a hug! There is no place else a gardener would rather be than to be outside in the garden. And since there is nothing to do in the garden in December gardeners get kind of down. While we do cover it up well by singing Christmas carols, decorating with lights and wrapping boxes in colorful paper, we would really rather be outside playing in the dirt. Or defending our lawns from bugs and thugs whether two legged, four legged or six legged, from invading our personal space.
It is a depressing time of year for gardeners. Some of the seasonal afflictions I suffer from in December are as follows: LOFT: Lack of Fresh Tomatoes.WARF: Where Are the Real Flowers?CHILLY: Cold Hands (and other extremities) In Lieu of Luminous Yummy chile peppers.And finally CROP: Cardboard like Really Obnoxious Pretenders. (Offerings of veggies in winter compared to fresh in season selections).
So what to do? Gather up some tropical plants for your home, huddle next to them in your favorite chair under a grow light, take a nap and dream of stuffing!
Lighthouse Navigationkayak/canoe sales and rentalsathens on the hudson, ny845-559-7892
Life should be easier. So should your homepage. Try the NEW AOL.com.
23 November, 2008
From Homeless to Horticulturist
This link is to a story from the mercury news about a Santa Cruz Ca. operation called The Homeless Garden. These folks not only help transition people from homeless to the workforce they teach them how to garden as well.
Excellent service for all of us to ponder.
Excellent service for all of us to ponder.
10 November, 2008
Keep Vampires Out of the Garden With Garlic
Keeping Vampires Out of the Garden.
By Greg Draiss
A sure sign of impending cool weather and the real end of summer is the annual Garlic Festival held in Saugerties, NY This festival has been rated as one of the top food festivals in the nation by some culinary experts. Everything sold at the festival must have garlic in the recipe. Originally a one day event it now spans the entire weekend attracting as many 50,000 people in search bad breath, vampire repellents and strangely flavored ice cream.
As a maturing society America discovered itself as a vast land of foodies in the mid 1980’s. There were many food fads that have come and gone. Gourmet abandoned it’s place on mid day PBS cooking shows and became synonymous with any food cooked by some one who liked to tell others how they cooked it. Nouveau cuisine became the new gourmet as high flying restaurants began serving small portions of artfully placed food stacked high and a high price to match. Food presentation was more important than taste.
Now with the health consciousness ones there is all of a sudden too much food on the plate.
But one trend in food that has endured is America’s love of herbs and spices an especially garlic. No food ingredient adds as much to a dish as herbs and garlic is the king of herbs.
No longer are gardeners and cooks stuck with one variety to choose from. There are dozens of garlic varities available for the home gardener as well as the home gourmet.
Garlic planting in our climate begins six weeks before the last frost date. That makes mid September a good starting point. The newly planted cloves need enough time to set roots and even begin some leaf growth before the ground freezes solid.
Garlic is a very long crop taking almost a full year to complete its cycle. Soil preparation is vital. A rich deep soil with lots of organic matter is what the bulb like best. If like me you have clay soil consider building raised beds and adding lots of compost, rotted manure or anything to achieve loose non compacted soil.
To plant break apart the bulb into individual clove and plant one inch deep. In raided beds or colder areas plant as deep as 4 inches to protect from freezing. Even then add an inch of mulch to the top of the bed for further protection. Garlic will easily push its way through the mulch when temperatures rise in spring.
For the largest bulb possible spacing is critical. I planted my Racombole too close last year and ended up with small bulbs. Space the cloves 6 inches apart in rows 12 inches apart for best results.
Always be watchful when cultivating weeds in the garlic bed. Remember these little cloves are often just below the surface.
Garlic’s’ nutrient needs are minimal for such a long crop. A moderate dressing of rich compost, dried manure or fish emulsion will suffice as the leaves begin to grow in the spring. Garlic also has an interesting need for nitrogen like other flowering bulbs. Garden logic tells us that flowering plants do not like nitrogen as it tends to encourage more leafy growth than flowers or roots. Well like tulips and daffodils an application of nitrogen sprayed on the leaves helps the leaves grow large enough to make enough food for the roots and flowers to grow larger. However this need for feeding comes to and ends in mid summer when bulbs start forming.
There are to classes of garlic to be concerned with, hard neck and soft neck. Hard neck varieties can be planted in fall and should be as spring planting will often result in poor yields. Soft necks varieties can be planted in fall or spring. As a matter of fact in areas of severe cold with no reliable snow cover or mulch soft necks should only be planted in spring.
Hard neck and soft neck varieties have the same growing and care needs with one exception. Hard necks if left to their own will form bulblets near the top of the flower stalk. This may look like a novelty in the garden the main bulb underground will be much smaller. Remove the flower stalk when it reaches 6-8 inches in height.
Harvesting begins when the leaves start to die off in late summer. Bulbs are then lifted dirt shaken off and then the bulb removed from direct sunlight. Place the bulbs anywhere there is good air circulation and warm temperatures. Curing takes roughly two weeks to three months depending on the location.
When the garlic has dried a choice needs to be made. Store or replant? Garlic is alike to rabbits in how fast it multiplies. Store what you need for the next year at 45-55 degrees in well circulated air.
Too plant some of this years’ harvest for picking next year simply follow the planting instructions at the beginning of this article. Garlic is a wonderful crop to enjoy in all seasons of its growth.
Garlic reminds us like other flowering bulbs that there is a lot going on the garden in the fall. Gardening is indeed a year round activity simply by its design. Next time Labor Day rolls around and you think the garden is done for the year remember garlic. This small clove planted just before the weather turns harsh withstands the cold to give us a harvest of pungent delight.
By Greg Draiss
A sure sign of impending cool weather and the real end of summer is the annual Garlic Festival held in Saugerties, NY This festival has been rated as one of the top food festivals in the nation by some culinary experts. Everything sold at the festival must have garlic in the recipe. Originally a one day event it now spans the entire weekend attracting as many 50,000 people in search bad breath, vampire repellents and strangely flavored ice cream.
As a maturing society America discovered itself as a vast land of foodies in the mid 1980’s. There were many food fads that have come and gone. Gourmet abandoned it’s place on mid day PBS cooking shows and became synonymous with any food cooked by some one who liked to tell others how they cooked it. Nouveau cuisine became the new gourmet as high flying restaurants began serving small portions of artfully placed food stacked high and a high price to match. Food presentation was more important than taste.
Now with the health consciousness ones there is all of a sudden too much food on the plate.
But one trend in food that has endured is America’s love of herbs and spices an especially garlic. No food ingredient adds as much to a dish as herbs and garlic is the king of herbs.
No longer are gardeners and cooks stuck with one variety to choose from. There are dozens of garlic varities available for the home gardener as well as the home gourmet.
Garlic planting in our climate begins six weeks before the last frost date. That makes mid September a good starting point. The newly planted cloves need enough time to set roots and even begin some leaf growth before the ground freezes solid.
Garlic is a very long crop taking almost a full year to complete its cycle. Soil preparation is vital. A rich deep soil with lots of organic matter is what the bulb like best. If like me you have clay soil consider building raised beds and adding lots of compost, rotted manure or anything to achieve loose non compacted soil.
To plant break apart the bulb into individual clove and plant one inch deep. In raided beds or colder areas plant as deep as 4 inches to protect from freezing. Even then add an inch of mulch to the top of the bed for further protection. Garlic will easily push its way through the mulch when temperatures rise in spring.
For the largest bulb possible spacing is critical. I planted my Racombole too close last year and ended up with small bulbs. Space the cloves 6 inches apart in rows 12 inches apart for best results.
Always be watchful when cultivating weeds in the garlic bed. Remember these little cloves are often just below the surface.
Garlic’s’ nutrient needs are minimal for such a long crop. A moderate dressing of rich compost, dried manure or fish emulsion will suffice as the leaves begin to grow in the spring. Garlic also has an interesting need for nitrogen like other flowering bulbs. Garden logic tells us that flowering plants do not like nitrogen as it tends to encourage more leafy growth than flowers or roots. Well like tulips and daffodils an application of nitrogen sprayed on the leaves helps the leaves grow large enough to make enough food for the roots and flowers to grow larger. However this need for feeding comes to and ends in mid summer when bulbs start forming.
There are to classes of garlic to be concerned with, hard neck and soft neck. Hard neck varieties can be planted in fall and should be as spring planting will often result in poor yields. Soft necks varieties can be planted in fall or spring. As a matter of fact in areas of severe cold with no reliable snow cover or mulch soft necks should only be planted in spring.
Hard neck and soft neck varieties have the same growing and care needs with one exception. Hard necks if left to their own will form bulblets near the top of the flower stalk. This may look like a novelty in the garden the main bulb underground will be much smaller. Remove the flower stalk when it reaches 6-8 inches in height.
Harvesting begins when the leaves start to die off in late summer. Bulbs are then lifted dirt shaken off and then the bulb removed from direct sunlight. Place the bulbs anywhere there is good air circulation and warm temperatures. Curing takes roughly two weeks to three months depending on the location.
When the garlic has dried a choice needs to be made. Store or replant? Garlic is alike to rabbits in how fast it multiplies. Store what you need for the next year at 45-55 degrees in well circulated air.
Too plant some of this years’ harvest for picking next year simply follow the planting instructions at the beginning of this article. Garlic is a wonderful crop to enjoy in all seasons of its growth.
Garlic reminds us like other flowering bulbs that there is a lot going on the garden in the fall. Gardening is indeed a year round activity simply by its design. Next time Labor Day rolls around and you think the garden is done for the year remember garlic. This small clove planted just before the weather turns harsh withstands the cold to give us a harvest of pungent delight.
04 November, 2008
But Here Are Rodales 2008 Financials
Revenues for all operations grew by 7.6% compared to the second quarter of 2007
Rodale print advertising revenues were up 8.3% compared to an industry-wide decline of 4.9%
Revenues from all online activities increased by 27.1% over the second quarter of 2007, and uniques and page views for Rodale?s sites were up by 74% and 94%, respectively, compared to the same period last year
Revenues from international operations through June are up 14% compared to the first half of 2007
Rodale has shipped more than 1 million copies of Eat This Not That! by Men's Health Editor-in-Chief David Zinczenko and Associate Editor Matt Goulding to retail outlets since the book was released in December 2007 EMMAUS, PA, and NEW YORK, NY, August 6, 2008 -- Rodale Inc. reported its second quarter 2008 results today. Revenues for the company increased by 7.6% over the second quarter of 2007, led primarily by increased e-commerce activity, the success of its integrated advertising programs, growth in international operations, and robust sales of Eat This Not That! and Flat Belly Diet!
Rodale print advertising revenues were up 8.3% compared to an industry-wide decline of 4.9%
Revenues from all online activities increased by 27.1% over the second quarter of 2007, and uniques and page views for Rodale?s sites were up by 74% and 94%, respectively, compared to the same period last year
Revenues from international operations through June are up 14% compared to the first half of 2007
Rodale has shipped more than 1 million copies of Eat This Not That! by Men's Health Editor-in-Chief David Zinczenko and Associate Editor Matt Goulding to retail outlets since the book was released in December 2007 EMMAUS, PA, and NEW YORK, NY, August 6, 2008 -- Rodale Inc. reported its second quarter 2008 results today. Revenues for the company increased by 7.6% over the second quarter of 2007, led primarily by increased e-commerce activity, the success of its integrated advertising programs, growth in international operations, and robust sales of Eat This Not That! and Flat Belly Diet!
Rodale Shows It's Phony Liberal Colors
Rodale Press the venerable Organic Gardening magazine publisher just announced layoffs totalling 70 workers at it's Emmaus PA HQ. Rodale the long established leader in the organic movement is to organic gardening what Mother Earth News is to off the grid living. One would think with the new emphasis on "green living" would make for great conditions for green businesses like Rodale. However Rodale is a mature business that has rested on it's laurels for a long time. Not resting on laurels in an elite way but let's face it they have not been at the forefront of the organic movement for a long time. How many new gardeners actually have read OG magazine. I have not read it in years because of a ceratin attitude the mag carries about regular synthetic gardeners. I have found their readers to be carrying the cross and wearing it on their shirt sleeves. OG readers act like militant environmentalists and the "gay activists" on every street corner in Greenwich Village. Everyone is entitled to their opinion indeed but I draw the line when I am told I must join the movement in order to save myself and the planet. So good luck to the out of work at Rodale. You must be feeling mighty bitter that the leader in alternative gardening and living has not seen fit to find ways of preserving your jobs like they have telling us to preserve the Earth! The phonies in the management of OG who like other left leaning liberals shows clearly here. They espouse upon us to share the bounty and spread the wealth. But when the rubber hits the road the leadership does not spread the wealth by cutting everyone's salary and benefits so all can remain employed. No, they circle the wagons, protect their own fiefdoms and cut the servants, who have been loyal to the cause for all these years, loose to fend for themselves. Shame on you Rodale for not believing in your commune.
Enough Politics Let's Force This Issue
Spring is but a distant memory. What sticks out in our minds is what kind of spring it was. The bulk of spring, April, was a wet cold miserable time to be in the garden. Crops in out gardens and in the fields of farmers were ruined. But oh what a month May was. Beautiful warm temperatures and the most co-operative nature has been to gardeners in along time. As the leaves fall in colored splendor they remind us that spring is just around the corner. Around a cold dark sometimes snowy winter though. However if we just look back at May and see how nature cooperated and made up for the rains of April we can have spring up a little early indoors. The trick is to plan now and plant now.
A visit to any garden center now will give you great ideas for spring bulb gardening. Tulips in rainbows of colors, daffodils and narcissus that deer refuse to eat. Crocus and snowdrops defy their dainty stature by poking their heads up through the snow. And watch out for hyacinths! They give many gardeners an itching reaction almost as strong as their fragrance. In fact in Holland employees are paid extra to work sorting hyacinths!
With all that beauty displayed on the package who can wait until spring for all that color?
Well it turns out that nature is beat Madison Avenue to the marketing game when it comes to the “I want it now” consumer. While you cannot have spring now you can have it in a few weeks if you simply force the issue. Spring bulbs can be coaxed to bloom indoors well before St. Patrick Day arrives.
The easiest to force are paper whites. I fact these pungent flowers will not survive outside at all. Paper whites do not need soil to bloom just a vase with a narrow neck to hold the bulb. Below the bulb water should be place just to be low the bottom of the bulb. Warm rooms will encourage the roots to descend into the water and green shoots to emerge from the top. Paper whites can also be grown in shallow bowls that do not have drainage holes. Line the bottom of the bowl with stones, place paper whites in odd numbers close together on the rocks. Fill in between the bulbs with more rocks. Add some water to the bottom of the bowl and the bulbs will be gin to grow. These indoor blooming narcissus also come in yellow.
Many other bulbs can be forced indoors as well. Tulips planted in shallow containers filled with lightweight soil can be planted now. After planting water well and place in a cold area for the roots to set. Any area with temperatures in the low to mid 40’s is fine. Any warmer and the roots won't set any colder and the bulbs may freeze or stop setting roots. The tulips need to be in this environment for at least eight weeks with 12 being the optimum. Bring them inside to warmer rooms four to six weeks before you want them to color. This can be a little tricky if you want red tulips for Valentines Day. There is simply no way without climate controlled rooms to have results that precise. I suggest planting several pots of red tulips and bring them inside at staggered intervals. This way you will have tulips in bloom for most of the month of February in addition to having red tulips for Valentines Day. The sad thing with tulips is that they seem to know they have been hood winked into blooming. They will not return the favor and bloom outside if planted.
Daffodils and other narcissus follow the same planting procedure as tulips. The difference here is that daffs and narcissus will bloom in following years. There is a misconception as to how to store bulbs to properly cool them. It is logical to think they can be placed directly in the refrigerator unplanted. The problem here is that due to the very dry environment inside most refrigerators the bulbs often dry out. Many refrigerators as well are simply too cold and the bulbs will not do anything and may even freeze. Without being placed into soil and watered bulbs have little chance of setting roots.
That brings us to another little problem with forcing bulbs. They do take up a lot of room!
Here is a little trick to get around the lack of space problem. Choose an azalea pot instead of bulb pan in which to plant your bulbs. Azalea pots are deeper than shallow bulb pans. The extra depth allows for planting of more than just daffs or hyacinths. In an azalea pot you can plant an entire spring bulb garden in miniature and enjoy six to eight weeks of ever changing color.
Here is how this mini garden works. Place narcissus and or hyacinths near the bottom of the pot on a shallow layer of lightweight soil. Cover the bulbs on the bottom completely with soil. On top of the soil plant smaller bulbs such as crocus, grape hyacinths, snow drops, dwarf alliums etc. Cover these with soil as well and place in a cool spot for the eight week minimum treatment. As before bring this mini garden into a warm room four to six weeks before you would like it to bloom. The first bulbs in your mini garden to bloom will be the crocus and small bulbs you planted on the top layer of soil. Shortly before the crocus are done blooming tulips will emerge and bloom followed by the narcissus and hyacinths planted at the bottom of the pot. This whole process will evolve over six weeks and fill the room with an ever changing array of color and fragrance
A visit to any garden center now will give you great ideas for spring bulb gardening. Tulips in rainbows of colors, daffodils and narcissus that deer refuse to eat. Crocus and snowdrops defy their dainty stature by poking their heads up through the snow. And watch out for hyacinths! They give many gardeners an itching reaction almost as strong as their fragrance. In fact in Holland employees are paid extra to work sorting hyacinths!
With all that beauty displayed on the package who can wait until spring for all that color?
Well it turns out that nature is beat Madison Avenue to the marketing game when it comes to the “I want it now” consumer. While you cannot have spring now you can have it in a few weeks if you simply force the issue. Spring bulbs can be coaxed to bloom indoors well before St. Patrick Day arrives.
The easiest to force are paper whites. I fact these pungent flowers will not survive outside at all. Paper whites do not need soil to bloom just a vase with a narrow neck to hold the bulb. Below the bulb water should be place just to be low the bottom of the bulb. Warm rooms will encourage the roots to descend into the water and green shoots to emerge from the top. Paper whites can also be grown in shallow bowls that do not have drainage holes. Line the bottom of the bowl with stones, place paper whites in odd numbers close together on the rocks. Fill in between the bulbs with more rocks. Add some water to the bottom of the bowl and the bulbs will be gin to grow. These indoor blooming narcissus also come in yellow.
Many other bulbs can be forced indoors as well. Tulips planted in shallow containers filled with lightweight soil can be planted now. After planting water well and place in a cold area for the roots to set. Any area with temperatures in the low to mid 40’s is fine. Any warmer and the roots won't set any colder and the bulbs may freeze or stop setting roots. The tulips need to be in this environment for at least eight weeks with 12 being the optimum. Bring them inside to warmer rooms four to six weeks before you want them to color. This can be a little tricky if you want red tulips for Valentines Day. There is simply no way without climate controlled rooms to have results that precise. I suggest planting several pots of red tulips and bring them inside at staggered intervals. This way you will have tulips in bloom for most of the month of February in addition to having red tulips for Valentines Day. The sad thing with tulips is that they seem to know they have been hood winked into blooming. They will not return the favor and bloom outside if planted.
Daffodils and other narcissus follow the same planting procedure as tulips. The difference here is that daffs and narcissus will bloom in following years. There is a misconception as to how to store bulbs to properly cool them. It is logical to think they can be placed directly in the refrigerator unplanted. The problem here is that due to the very dry environment inside most refrigerators the bulbs often dry out. Many refrigerators as well are simply too cold and the bulbs will not do anything and may even freeze. Without being placed into soil and watered bulbs have little chance of setting roots.
That brings us to another little problem with forcing bulbs. They do take up a lot of room!
Here is a little trick to get around the lack of space problem. Choose an azalea pot instead of bulb pan in which to plant your bulbs. Azalea pots are deeper than shallow bulb pans. The extra depth allows for planting of more than just daffs or hyacinths. In an azalea pot you can plant an entire spring bulb garden in miniature and enjoy six to eight weeks of ever changing color.
Here is how this mini garden works. Place narcissus and or hyacinths near the bottom of the pot on a shallow layer of lightweight soil. Cover the bulbs on the bottom completely with soil. On top of the soil plant smaller bulbs such as crocus, grape hyacinths, snow drops, dwarf alliums etc. Cover these with soil as well and place in a cool spot for the eight week minimum treatment. As before bring this mini garden into a warm room four to six weeks before you would like it to bloom. The first bulbs in your mini garden to bloom will be the crocus and small bulbs you planted on the top layer of soil. Shortly before the crocus are done blooming tulips will emerge and bloom followed by the narcissus and hyacinths planted at the bottom of the pot. This whole process will evolve over six weeks and fill the room with an ever changing array of color and fragrance
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