Timely Tips...

The ideal time to plant spring blooming bulbs in this area is the fall between now and mid November. Spring blooming bulbs include Crocus, Daffodils, Tulips, Hyacinths, and Iris. This is because these bulbs need the entire winter to go through a chilling process, which will enable them to bloom in the spring. Crocus are usually the first to bloom, usually in late winter to early spring, depending on the cultivar. Daffodils are the next to bloom, followed by tulips, hyacinths and iris. Spring bulbs come in a whole rainbow of colors, variety of shapes and some are even fragrant. Here are some planting tips to help you get started: 

-Plant in groups of 3-5, which will give more impact when they sprout.

-Use starter fertilizer when planting. You can add it to the hole when you plant. I like to use Epsoma Bulb Tone, but any balanced fertilizer that contains bone meal is good. 

-Plant as soon as possible after your bulbs arrive and follow all planting instructions.

Where to Buy: I like purchasing bulbs from mail order sources, because you can get higher quantities, better quality bulbs and more selection of varieties than if you buy from a local garden center or a big box store. I will list reputable sources for mail order bulbs below. 

Here are some of my favorite cultivars of spring blooming bulbs: 

Crocus chrysanthus 'Advance'- Color: Yellow & Purple Height: 0-6" Full sun-part shade Bloom Time: Winter-Very early Spring

Crocus 'Orange Monarch'- Color: Orange Height: 0-6" Full sun Bloom Time: Very early spring

Narcissus 'Accent'- Daffodil- Color: Orange center and white petals Bloom Time: Mid Spring Full sun-part shade Height: 13-18"

Narcissus 'Dutch Master'- Daffodil- Color: Yellow Full sun-part shade Bloom Time: Early-mid spring Height: 13-18"

Hyacinthus orientalis 'Blue Jacket'- Hyacinth Color: Blue Bloom Time: Early-mid spring Full-part sun Height: 7-12"

Hyacinthus orientalis 'Pink Pearl'- Hyacinth Color: Pink Bloom Time: Early to mid spring Full sun-part shade Height: 7-12"

Iris (Dutch) 'Rendez Vous'- Color: Purple and Yellow Bloom Time: late spring Full sun Height: 19-24" 

Iris (Dutch) 'Mystic Beauty'- Color: Purple and Yellow Bloom Time: Late Spring Full sun Height: 19-24"

Tulipa 'Beauty of Apeldoorn'- Tulip- Color: Red & Yellow Bloom Time: Mid spring Full sun Height: 13-24"

Tulipa 'Burning Heart'- Tulip- Color: Red, white and yellow Bloom Time: Mid spring Full sun Height: 13-24"

This is also a good time of year to cut back (to the ground) any perennials that are starting to die Bach or look brown. This is mainly spring and summer blooming perennials. The rest can be cut back next month. 

Mail Order Sources for Spring Blooming Bulbs:

Brent & Becky's Bulbs: http://www.brentandbeckysbulbs.com/  

Breck's Premium Flower Bulbs: http://www.brecks.com/ 

Timely Tips...

During the month of July, the growth of plants usually slows down because of the weather being hot. However, weed growth is still rampant and at times, it may seem like your losing a battle with them. Here in Pennsylvania, there are so many weeds that can be extremely hard to pull and grow rapidly. A lot of these weeds are invasive and can have long taproots or underground bulbs or tubers that can be a challenge to dig out of the soil. To make matters worse, weed seeds can be scattered by the wind, rain and by birds. Even seedlings of trees and shrubs can be considered weeds if they germinate in the middle of plants or perennial beds. This month's post is about weed control, so that you can enjoy a weed free garden. I will be listing several methods of weed control with descriptions of each.

Method 1:  By far, the best method for removing and controlling weeds is by hand. In order to get the most out of it, try to remove as much of the roots and/or bulbs/tubers as possible. If you weed a day or two after it rains, the weeds will come out easier. For weeds with really long taproots, like Dandelions, use a dandelion digger to pry out the taproot with. You can also use something called a weeding knife, which is a tool that allows you to cut, dig and lift all with one tool. This tool is also great for removing weeds with underground bulbs or tubers since you can dig down deep and lift them out. Another great tool for removing weeds with is a weed weasel. With this tool, you can really loosen the soil around the weeds a lot, which will make getting them out easier. This is especially good for large areas of weeds. For smaller weeds, you can use a tool with a curved blade (it kind of looks like a miniature sickle) to cut them off at the base. 

Method 2: If you have a large area of weeds, a weed whacker that is gas or electric powered can be used. You can also use a lawn mower to mow them down with, but make sure the weeds aren't too tall or you'll damage the mower. 

Method 3: The most effective method of weed control that I have found is planting plants close together or allowing plants to fill in. Right after weeding is a good time to plant more plants so that the weeds don't have a chance to get established. Gardens that have just plants and no open soil space get fewer weeds than gardens that have open soil space. This is because the plants shade the weeds out and starve them of essential water and nutrients.

Method 4: Another really great method for weed control is placing several layers of newspaper (pages with black ink only), cardboard, or biodegradable fabric with 2-3" of mulch or wood chips on top. This method is great for large areas and works by choking the weeds out using suffocation and heat. You can also place a tarp over a large area where you want to kill the weeds in, which will suffocate the weeds and bake them. You'll want to leave it in place for 2-4 weeks. I don't recommend using landscape fabric, as this is not biodegradable and can be really hard to plant plants in. 

Method 5: For weeds that come up in walkways and patios, a great method is a weed torch. This is a handheld torch fueled by propane or some other fuel that allows you to burn the weeds. 

Method 6: I purposefully put this method last, because it should be used as a last resort when all other methods fail. I also strongly discourage it. Chemical weed killers can be used to kill weeds with, but this causes pollution. A lot of chemicals used in weed killers can be very dangerous to any person or animal that comes into contact with it. Even if the chemical says it only kills the leaves and stems of weeds and will dissipate, this is not always true. A lot of these chemicals can leach into ground water, which can then end up in our drinking water supply. This can kill off or cause health problems in people or animals who then drink this water. Also, some weeds can develop a resistance to some of these chemicals, which could mean that they may not be as effective. If you choose this method, PLEASE READ AND FOLLOW ALL DIRECTIONS AND PRECAUTIONS PRINTED ON THE LABEL! PLEASE USE PROPER SAFETY GEAR AND PRECAUTIONS WHEN SPRAYING WEED KILLERS AND DISPOSE OF EXCESS PROPERLY! There are organic and homemade weed killers made from household items, but these have to be used more often and aren't as effective. Organic weed killers are also more expensive.