tulip.jpgMy gosh, it’s November already! Perhaps you have a bulb order sitting in your basement that arrived weeks ago or you’re eyeing those sale notices coming from online bulb sellers and wondering if it’s too late to plant bulbs. Have no fear; you still have time!

This is a marvelous time to take advantage of deep discounts on remaining bulbs. Ordering from reputable online bulb sellers is a good way to go as the bulbs haven’t been sitting out in bins in heated big box stores or even garden centers. They’ve been kept chilled, just waiting to be packed in a box and shipped out. (You can also have more confidence that you are actually getting the bulb varieties you want – bulbs tend to hop around in those open bins.) Any bulb order you place now will likely come very quickly, and you should make time within a few days of receiving them to plant them. Yes, you still have time, but not that much time, so don’t delay. (more…)

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APPEARANCE
This perennial is native to the Mediterranean and southwestern Asia. Grape-like clusters form on 4 – 8 inch spikes in blue, yellow or white rising out of clumps of grassy leaves. Some species are fragrant.


CULTIVATION

Bulbs are planted 2 inches deep and 3 inches apart in early fall. Prepare the planting area with well-drained soil in full sun or light shade. Water regularly during growth and bloom. The plants are long lived. After several years the plants become crowded and can be divided to share with friends and neighbors. Plants may even self-sow under the right conditions. After a short summer dormancy, new leaves form out of the clump and live through the winter only to bloom again in the spring.


LANDSCAPE USE

Grape hyacinth create a nice border edging with other spring blooming bulbs and perennials or can be scattered across planting beds, rock gardens or under trees. The contrast is beautiful in just about any color combination.


Contributed by Joan Nusbaum, Colorado Master Gardener. For answers to your horticultural questions, contact the Master Gardener Help Desk at 636.8921 or CSUmg2@elpasoco.com.

Photo courtesy of Joan Nusbaum