It’s time to plant all those spring-blooming bulbs!
One of our biggest tasks every autumn is planting thousands of bulbs here at my Bedford, New York farm. Yesterday, we started planting in my pergola garden - one of the first areas I see when I drive into my property. We planted Camassia and several Allium cultivars. This year, I selected bulbs from one of my favorite sources, Van Engelen Inc., a wholesale family-run flower bulb business located in Bantam, Connecticut. I always find it exciting to plant bulbs in the fall that you won't see for many months to come - it's such a wonderful surprise of color when they bloom in spring.
Enjoy these photos.
Our spring-blooming bulbs are here and ready to plant. Every fall when the bulbs arrive, we organize and store them in my garden library. I order the bulbs not only for my farm in Bedford, but also for my home in Maine. Every box is labeled on the outside, so they can be transported quickly to their planting locations.
The first area on the list is my long and winding pergola garden located across from my stand of mighty bald cypress trees and along the carriage road to my home.
I am always looking for ways to improve the gardens. This year I decided to remove all the day lilies from the beds and replace them with other flowers. Brian dug up all the plants carefully, so they could be given away to my crew – nothing is ever wasted.
Meanwhile, Ryan looks through the bulbs earmarked for the pergola beds and decides which ones will be planted where. He refers to the catalog to check the heights of each variety at maturity, so they can be planted appropriately – taller ones in back and shorter ones in front.
The first thing before planting bulbs is to prepare the bed with the proper bulb food. We always add Bulb-tone to our nutrient-rich soil. The food should be a balanced fertilizer that has a good amount of phosphorous. Fertilizing spring-blooming bulbs also helps them fight off diseases and pests.
Ryan pours a manageable amount of fertilizer into one trug bucket before sprinkling over the entire length of the garden bed evenly and generously.
Here is a section of the long garden bed, weeded, cleaned, fed, and ready for planting.
Next, Ryan divides the amounts needed for both sides of the pergola garden. When purchasing bulbs, always look for those that are plump and firm, and avoid those that are soft. Here, we’re planting a variety of alliums and camassias.
Bulbs need to be packaged very carefully to ensure they are kept in the best conditions during transport. Van Engelen uses netted sacs, paper bags, and plastic pouches depending on the bulbs’ humidity needs. The bags are also designed with a number of holes for air circulation and humidity control – some have more, some have less.
Here are allium bulbs strategically placed in the bed where they should be planted. True bulbs can be either tunicate, with a papery covering or non-tunicate without the covering. Allium bulbs are tunicate.
There are several different tools one can use for planting bulbs. Using an auger drill bit attachment specifically for this task, Brian makes the holes wherever the bulbs are positioned.
In general, holes should be three times deeper than the bulb’s length.
One by one, each bulb is carefully placed into a hole, with the pointed end faced up, or root end faced down. This is very important, so the plant grows properly from the bulb.
Among the alliums we are planting – ‘Purple Sensation,’ which are four-inch globes of rich purple flowers on tall stems, Allium ‘Globemaster,’ a tall allium that blooms in early summer with six-inch diameter rose-purple globes, and Allium ‘Firmament,’ with four to five-inch silvery purple globes and somewhat flat bottoms.
Each of these bulbs is planted in a hole at least six-inches deep. There are already many other bulbs planted here, so Brian is very careful when planting additional bulbs in this space.
Spring-blooming bulbs have to be planted in fall when they are fully dormant. Bulbs require a period of chilling to initiate flowers. For most spring-flowering bulbs, 10 to 13 weeks of temperatures below 40-degrees Fahrenheit are needed. Bulbs also need to put down good root growth before they sprout foliage and flowers.
This is an elongated tunicate camassia bulb. And do you know… these bulbs are actually edible? Camassia bulbs were a major food source for some Native American tribes and early European Settlers, but they were very difficult to distinguish from other bulbs, which were deadly poisonous.
Camassia is a genus of plants in the asparagus family native to Canada and the United States. Common names include camas, quamash, Indian hyacinth, camash, and wild hyacinth. They grow to a height of 12 to 50 inches and vary in color from pale lilac or white to deep purple or blue-violet.
I also grow Camassia in this lighter shade of blue. The two look so pretty together in this garden.
Here is a springtime photo of the bed with lots of blooming alliums and camassias.
Here, one can see all the bulbs placed along the bed. Because the pergola garden is long, this bed will need hundreds of bulbs to fill. Most bulbs do best in full sun with at least six hours of direct sunlight a day and well-drained soil.
As Brian plants, Ryan stays ahead of him placing the bulbs. In general, when positioning bulbs in a garden bed, consider color, size of plant, and time of bloom.
Brian waits until all the bulbs are planted before backfilling the holes. This helps to keep track of what is planted where.
Finally, Brian uses a soft rake to backfill the holes and completely bury the bulbs. Our planting project has just begun – I am glad the weather has allowed us a good start this season before colder temperatures harden the ground. If it’s starting to get cold where you are, be sure to get the bigger bulbs in first. I cannot wait to see the fruits of our labor, and the swaths of color that will emerge in spring.
I love Maine in summer, when I can enjoy the great weather with family and friends, but it's also very beautiful there in autumn, when one can see the glorious changing of the seasons.
Cheryl DuLong and Wendy Norling, who work up at Skylands, my home in Maine, love the outdoors and nature. They often keep me updated by sending photographs of the property and the surrounding areas. Here are some wonderful late fall images.
Enjoy.
Like me, Cheryl enjoys taking photos early in the morning before the work day begins. Here’s a sunrise photo she took last week as she was headed to Skylands.
Skylands and the surrounding areas have already passed their peak of fall foliage – many of the deciduous trees are now bare, but here is Acer pensylvanicum, better known as the striped maple, moosewood, moose maple or goosefoot maple – a small North American species of maple tree. In fall the leaves turn bright light yellow.
This is what the lost pool looks like in fall – now drained of water and cleaned. My outdoor grounds crew will fill the pools again in spring.
And here’s a view that never gets tiring. Taken through the woods above another natural pool, this view looks out to Seal Harbor. In the center is a late blooming rhododendron that shows off beautiful white blooms in early summer.
Here is a moss covered forest floor. Mosses are small, non-vascular flowerless plants that typically form dense green clumps or mats, often in damp or shady locations. During summer, we fill garden planters with moss and other natural elements. Once the season is over, we always make sure the moss we harvested is returned to the forest where it can regenerate and flourish.
These steep steps originate from my main house and lead to the footpaths toward my guest house. One will always get some good exercise at Skylands.
From this location at one of the natural pools, one can see some of “Rockefeller’s teeth” at the top – large, irregular blocks of granite that serve as guardrails.
Cheryl photographed this fall scene of some of the changing colors of the ferns at Skylands. These are hay scented ferns, Dennstaedtia punctilobula. The fronds release a fragrance reminiscent of fresh mown hay when brushed with a hand.
This wall is seen outside the laundry room windows. The small tree on the left is witch hazel – hard to see without its foliage. Witch hazel is a genus of flowering plants in the family Hamamelidaceae and is closely related to the sweet gum. Most species flower from January to March and if given enough room to spread and grow, they will display a beautiful and fragrant border of spidery blooms when everything else is still winter gray.
Here, the carriage road is filled with pine needles. They’re blown down from the woodland and then gathered in the center where they can be picked up and brought to the compost pile.
Can you guess what this roof is for? My Skylands team is carrying the protective roof for Aristide Maillol’s ‘La Riviere’s’ winter shelter. The custom made enclosure is put up as soon as the temperatures start to dip up at Skylands.
Here is our ‘lady’ in her box, ready to be covered for the cold season. The box is made using strong plexiglass, so she can still be seen even in the snow.
Slowly and carefully, the roof is put into place. On the right one can see some of the high bush blueberry bushes with their crimson fall colors – the fruits from these bushes are some of the sweetest I’ve ever had. Once secured, Aristide Maillol’s ‘La Riviere’ is safe and all tucked away until spring.
These steps lead to Aristide Maillol’s ‘La Riviere,’ now completely enclosed, and to my large “iced” terrace.
This area is down by the shop where we cook lobsters during summer. It’s a different scene now – the grill is all covered for the winter and the area is very still and quiet. Above is a maple tree all bare of any foliage.
Wendy is all set to plant the garlic. We plant lots of garlic here in Maine and at my Bedford, New York farm. She took photos of her process.
To make the holes for planting garlic, Wendy uses a dibble or a dibber. Although garlic can be planted in the spring as soon as the ground can be worked, fall planting is recommended for most gardeners. This allows extra time for the bulbs to grow and become more flavorful for the summer harvest.
Cloves should be at least three inches deep. And always plant the tip of the clove faced up, and the root side faced down.
All the holes are left uncovered until the last garlic clove is placed – this ensures all the holes are filled. Next, Wendy backfills everything and rake the surface so it is neat and tidy. The garlic crop will tolerate some shade but prefers full sun. This garlic will be ready next August.
On her way home, Cheryl captures a few more photos – this one is taken at the beach where the docks have already been brought to shore and secured for the winter. Boats wait until high tide and then pull them to land where they are tied. In spring, the docks are pulled out once again.
And here’s a sunset photo of Seal Harbor taken from Cooksey Drive. What a beautiful view. If you’re ever traveling through New England, make a stop in Maine, visit Acadia National Park, the surrounding areas, and enjoy all that nature has to offer there.
Here in Bedford, New York we're still enjoying the beautiful fall foliage despite some unseasonably mild weather. Following some overnight rain, today we're expecting temperatures in the mid- to high-60s Fahrenheit.
It's amazing how quickly plants and trees grow and change day to day. Starting in September, many of the trees in this area begin their autumn transformations - changing colors from bold green to various shades of red, yellow, and brown. Now in November, we see more bare branches, and in some cases, the late season fruits. Here at my farm, we see quince, persimmons, the berries on the Sargent crabapples, and those of the Cornus kousa, etc. While we've already picked and enjoyed the many apples, pears, and other autumn treats, these fruits continue to provide wildlife with sugar, protein, fat, and other crucial nutrients to sustain them through the season.
Here are some photos, enjoy.
Just a couple of weeks ago, most of the trees around my farm were filled with gorgeous fall color. Foliage season here begins in late September and extends through early November. It’s one of the most beautiful times of year.
But it doesn’t last long. Now, more of the trees are bare. The term deciduous means “falling off at maturity” and “tending to fall off”, which refers to trees and shrubs that seasonally shed their leaves. These are two of the four Sargent crabapple trees outside my Tenant House and studio.
Looking closely, one can see the Sargent crabapple berries. The Sargent crabapple, Malus sargentii, is a dwarf fragrant, showy shrub with bright red berries. While these fruits are edible, they are also quite tart and are generally not consumed raw.
This is also a crabapple with fruits still hanging off its branches. While related to regular apples, crabapples are smaller in comparison and much more tart than regular apples.
Behind the main greenhouse, I have a grove of pawpaw trees. Asimina triloba, the American papaw, pawpaw, paw paw, or paw-paw, among many regional names, is a small deciduous tree native to the eastern United States and Canada.
The taste of a pawpaw is a mix of mango-banana-citrus all in one. It’s a big favorite for some here at the farm. We all enjoyed a nice bounty of these fruits a few weeks ago.
Near the pawpaw trees are two trifoliate orange trees, Citrus trifoliata or Poncirus trifoliata – a member of the family Rutaceae. Also known as the “hardy orange” or “flying dragon,” it is the most cold hardy of all citrus. It is a large, deciduous shrub that produces an unusually sour, downy fruit considered to be nearly inedible when raw, but medicinally beneficial and delicious when cooked. The fruit is commonly juiced, made into marmalades, jams, jellies, or candied. Trifoliate oranges are slightly smaller than conventional oranges and taste like a blend of lemon and grapefruit.
But watch out when picking – the thorns are long, thick, and very sharp.
Are you familiar with quince? Quince is a fall fruit that grows like apples and pears, but with an unusually irregular shape and often gray fuzz. These fruits turn a golden yellow when ready to pick in fall. The quince trees are all bare, but a few fruits remain.
These are also quince – ornamental quince, which are less known for their flavor.
The bright fruits of persimmons ripen in late fall, usually, after most of the leaves have fallen from the tree. I have a grove of these persimmon trees outside my flower cutting garden. The American persimmon, when picked at just the right time, can have a flavor that is rich, deep, and sweet.
Do you recognize these berries? They are the fruits of the American bittersweet weed, Celustus scandens L. On the branches are colorful berries and arils sometimes used in dry fall flower arrangements and winter decorations.
All parts of bittersweet are poisonous, but songbirds, ruffed grouse, pheasant, and fox squirrel eat the fruits.
Outside my Winter House kitchen is this beautiful Nyssa sylvatica, blackgum, or black tupelo. Its summer leaves are a dark green, but in the fall its foliage turns yellow, orange, bright red, purple or scarlet – all colors that may appear on the same branch.
In late September, small, striking, blue-black berries appear on the tree. These are technically edible but quite sour – the birds love them.
Along the carriage road near my back hayfield, I have several Cornus kousa trees – small deciduous trees in the flowering plant family Cornaceae. Common names include kousa, kousa dogwood, Chinese dogwood, Korean dogwood, and Japanese dogwood. The kousa has edible berries with soft pulp that is sweet with a similar flavor to a ripe persimmon.
Kousa trees also grow in Nepal, where several of my outdoor grounds crew are from – they always love snacking on the fruits of these dogwood trees.
I have beautiful healthy Osage orange trees along three sides of my North Maple Paddock surrounding the run-in field and shed, not far from my tennis court. These trees are bold green in summer and change to bright golden yellow in fall.
And although the trees did not fruit this year – some trees fruit every other year – these are Osage oranges. Have you ever heard of an Osage orange? The Osage orange, Maclura pomifera, is actually not an orange at all, and is more commonly known as a hedge-apple, horse-apple, or mock-orange. Each one is about four to five inches in diameter and filled with a dense cluster of hundreds of smaller fruits – some say it even resembles the many lobes of a brain. For the most part, the Osage orange is considered inedible because of its texture and taste, but they’re very interesting and fun to grow.
And beware… Osage orange branches are armed with stout, straight spines growing from the leaf axils.
And then there are the fruits of the mighty female ginkgo tree. The most noticeable thing about these is their smell. Have you ever smelled one? It is hard to miss, and the stench is quite disagreeable. The outer, nasty smelling pulp is known botanically as sarcotesta. Here is one seed separated from its fruit.
And of course, we still have a few late season apples on the trees. This one is hanging from my apple espalier outside my Winter House. What fruits do you still see where you live? I hope you can take some time to appreciate some of nature’s offerings, even if some of them are not for eating.
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