Saturday May 19 2012
Gardening Archive
TheVillage Gardening
Getting good interest from a small investment
Posted on August 19 2009 at 1:01:15 0 comments
The first green shoots of economic recovery are appearing, according to economists, and if you want to get the first green shoots in your garden, then planting a few spring flowering bulbs now will give you a great return for your investment.
The current troubled economy has some parallels with the history of the much-loved tulip. In the first half of the 1600s, ”Tulipmania” nearly brought the Dutch government to collapse. Tulips, having been introduced from the exotic areas of Turkey and the Eastern Mediterranean, had became so prized that some rare varieties were being sold for the same price as a coach and horses or even a whole farm!
Because there were not enough bulbs to go round, promissory notes were issued instead of exchanging the actual bulbs. In 1647 the Dutch government became so concerned that they ordered all promissory notes to be honoured. This led to the collapse of the market, with many left bankrupt and destitute.
Happily, these days bulbs are very good value for money and seeing those first early crocus and snowdrops pushing their way through the frozen ground is surely one of the highlights of the gardening year. After the dull days of November and December they are the first indicators that spring must be around the corner.
Bulbs available for planting now will all flower during the spring or early summer, depending on species. Good garden centres should be able to offer a range of types and varieties suitable for planting in pots, borders, naturalising in grass, or even in hanging baskets.
Most spring flowering bulbs can be planted at any time between September and December, but as a general rule, narcissus are best planted as early as possible, while tulips can be planted as late as January. You can even fool some bulbs into flowering out of season and enjoy them indoors as Christmas houseplants.
Look for Hyacinths and some varieties of Narcissus such as Paperwhites, described as “prepared bulbs”, which are suitable for this and will fill your home with a wonderful scent. A bowl of Hyacinths makes a great Christmas gift too. Ask staff at the garden centre for advice on how to do this and grow your own Christmas presents!
One of the great things about growing bulbs is that they are so easy and generally trouble-free. The most important factor to ensure success is to buy good quality stock. Choose firm bulbs and as a general rule, the larger the bulb, the bigger and better the flowers will be, although you will have to pay a little more for a larger bulb.
If you are new to bulb growing, don’t be put off by their unpromising appearance. Their dull, brown exterior is merely a disguise for the marvellous show that they will put on in the spring. Always include a few when planting a pot with autumn and winter bedding and look forward to that promise of spring. A small investment now will pay you back handsomely with interest!
Neil & Nicci Gow of Fresh@Burcot Garden Centre
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