Garden Tip #143

Want to encourage butterflies to take up residence in your garden this year? Red Osier Dogwood and willows are just a few of the plants that caterpillars eat, while adult butterflies drink the nectar from Western Mock Orange and zinnias. Read a brochure produced by the Washington chapter of the North American Butterfly Association to learn more about what plants support butterflies (pdf).For a print copy send $5 to Butterfly Gardens & Habitats, 909 Birch St., Baraboo, WI 53913 USA. Specify “Western Washington”)

Garden Tip #142

By joining the North American Butterfly Association for $30 per year you will support habitat conservation and research, plus receive two magazine subscriptions to learn more about gardening to encourage butterflies. For more information go to www.naba.org or write to NABA, 4 Delaware Road, Morristown, NJ 07960. To identify butterflies and caterpillars visit the Butterflies and Moths of North America website.

Garden Tip #141

Interested in joining a garden club, but not sure where to find one? The Washington State Federation of Garden Clubs connects gardeners to garden clubs in their region. Email them your name and location and they will give you the name of the district leader for your area: stmembershipchair@WAGardenClubs.org.

Garden Tip #131

There are pros and cons of buying pre-bagged “bargain” bulbs. On the plus side discounts are generally offered on bulk purchases leading to a better impact of massed flowers in the garden. On the other hand, buying pre-bagged bulbs doesn’t allow for inspection for disease or choosing the largest sized bulbs. Also, only the most popular cultivars are sold this way so you wont find the choice or the rare pre-bagged!

Garden Tip #130

Gardeners must forgo instant gratification when buying spring flowering bulbs in the fall, but a few dollars spent in September promise flowers for years to come. Here are the rules for buying good bulbs, with exceptions noted:

Bulbs should be heavy for their size and larger bulbs give bigger or more numerous flowers, although some tulip and daffodil varieties are naturally small in stature.
Bulbs should be firm and clean looking, but a little bit of the blue-green mold may be ok if it wipes off easily and the bulb is otherwise firm and heavy.
The papery skins should be whole, except on tulips and crocus where some sloughing and cracking is ok.
The bulb should not be “growing” yet (i.e. roots or stem should not be elongated.
The sooner you purchase and plant, the better. Bulbs languishing in a heated store will start to grow, which can lead to rot and decay.
What about those bulbs on sale in mid December or the bulbs you forgot about until early January? Go ahead and plant them, but the flowers may be on short, distorted stems this spring. The exception is lilies that never truly go dormant. Buy and plant these as soon as they are available. Don’t waste your time or money on bargain lilies.