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Bulbs for Autumn and winter

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  • My beds are full of blinkin Spanish bluebells so there's no room for spring bulbs unfortunately. I'm gonna plant some cyclamen this week then some lilly of the valley next year for next winter!!

  • ObelixxObelixx Posts: 30,087

    I spotted some Spanish bluebells in the new garden we're moving to soon.  They'll get nuked the minute they have enough greenery on to absorb some weedkiller.

    Meanwhile, bulbs can planted in pots and kept cool but sheltered from frosts and then displayed or planted out where you have spaces and gaps next spring.   I leave all my bulbs in situ - snowdrops, crocuses, daffs, hyacinths, snowflakes, tulips, alliums, nectarospordums - and don't lift any once they're in the ground.  I only grow botanical tulips as the bigger hybrids don't do in my garden and I only try the botanicals in teh sunniest, best drained beds.  T

    Vendée - 20kms from Atlantic coast.
    "The price good men (and women) pay for indifference to public affairs is to be ruled by evil men (and women)."
    Plato
  • Joyce21Joyce21 Posts: 15,489

    Obelixx - I tried the digging out and the weed killer route for many years (even crushing the leaves) on Spanish bluebells to no avail

    I successfully eradicated them in two seasons by removing the leaves as they appeared. There were a few flowers the first year which were also quickly removed.

    SW Scotland
  • Kitty 2Kitty 2 Posts: 5,150

    I'm going to try the leaf pulling method next spring Joyce. 4th panda wrote that she had success doing it this way.

    Pity I only read about it on the forum after I'd spent a good few hours on my hands and knees digging them up again, been trying for a couple of years now and they still come back every time.

  • ObelixxObelixx Posts: 30,087

    Thanks for the tip.   I'll try it that way first.

    They're growing round an old well in the middle of the front so not prolific but not staying either.    I'm getting a flame thrower just in case cos I don't like to use weedkillers unless it's really persistent nasty stuff.

    I have some seeds of proper bluebells to try and don't want contamination.

    Vendée - 20kms from Atlantic coast.
    "The price good men (and women) pay for indifference to public affairs is to be ruled by evil men (and women)."
    Plato
  • So if I cut the leaves when they appear this'll gradually work?

  • Joyce21Joyce21 Posts: 15,489

    Don't cut them, pull them 

    SW Scotland
  • ObelixxObelixx Posts: 30,087

    The leaves feed the bulbs so yes, removing them will kill them and taking off any flowers will stop them seeding.

    Vendée - 20kms from Atlantic coast.
    "The price good men (and women) pay for indifference to public affairs is to be ruled by evil men (and women)."
    Plato
  • Thank you!

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