Tulip Planting Time: NOT!
Have I mentioned that the house I live in now is the first house I’ve ever lived in? I’m thirty-two and I’ve lived in townhouses, condos, apartments and I spent two blissful years in a barn, but my little rancher in St. John’s is my first house. I also grew up in the ’80’s in Southern California and my mom was single and working full-time. I haven’t really experienced a lot of the domestic arts. In fact, every single thing I know about cooking or knitting comes from books. And gardening? Well, here’s my gardening knowledge: stick it in the ground. That’s about it. Watering? Why, doesn’t it rain? Compost? What’s it to me?
So today, I was so proud of myself because I had bought tulips way back when at Fred Meyers and now I was going to plant them. It was time they emerged from the fridge and were stuck in the ground. I dug up the fifty-year-old lawn that I’ve been slowly chipping away at. The lawn is undaunted and returns weekly, but I pretend like it’s not there and keep moving forward.
I was so proud of myself that I knew enough to plant tulips now, I was even going to post on Metblogs to tell everyone it was time to take their tulips out of the fridge. I opened up the drawer I’ve been keeping them in, so proud to see my handwriting on the bags, labeling the colors and the dates they needed to be planted, and then I was shocked, nay, devastated to find that they were supposed to be taken out on 11/8/07. NOT 1/08. I stared and stared, adding up the difference in weeks and then adding it up again to take out Christmas and New Year’s because that’s fair, right? And still I’d screwed the pooch.
So what did I do? I planted them anyway. There’s something to be said for late bloomers. And hells bells they’re plants. They don’t have palm pilots tucked next to their stamens, you know? I’ll let you know how it goes. That picture above is of my first little daffodil shoots, which I planted correctly. And some other guest plants that will remain there because I don’t feel like removing them.
And for those of you keeping score, no this post isn’t about Portland, except that my house is here. But aren’t you glad you don’t have to look at geese/ducks anymore?
Related posts:
-Don’t plant nuttin’ until Mother’s Day.
-If you’re just starting out, and on a budget (*cough* writing for a living *cough*), find a gardening center near you (Home Depot works in a pinch) every month and buy whatever PERENNIAL you see in bloom that you like. Take home and stick in the ground. That way, NEXT year you’ll have something blooming ever month.
-I have no love for delicate plants. My rule is that if it requires more attention than a cat…it’s not for me. Rosemary bushes…gooooood. Wisteria…gooooood. Orchards…bleh! Plus, you are less likely to mistakenly kill plants with “vigorous” habits (a plus for budding gardeners).
-Buy some “soil moist” from Portland Nursery (or whereever). And mix the recommended amount in with the soil when you plant. The stuff soaks up and retains water…which is GOOOOOOOD in July/August when plants get thirsty around here. However, use too much and your plant will be THROWN out of the soil by the expanding stuff (lesson hard learned).
OMG…what have I done…I have outed myself as a gardener.
They’ll bloom, just maybe a little late. I love tulips and I always forget to plant them. I have maybe three or four in my yard is all. I’m like — divide and multiply, damn you!
Huzzah! McAngryPants is out of the closet… er… shed.
But a question - if you don’t start planting until after Mother’s Day - then you plant something each month…when do you stop?
Ah! Excellent point. As MRSMcAngryPants just pointed out to me…my “Mother’s day” thing was for tomatoes. Ugh. I swear to god that with each kid my IQ falls off.
Oh! speaking of tomatoes…IF you love growing tomatoes…and if you see a product called “Wall Of Water” BUY IT!! We have used them with great success and between my composting and this product our plants were HUGE and had tons of fruit.
okay folks, that’s it for McAngryGardner.
Oh jesus h. christ. This was a painful post to read. Lelo here, suggests you clicky clicky on my linky linky.
you did NOT just bitch about this conversation and try to drive traffic to your blog. We’re HERE, thank you. talk with us here, eh?
Jeez, sassy gardener, that’s just pathetic. Get your own web traffic. We’re here because Miss Melissa makes us laugh.
bulbs are forgiving.
plant them right side up, upside down, sideways… usually they find up. plant them at the worst time in the world, and the worst thing that happens is that you have to wait an extra year, or they die and you plant more.
no biggie really.
Hey, everyone, lay off the sassy-g. Lelo has one of the nicest PDX blogs around and we’re bloggy friends. And you should be visiting her blogs — Lelo in NoPo was where I heard about the candlelight vigil. An additional place to get some PDX perspective.
It’s my post, so my comment is law.
And it is so.
bah! We all likey Lelo too…but…seriously…she says “painful to read” and then neglects to contribute to the discussion. Would have been nice if someone with such knowledge and passion for the topic had pitched in here a bit.
Oh! I forgot to mention one of my favorite plants: Castor Beans. I have a few beans from my last house and they’ll be in the ground this year. bug me in the fall and I’ll have beans for all if you want. Anyone have a line on a Monkey Puzzle tree start?
Oooookay folks. Me gotta have a frosty beverage and watch football.
Oh jeez. I think my sassy tone came off way wrong and the intent I meant for it was misconstrued. That’s what happens when I blog and dash and am way too busy. In no way was I trying to “drive traffic.” I’m not that lame. Really. Especially to Sassy Gardener which is my poor step sister to Lelo and never gets enough attention from me. It’s the kind of comment I would have left on a personal blog site of someone I know, much like the comments I leave on Melissa’s blog. So please know I’m sorry it sounded snarky and please know my intent was not what it appeared. If I could go back I would say….
Oh wow, Melissa. I always get so excited with fellow gardeners here in Portland, and lucky you for having recently moved to the Northwest to discover our amazing abilities to throw seeds at the ground and watch them grow. Do not fret about rules and planting instructions too much: there are many ways to garden. I’ve been known to plant bulbs in February, and you’ll be just fine. Props to you for even refrigerating the bulbs before planting them: I don’t think I’ve ever even done that.
McAngryPants: your name fits. However, I love castor beans too. They are SO crazy to grow and beautiful, aren’t they? Be careful, though, because they are SUPER dangerously poisonous. We grew those before we got our little dog who likes to eat any and everything. Have you ever grown cerinthe? I love it, and it reseeds like crazy. I don’t have a line on a monkey puzzle tree, but I do have tons of cerinthe starts if any one wants some.
*group hug*
Ahhh, a wry misfire. So sorry to have misread the tone.
Sassy Gardener’s blog looks great - love the pic of the nosegay of flowers tied to the door.
Katie