I meant to say..... some of the crocus flowers. I edited it to state that. I'd really be if they chomped down everything.

Newyorkrita said:Neal, I love your crocus but especially Ruby Giant. All so lovely.

Just gorgeous! This may have to be an addition to my bulb order for this year.

Marilyn, I'm so sorry you're losing flowers to the critters. I'm lucky so far this year, with no damage yet. I'm going to keep adding mini daffs to protect my beloved bulbs. All the time and energy we take the grow these bulbs, and they're gone after just one critter bite😡😡😡😡

I'm thinking about adding Ruby Giant to my Fall order also!

Here a few blooms from yesterday

N. Tahiti


Parrot tulips



N. Cassata and pansies


Golden Trumpets


N. Candy Princess in my side bed



N. Delibes still going strong


H. City of Haarlem


Random blooms

Y'all definitely should get Ruby Giant, and I recommend buying by the 100- you'll be glad you did!

Rabbits have been doing some nibbling here too. Thankfully not widespread, mostly just 1 Tulip out of a clump here and there. Twice now Crocus chrysanthus 'Ard Schenk' have been full of blooms, and the next day they had all been eaten off. The cool thing has been more blooms have come and made the clump pretty again, 3 times now! They also seem to really like Calochortus, a plant I'm trying for the first time this year. I planted 'Golden Orb' and C.venustus 'Burgundy' in one bed, where they had sprouted reed like leaves about 3" tall, and all have been chewed down to the ground. Also planted 'Symphony' on the other side of the house, those are okay so far.

Great crocus, Neal, and beautiful spring photos everyone. I have always like the tiny early snow crocus because they seem to be the harbingers of spring and bloom through snow. After they are gone the bigger crocus bloom and it just wows me. I planted Ruby Giant a few years ago, a large white giant one that I forgot the name of and Flower Record last fall. I am so glad I did. They bring such color to the garden after a dreary winter. I did not plant in great numbers but I did put small clusters of 9-10 along pathways and garden borders. I hope they multiply and the critters do not eat them. If they do I will plant more.

Fall planting is the hardest chore for me. I have to winterize hoses, outdoor faucets, big planters and strawberry pots. The leaves pile up and the days can be very cool by the time to plant spring flowering bulbs arrives. Everyone is baking and doing holiday tasks and I am wrapped up out in the garden moving leaves and planting bulbs. I carry in a load of firewood and make a cup of hot chocolate or cider to warm up. The garden at this time of year does not call me. When it goes dormant I like to sit by the fire and plan for next year. The spring after I plant bulbs is so rewarding that I make myself go to the winter garden and plant bulbs. I am always so glad I planted bulbs in the winter garden.

Is there anything that would make amaryllis bloom stalks be very short, this one was short last year and looks like it will be very short this year. The taller one that is starting to open is only a couple of feet away from the little short one. Is it just a variety issue?

This is the same plant in bloom last year


Right up from it is the taller one getting ready to bloom

I went outside and noticed rabbits have been chewing a bunch of tulips leaves down to the ground.

This Fall I'm going to plant some small daffs in and around my tulips and crocus. Hopefully, that will help the following Spring.

Larry, maybe it wants more water? I noticed that with amaryllis and its relatives, once the bloomstalk is showing, giving the plant a bit more watering, will help it more in making that stalk grow taller.

tarev
No,don't think it is a water issue, none of the plants in this bed suffer from a lack of water, we have had lots of rain lately, and the rest of the plants all around it are doing fine. This plant had the same problem last year while the other plants didn't. Maybe I should start a different thread for this issue.

I bought 1,000 of Ruby Giants.

My poor crocus. They were just starting to bloom in some sunnier areas. In other places they are not even up yet. But now they are all under the snow again, blooms or no blooms as we have has snow coming down all day. All day. I am so tired of winter and was happy that flowers were starting and now this darn snow again.

Rita, just think about how lush and green your garden is going to be, once all of that beautiful snow melts. Your bloom season may be later, but your flowers are going to be gorgeous!

I can't wait to see the bloom pictures of your 1000 Ruby Giant!

@Marilyn, I forgot to answer your questions about the Hyacinths, they are Jan Bos. My DH actually noticed the beautiful scent from the Hyacinths in the garden.

Cem9165 said:Rita, just think about how lush and green your garden is going to be, once all of that beautiful snow melts. Your bloom season may be later, but your flowers are going to be gorgeous!

I can't wait to see the bloom pictures of your 1000 Ruby Giant!
.

Well, it would have been just as green without this latest bought of snow as the stuff on ground was not yet totally melted. But it is what it is so I really hope it melts away quickly.

I planted those crocus around my sideyard veggie beds to dress up things for spring.

Rita

I'm looking forward to seeing your pics of Ruby Giant too! 1,000! Wow!

Annette

I was starting to think your Hyacinths were Jan Bos. Beautiful color!

Thanks!

Marilyn, I've used evergreen boughs in the past to keep rabbits away, and it worked well. I laid them around and on top of newly emerging sprouts and removed them when the plants got bigger. Seems they're most at risk during the early stages of sprouting.

Larry, the Brent and Becky's catalog mentions that Amaryllis will often be much shorter when grown in the garden. I wonder if that is typical of that variety?

Larry, is it the the same variety as the taller ones?
If it is not a varietal thing, could it be something weird --like that particular bulb is planted a whole lot deeper than you think or has some kind of hindrance in that spot that the others don't have??? I don't know--I can't grow them in the garden

Yes! for Ruby Giant!

I should really get myself a few thousand of them

Large flowered Crocuses are really showing off today, had to snap lots of pics! 'Jeanne d'Arc' is one of my absolute favorites- nothing plain about this white beauty, they seem to glow in the garden.





'Grand Maitre'- this variety hasn't multiplied as much as the others, but returns reliably.



'King of the Striped' has been vigorous, and looking happy today!

Beautiful Ruby Giants!!!

Great shots Neal of your crocus blooms. So pretty. Love the nice drifts of them you have going.

dirtdorphins,
I don't think it is a garden thing, being someone responded that they had the same problem with some grown indoors. I have some bulbs that I planted in this same bed last year, I will watch them and see how they behave this year. I will look close and feel about the bulb to see if I can see any depth or obstruction problems. The tall and the short are not the same variety, even though I don't know what they are. The tall one is about ready to bloom.


Looking at the short stalked amaryllis they do look like they are planted pretty deep, none of mine are planted shallow like you often see them with half the bulb showing. Mine are all planted with the complete bulb under ground because I am in Zone 8b. The bulbs just naturally seem to select the depth they want to be at.

gemini_sage said:Marilyn, I've used evergreen boughs in the past to keep rabbits away, and it worked well. I laid them around and on top of newly emerging sprouts and removed them when the plants got bigger. Seems they're most at risk during the early stages of sprouting.

Larry, the Brent and Becky's catalog mentions that Amaryllis will often be much shorter when grown in the garden. I wonder if that is typical of that variety?

Thanks Neal