Thanks to Rick and Lorn both. This is all wonderful information. So much doesn't seem to apply to us up here, but most of the common sense stuff still applies. I find it interesting that plants will acclimate to a particular part of the country. Say a lily from down south moving to Alaska and living outdoors. I am forever worried when I get new bulbs, especially the huge ones like orienpets, about depth. I am concerned that if I plant too deep they will simply rot as many have. But I truly believe that most of those problems stem from the drive to water too soon in the spring. While the snow may be gone and the ground looks dried out, it is still very much frozen not that far down. So watering daily in the hopes of seeing growth only rots things when they are not ready to wake up and grow; not ready to make use of the moisture. I have revamped two beds out in the front where they eventually get sun almost 24/7. I have a terribly tall duplex to the south of me, within 20', and it blocks the low sun in the spring until 2-3 in the afternoon. Just hate that. But once we get a more reasonable spread, where the sun peaks around noon, not 10 am, they will have all the sun they need. So my pledge to self is to not water until I see growth. Do you think that would be too late?
Again, thank you so much for all your observations and advice. I was really flying the the blind and not too successfully. And I really want my uchida to live and thrive. Not sure I will ever plant it outdoors. Just don't know if it can handle our long winters.
