[Paul Plots]

Hi Learner  Have finished digging over the flower plot today. A bit claggy on surface but just about loose enough underneath. Cut spade thru 3 tulip bulbs but rest are fine. They have smaller side bulbs attatched. can these be potted up and planted later. I don't really want to walk on what I have just turned over.  Also about gladioli. I have been advised to put to dry. What about greenery still attatched? Should this be removed? and when should they be replanted. Cheers

Hi there ecky sounds as if you're doing pretty well!

gladioli:

• stems - eventually they dry out and come loose but I snap mine off from the corm or cut them off about 2" away from the corm as it makes it easier to store (mostly they've dried out by this time of year)
• store somewhere dry, cool and frost free but check every week or so that they are OK (no grey/white mold) - I leave mine uncovered in a few seed-trays or open boxes
• plant out again in the spring - I plant quite a few so do a row at a time with a week or two inbetween so they don't all flower at once

You may well find the old corm stuck to the bottom of the new corm (the one you need for the coming year). I often give this a gentle but firm twist, remove it and dump it. It is the newly formed corm that you need for next year's flowers.

Also you often find lots of little corms developing - these come loose and can be either stuck in a nursery bed to grow on or dumped if you have plenty of corms already. 

Planted out: Early April through to May (depends on weather - how wet!)
First flowers cut: July
Lifted corms: late Sept through to early November

[sion01]

cosmos have been my star plant for the last couple of years.They might take up space but they flower for months.One thats in flower when all others have finished is kaffir lily.Can't remember the latin name but i'm sure some one will

[rowlandwells]

i have grew many cut flowers over the years some good results some a disaster i started off with chrysanthemums then went on to sweet William that i still grow also helichrysum king size mixed and a small amount of statice also aster milady series  and dahlia pompone mixed
grown mainly for the house and graves it also adds a bit of colour to the lottie i found that growing chrysanthemums was a bit labour intensive and getting more expensive for own use 

nothing looks better than a vase full of fresh cut flowers picked of the lottie by one own hand and of-cause you can always give some to your friends

[corynsboy]

Doesn't look like any one has mentioned sunflowers. 

Get the multi head dwarf varieties as they take up less room on the plot and grow to vase lenght stems.  Start them as early as you dare and have some in spare on case of late frosts. Some are even cut and come again.  Brilliant! 

Sunflowerws are so expensive to buy the stems in the florist and they are great for the home.  I plant them all round the plot as they attract pollinators.  I can assure you that where ever I turn up with a bunch of them in my hand the world is a happier place.

[Thrift]

I'm for cosmos, so long lasting ...... and have you space for roses ? Nothing like a vase of beautifully scented roses, reminds me of my mother's garden.  :happy:

[sion01]

Alliums are great cut flowers too.I plant a few ordinary garlic bulbs by my rose plants every year.Their supposed too stop greenfly? or it might be blackfly or blackspot or something,well I cant remember.
Anyway the other big plus that I havent heard anyone ever mention is that you get a big white allium flower.The only drawback is that it smells of garlic so when i bring it in to the house i'm always craving garlic sausage .

[Crusty]

Doesn't look like any one has mentioned sunflowers.  

Get the multi head dwarf varieties as they take up less room on the plot and grow to vase lenght stems.  Start them as early as you dare and have some in spare on case of late frosts. Some are even cut and come again.  Brilliant!  

Sunflowerws are so expensive to buy the stems in the florist and they are great for the home.  I plant them all round the plot as they attract pollinators.  I can assure you that where ever I turn up with a bunch of them in my hand the world is a happier place.

I grow a few hundred every year and they take up hardly any room at all because I sow 4 or 5 (birdfood) seeds per cell in a 24x tray, then plant the clumps out only 6" apart in a grid (that's only 2 square yards for 300).  This stunts the sunflowers so you end up blooms the size of those sold in the shops (rather than plate size heads!).

EDIT: From what I've read on growing sunflowers for both yield and cutting, location does not make any difference as they will always produce smaller flower heads if planted closer together, wherever they're grown.

[Paul Plots]

Doesn't look like any one has mentioned sunflowers. 

Get the multi head dwarf varieties as they take up less room on the plot and grow to vase lenght stems.  Start them as early as you dare and have some in spare on case of late frosts. Some are even cut and come again.  Brilliant! 

Sunflowerws are so expensive to buy the stems in the florist and they are great for the home.  I plant them all round the plot as they attract pollinators.  I can assure you that where ever I turn up with a bunch of them in my hand the world is a happier place.

I grow a few hundred every year and they take up hardly any room at all because I sow 4 or 5 (birdfood) seeds per cell in a 24x tray, then plant the clumps out only 6" apart in a grid (that's only 2 square yards for 300).  This stunts the sunflowers so you end up blooms the size of those sold in the shops (rather than plate size heads!).

Which part of the world are you from Crusty - and when is your "early" for planting out?

[Crusty]

when is your "early" for planting out?

The mention of "early" is not mine - it's in the quote of another poster. I know my sunflowers won't be affected by "late frosts".

[Paul Plots]

when is your "early" for planting out?

The mention of "early" is not mine - it's in the quote of another poster. I know my sunflowers won't be affected by "late frosts".

Sorry...... still confused about where you are though as it doesn't show on your profile. 

[Crusty]

still confused about where you are though

I'm behind the camera (not the flowers)

[Paul Plots]

still confused about where you are though

I'm behind the camera (not the flowers)

South of somewhere then - useful 

[joyfull]

I think Learner is asking where in the country are you as any advice you give will differ to others depending upon yours and their location. If you click on your name and then you can go into the profile bit and change muddle earth to a location that would be helpful for advice.

[Paul Plots]

I think Learner is asking where in the country are you as any advice you give will differ to others depending upon yours and their location. If you click on your name and then you can go into the profile bit and change muddle earth to a location that would be helpful for advice.

That's exactly it Joyfull 

      It'd be so useful to know - gives an idea of growing conditions in particular areas
                       and general climate 

[Crusty]

It'd be so useful to know - gives an idea of growing conditions in particular areas and general

I'm in in the middle of English wet clay soil, not far from brickfields, but just how that affects the spacing of sunflowers I'm at a complete loss, because that was what I was posting about.