'CORLISS CLIPS'/January 2012/Page 2

Corliss Clips
January 2012.......... Page 2

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Outdoors: After danger of frost, gradually introduce your bulb, pot and all, to a sunny position and partially bury the clay pot in the garden soil for stability and moisture exchange. Continue the same watering and feeding schedule, throughout the summer. The royal rest: At summer’s end, the rest period for our queen of bulbs begins. Leaving the amaryllis foliage intact, slip the bulb from the pot, shake off the soil (alternatively, tip the pot sideways) and let it rest in a cool, dark, dry area for 2 months. Happily ever after: After this, trim dead leaves just above the bulb’s neck, give the roots a trim (trimmed roots immediately send out branching root structure, into the new soil) and pot up, as outlined, earlier. With all that stored up energy, your amaryllis should re-bloom in about 2 months. Like I said, amaryllis is well worth the time and patience required... she’ll present a window display fit for a king - or queen!

Paperwhites
Less hardy than fall-planted, spring-blooming garden specimens, paperwhite narcissus bulbs are a wonderfully easy way to brighten and fragrance those dull winter days. Planting: Anchored (leave top half of bulbs exposed) in a bowl full of small pebbles or marbles and grown in water that extends up to base of the bulbs, multiple paperwhite bulbs in a decorative, ceramic container provide an impressive show. Alternatively, pot them in shallow bulb pans in well-drained potting soil - bring the soil level just above the “shoulders” of the bulbs, and position the tips about even with the pot’s edge. Timing is everything: It takes about 4 weeks from planting time, for your paperwhite bulbs to bloom. The first two weeks, foliage is produced and during the next two weeks, buds are forming. Therefore, if you start bulbs every two weeks, you’ll have a constant flower show, right through the winter. Squirrel some away: Store extra bulbs in a cool (40-55º/not in the fridge), dark, dry place and you’ll be ready for those sequential plantings. Light vs. dark: The first two weeks of the bulb forcing process should be carried out under cover of complete darkness... OR, in a bright, south-facing window. Confused, yet? Re- search this one and you will be confused, as you’ll find home growers recommending both! The reality is, that most folks, including myself, have had success with either method. Try both, during the first two weeks, and see what works best for you. After the initial two weeks, a bright room, east window, or filtered south sun, is ideal.

Cooler room temperatures will prolong the flowering period. Recycling: Actually, Narcissus tazetta originated in the Mediterranean region (currently, the majority of bulbs are shipped in from Israel) and is listed as hardy only down to 35º (perennial in Zones 9-11). Here, in the north, most folks toss them in the compost bin, after flowers fade; however, nothing ventured, nothing gained. I know a gardener who grows her paperwhites in soil, cuts back the spent flowers, continues to water and apply liquid fertilizer and, come spring, plants the bulbs in clumps in a very protected area. As the foliage dies back, food is stored away in the bulbs. Eventually they re-flower, although not usually until the second year. I’ve also heard of gardeners storing away bulbs (in a cool, dark place), after a little liquid feeding, with foliage intact. They report that the bulbs re-bloomed a year later. For fragrance, abundant bloom and cultivars in white, yellow and bicolors, paperwhites are just what we need to chase away those winter blues.

Backyard Analysis
As weather, footing and time permits, walk through the home landscape, checking for potential hazards. Wild winter storms and fluctuating temperatures can lead to split trunks, dangling limbs and misshapen evergreens. While you can probably attend to tying or guying up small evergreens and trimming small limbs, leave any major chores for your certified arborist. As footing permits, arborists generally have more time during winter to attend to such unexpected problems. Some may even offer a winter discount. Dormant fruit and shade trees are not subject to invasion by disease and insects, this time of year, making winter ideal for pruning.

Check for deer damage and that of other critters, as well. Mice, voles and rabbits may chew on tender young bark, girdling tree trunks. Deer netting, hardware cloth guards, or perforated plastic trunk guards, should be sufficient to halt such damage. There are many commercial products, using natural scent deterrents and oils, to discourage deer and other damaging backyard visitors.

And your last bit of analysis involves casting a critical eye about your winter landscape. Be honest. Is there a good balance of deciduous and evergreen material? Have you included plants that provide a splash of color, either through persistent fruits or vibrant stem color? Exfoliating bark? Great hardscaping and focal points? No? Back to the armchair for a serious plan. (continued on Page 3)


©DJL/CBI 2012