new roots, store Best to keep bulbs on three-year re-planting cycle NOW THAT the fall season is beginning, this is an ap- propriate time to try and sort out what. bulbs are and how they are best grown. By Roy Jonsson Contributing Writer - Not everything that is fleshy, root-like and grows underground is a bulb, in spite of what we like to call them. * There are true bulbs (basal : swelling of the leaf tissues), corms (swollen stem base), stem tubers (swollen underground stems), root tubers -{swollen roots) and thizomes . (swollen underground stems), just to name a few. True bulbs are divided into two Categories: tunicate and scaly. Typical tunicate bulbs are nar- ‘cissus, tulips and allium (onions), and they all develop a dry tissue- like covering to protect themselves from dehydration during the dor- manit period. : The vast proportion of tunicate bulbs originated in -the Mediterra- ~ nean climatic areas of the world. These regions typically have long, hot summers and cool, damp winters, and the tunicate ‘bulb has adapted to these condi- -tions. “If we try to approximate these - _ conditions © when we grow the pow Pry TY Comms vir the Sorry Cewich) Comerancer . KV-STTS4 pew csabled/ remo TV/VCR $1999 bulbs, then we are far more likely to succeed, When tunicate bulbs are planted in the fall, they respond to the coolness and moisture and come out of dormancy by. developing basal roots over the next 10 to 15 weeks. As soon as the soil temperature warms in the spring the bulb springs to life, using the new roots and the stored food in the fleshy leaf stem to grow and develop. The microscopic flower that was formed the previous summer will emerge under the most adverse conditions. After flowering “and a good spring growth period, a new mi- croscopic flower: will form and more food is stored for the next season. The outer fleshy leaves then dry to form a casing to conserve moisture during the long, hot Mediterranean summer. In our damp climate, however, it is best to lift tunicate-type bulbs at the end of their growing season. Dry them and put them into storage trays for the summer. If the bulbs are left in the ground with annuals grown above, the damp summer conditions due to rainfall or irrigation. will even- tually cause the bulbs to deteriorate and become more susceptible to disease or rot. Annual lifting may not be prac- tical because of the time and ef- © Tninteuni® Prawe Tbe. the patented one eVoretara pice Rabe deur that moles ings cipro pours ond waned Cpt frome ony ALY sonra Seed pt 9 runt AAV gana ke aarp comer dar hovb ap * Cow exgron OT WE TAKE TRADES & REPAIRS NEW LOCATION energy fort needed. Try, however, to remove them at least every two or three years. This will allow the bulb to re- cover and give you a chance to remove diseased bulbs and renew the spent soil with organic matter and fertilizer. Most scaly bulbs originated in cooler, wetter climates similar to our West Coast marine conditions. These bulbs adapt to summer moisture and cold winters as long as they are situated below the frost line. When planting scaly bulbs, of which lilies are a typical example, they are best placed in’ a well- drained sandy loam and left there until the soil needs renewing. : Again, a three-year cycle can be - maintained for lifting, soil renewal and replanting, which is best done in September. At no time should the bulbs be allowed to dry‘out. Unlike tunicate bulbs, which are sold dry in boxes or paper bags, | . : NEWS photo Terry Paters r FALL IS the time to plant bulbs that will bicom from the last scaly bulbs are stapled into @ snow untif the annuals start to appear. Pictured above are tulip plastic bag along with damp bulbs (top), which are sold dry in boxes or paper bags, and a lily shavings or sawdust to prevent - bulb, a typical scaly bulb which requires constant moisture: to ‘See! Hardy page 24 prevent dehydration. INTED AND NATURAL | CONCRETE GARDEN CONCRETE AND INTERLOCKING PAVING STONES WOOD PLANTERS ‘ STANDARD LEGEND MORTARLESS FREE CONCRETE RETAINING WALL SYSTEMS UNITED LANDSCAPE SUPPLIES 125 Riverside Drive, North Vancouver CONSTRUCTION SERVICES FOR ALL YOUR LANDSCAPE NEEDS ADVICE — DESIGN - — INSTALLATION - 929-4111. 929-4555.