Famous flower growers from Holland answer this question unequivocally: they advise not to leave Hyacinth bulbs in the soil under any circumstances. The bulbs are dug up, inspected, and sorted. A little more about this below.
Is it possible to leave bulbs in the ground?
So, do you need to dig up hyacinths after they bloom? The fact is that all early flowering bulbs (primarily hyacinths) after the end of their flowering enter the stage of direct ripening of the bulb, after which the time of rest and peace begins almost immediately. During this period, the bulbs are hypersensitive to excess humidity, sudden temperature changes, and other surprises of unstable weather conditions which have been observed in recent years.
It should also take into account the possible presence of garden plot some rodents, they usually feast on hyacinth bulbs with great pleasure. For the hyacinth bulb, dampness or rotting is extremely dangerous, as well as the formation of excessively small children; they cannot survive on their own in open ground, so that most of them inevitably disappear.
In the conditions of the middle zone, without digging, it is difficult for hyacinths to survive. Digging is also a reliable guarantee of subsequent luxurious and lush flowering, since the process of planting flower bud very demanding strict control and the choice of storage conditions for the hyacinth bulb at its dormant stage. The only option that guarantees that fragrant inflorescences will delight the eye next spring is to dig up the bulbs summer period time.
When the plant has flowered and is resting in the open ground, then there is no real possibility check and monitor a constant temperature, which is important for the rest period. It is all the more difficult to ensure the dryness necessary for the bulbs and to rid them of excessive moisture.
Is it necessary to dig up hyacinths after flowering in those regions where winter time warm? Sometimes experts believe that hyacinths in these areas should not be dug up annually. However, in any case, the children formed on the bulb must sometimes be separated, otherwise flowering may stop completely.
Digging up the bulbs not only promotes rich flowering, but also makes it possible to closely inspect it.
If necessary, treatment is carried out with appropriate prophylactic agents, the children are separated for further cultivation them, all bulbs with diseases and defects, as well as those eaten by pests, are rejected.
When to dig up bulbs
As a rule, hyacinths remain fresh and green after flowering until approximately the end of June, or a little later, depending on the climate. After this, the slow death of green foliage begins. The longer the hyacinth’s foliage remains and does not wither after the flowering process is completed, the more beneficial nutrients the bulbs will receive for their full restoration.
It is for this reason that skilled flower growers take care of the plant for quite a long time, although there has been no trace of flowering for a long time.
Sometimes it happens that the leaves do not turn yellow, this may mean that the hyacinth will bloom again, although the second time it blooms much more modestly and a short time, but still. In this case, the bulb is dug up anyway, just a little later.
In any case, it is necessary to remove the bulbs from the soil only immediately after the complete death of all roots and obvious yellowing of its entire above-ground part. There is no point in removing the bulb early; the plant may simply die. The only exception is the detection of obvious damage to the bulb or disease.
How to dig up bulbs correctly
When digging up bulbs, you should work extremely carefully, carefully selecting them with a fair supply of soil, while trying to minimize damage to even very tiny, seemingly insignificant roots.
Hyacinths, like other bulbous plants, are dug up following generally accepted rules:
- Digging begins only in dry, clear weather.
- Digging is done with an ordinary bayonet shovel or a simple pitchfork, while prying all the soil deeper, to the level of the bulbs themselves.
- All bulbs, both small and large, are selected from the ground. The soil needs to be carefully checked to see if there are any small children left there.
- If the soil is still quite wet and surrounds the bulbs too tightly, do not remove it immediately after digging. You can carefully remove only the already dried soil.
How to properly store hyacinth bulbs
So, complete cleaning bulbs are carried out only after drying them in a dark room with an obligatory influx fresh air. The usual duration of this procedure is a week. The dug up bulbs are not laid tightly, only in one layer. It is most convenient to dry them in nets or in small special baskets.
Sorting bulbs is also a necessary condition to preserve the bulbs dug up in the summer. They need to be very carefully cleaned of any remnants of unnecessary scales, as some may contain small babies. You should not store bulbs that have not been pre-selected. We need to take them apart different sizes, until autumn, store at a temperature of about eighteen degrees. There should be a flow of fresh air and no humidity in the room.
The bulbs are stored for two months at a high temperature (about 26 degrees Celsius), and for one month at a temperature of about eighteen degrees Celsius.
That is, the period of dormancy usual for this plant usually lasts about three months, It should be noted that the bulbs should not dry out too much during storage, because they will still need to take root properly immediately after autumn planting, so they are sometimes lightly sprayed.
Hyacinths in pots: when to remove the bulbs
If hyacinths grow in containers or pots, then they undergo the process of forcing and the beginning of flowering occurs much earlier, and sometimes later than the time traditional for this plant. Sometimes a faded plant is kept with leaves until mid-summer and dug up only at the end of July. In this case, watering the plant is reduced, containers or pots are placed in a cool place, protected from direct sunlight.
You can finally stop watering after the beginning of yellowing and complete death of all the foliage. After the green mass has completely dried, the bulb is removed from the pot, dried thoroughly and thoroughly checked and cleaned.
After the end of the dormant period, hyacinth bulbs are planted again in the ground in the garden plot. This is usually done either at the beginning of November or at the very end of October, that is, in the second half of autumn. The bulbs must have time to take root before frost sets in, but they must not begin to grow, otherwise the frost will simply destroy all the plants.
In order for lilies to feel comfortable in the flower garden and delight them with bright buds, they need to be properly taken care of. A florist needs to understand the varieties and subspecies in order to determine which ones are dug up for the winter and which ones are not, and preserve the plants until spring without damage. Frost-resistant types of lilies can be left in the open ground during the cold season, providing suitable shelter from peat, sawdust or spruce branches.
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To dig or not to dig?
Some types of lilies produce quite a lot of babies. These are Asian and LA hybrids. Their regular excavation is highly desirable, otherwise the formed this year In the spring, the children will sprout next to the mother's bulb and form a nest in which the flowers will not have enough water and nutrition.
The dug up overgrown lilies are separated. Children are placed in a specially prepared place.
Oriental lilies and OT hybrids (formed from crossing Tubular representatives with Orientals) almost do not produce children. In such cases, there is no need to dig up lilies for the winter unless you plan to transplant them to a new location.
Flower growers who grow bulbs for sale need to dig up plants of all groups annually. Large bulbs will go on sale in spring and autumn, and small ones will have to be planted immediately for growing.
Another reason why you have to dig up bulbs in the fall is the insufficient winter hardiness of certain varieties and varieties of lilies. Such plants initially cannot overwinter in open ground, even if the winter turns out to be warm, since they were brought from southern countries and regions and have not yet had time to adapt.
IN middle lane The following varieties can overwinter in the ground:
- Asian.
- LA hybrids.
- OA and OT varieties.
Tubular and American hybrids must be dug up for the winter and stored in the refrigerator or cellar. They can winter in open ground only in the South.
Trimming the above-ground part
It is not worth trimming the above-ground part of the lily after flowering. A lily is not a tulip with a rapidly dying aboveground part. This plant stores nutrients in its bulb throughout the summer. If you deprive a plant of the leaves it needs for photosynthesis, next year it will not bloom because flower buds will not form in the bulb.
Immediately after flowering, cut off wilted inflorescences. The stem can only be trimmed when it dies naturally, autumn. In addition, in some types of lilies, such as tiger lilies, bulbs appear in the axils of the leaves, which are suitable for propagation.
You can prune lilies after flowering if they appear on the leaves. fungal diseases. Even when cutting a lily into a bouquet, you need to make sure that a few leaves and a piece of stem remain in the ground. They are necessary so that the bulb can receive all the nutrients and successfully overwinter.
Storing bulbs after digging
In winter, it is necessary to store bulbs that cannot overwinter in the open ground due to their heat-loving nature, or those that could not be planted in the fall due to lack of space and other circumstances. In the cold season, the bulbs should be kept at a temperature of 0 to +5 degrees.
Experienced gardeners store lily bulbs in the refrigerator in a bag of peat in winter. Since the temperature in the apparatus is at a constant level, the most valuable varieties are placed in it. The rest can be sent for storage in utility rooms: cellars, basements, loggias, balconies, garages.
Bulbs that are not particularly valuable can be placed directly in the open ground under a deep layer of snow. In this case, the development of plants slows down, but they themselves do not freeze.
There is an interesting way to store lilies in the open ground. In such storage you can place a large number of bulbs at once. This method useful for those gardeners who sell planting material in early spring at markets and fairs and store whole bags of products for storage.
To construct a storage facility, you need an area with excellent drainage. You will also have to choose a waterproof coating and thermal insulation material. The chosen location in winter should be under a thick layer of snow so that the snowdrifts are the last to melt in the spring.
The best option would be a small area on the north side of the house.
In the fall, a trench is dug in the selected area and its walls are reinforced with boards. The bulbs are sprinkled with peat and placed in a trench directly in plastic bags. The pit is covered with film and a wooden lid. The film is needed to prevent the lid from freezing to the ground in winter. The structure is covered from above with cardboard boxes, dry peat and any other dry thermal insulation, suitable for construction purposes.
To stabilize temperature changes, sealed plastic bags with water can be placed in the trench. They will become an indicator by which it will be possible to check the condition of the bulbs during the thaw. If the water doesn’t freeze, then the plants won’t freeze either.
Autumn care
Caring for lilies in the fall should be aimed at ensuring the full ripening of the bulbs and providing them with the maximum amount of nutrients.
In autumn, plants have to be cared for more carefully than in spring. They need specific feeding and protection from frost. During autumn cold snaps and prolonged rains, lilies should be sprayed with Bordeaux mixture to protect against fungal diseases. Unpretentious species and varieties can simply be left for the winter without any preparation.
The most beautiful southern large-flowered varieties may not survive frosts without proper autumn care. When the plants are still blooming, superphosphate and potassium sulfate are added to the soil. Phosphorus helps the bulbs better prepare for autumn, and potassium increases their frost resistance. At the beginning of September, another potash fertilization is carried out: 1 tsp. potassium sulfate is dissolved in 10 liters of water and watered at the roots of the plants in moist soil.
The last autumn feeding will also play the role of shelter from frost. When the above-ground part finally dies, the plantings are covered with a layer of humus or rotted compost. Ten-centimeter mulch will protect lilies in the winter, and in the spring it will become fertilizer for them.
Preparing for winter
Preparing lilies for winter is a must in regions with cold climates. In areas with mild winters, lilies can be left without shelter, especially if they are frost-resistant varieties. Tubular and oriental hybrids that do not tolerate frost are covered with peat or sawdust. When the ground completely freezes, spruce branches are thrown over the mulch to retain snow. The thicker the layer of snow, the warmer the lilies will be in the ground.
The flower garden can be covered when the average daily temperature drops to 0 degrees.
Late flowering varieties need to be protected from early autumn frosts on the ground. At night the bed is covered with spunbond or film, and during the day the cover is removed.
Transfer
Lilies can be replanted when they have finished blooming and their leaves and stems begin to die naturally.
Asian and Oriental hybrids They are dug up every three years. Such bulbs are planted again immediately after being removed from the soil, choosing places that will be sufficiently covered with snow in winter.
In the fall, the purpose of excavation may be:
- placing bulbs in the refrigerator or cellar for winter;
- transfer to another place;
- reproduction.
The dug nest is shaken to remove soil and the bulbs are inspected. Damaged rotten roots and scales are removed. The stems from the bulbs must be removed immediately, cutting them at a height of 1 cm above the upper scales. The bulb is washed running water and soak for 20-30 minutes in a solution of Fundazol (0.2%) or potassium permanganate (5 g per 10 l). Next, the tubers are dried in the shade, after which they are ready for planting.
Material intended for storage does not need to be disinfected or dried. It is immediately placed in bags with damp moss or peat and put in the refrigerator.
Each year, the time for digging up lilies may change due to weather conditions. A guide for experienced gardeners is the drooping and yellowing of the entire above-ground part of the plant.
If the lilies have not turned yellow due to the long autumn, by the end of September they are dug up (all without exception) and stored at home. Bulbs that are planned to be immediately planted back into the ground are dug up no later than September 10 so that they have time to re-develop root system- only in this case will the flowers survive the winter.
Lily - the brightest garden flower with a dizzying aroma that is the pride of any garden plot or park. Today we will talk about caring for lilies in the fall and preparing for winter.
Perennial lilies different types can be found in every front garden or flowerbed and even in a flowerpot. The richness of the color palette, flower shapes and plant heights allow you to choose lilies to suit any style of landscape design.
Unpretentious bright flowers They tolerate the harsh Russian winter well and bloom all summer long.
Some plant heads are dug up and stored in a cool place until spring. Other lilies are left to overwinter under the snow.
The gardener begins to take care of the winter period in the life of a lily in the summer. Preparation begins from the moment the last buds on the flower wither. Various varieties and hybrids have different terms flowering in open ground, but by mid-August all lilies have already lost their flower petals.
Do I need to dig up plant bulbs in the fall?
It is not necessary to do this annually. The bulbs overwinter well in the soil. Sometimes it is necessary to cover the soil where the flower is planted for insulation with sawdust, peat or spruce branches.
The exception is capricious Oriental lilies and Trumpet lilies. They can winter in the soil only in the south of our country and in the middle zone under cover. In regions with a harsh climate (north, Siberia), the plant is dug out of the soil after the first frost and stored in the basement until May.
Asiatic lilies and Marlene lily hybrid(the famous multi-flowered lily) do not require such care. The bulbs are removed from the ground only once every 4-5 years, when it is time to transplant the plant to a new location.
The lily is dug up in early autumn, the bulbs are pickled in a fungicide solution and dried. The children are separated from the mother plant. Store planting material until spring in moss or slightly damp sawdust, in a dark and cool place.
Autumn feeding
After flowering, the lily must be fed with phosphorus-potassium fertilizers. They contribute to better ripening of the bulb and its accumulation of substances necessary for a successful winter.
For 1 sq. meter of soil area is taken:
- 30-40 g of superphosphate (or 20 g of double superphosphate);
- 35 g of potassium magnesia or potassium sulfate.
Fertilizing helps the bulbs receive nutrients and nutrients.
Fertilizer powder is scattered around the flowers, the soil is lightly loosened to a depth of 4 cm and the flower garden is watered abundantly. Instead of superphosphate and potassium magnesium, you can use special fertilizers for autumn feeding bulbous flowers. Garden stores sell the appropriate mixtures under the brands Kemira and Fertik.
Nitrogen fertilizers and manure are not applied under lilies in the fall. Nitrogen promotes active growth of greenery, which is not necessary in the fall.
For supporters organic farming It is recommended to apply to the soil:
- bone meal, rich in phosphorus,
- wood ash containing potassium.
Both powders consume 100 g per square meter.
Only ash obtained from burning wood or grass (hay, fallen leaves) is suitable for fertilizer. Ash from paper, polyethylene, plastic is poisonous!
2-3 weeks after fertilizing, the soil around the plants is spilled with Bordeaux mixture. You can buy it ready-made in a store or make it yourself from an aqueous solution of lime and copper sulfate.
Bordeaux mixture has a disinfectant effect and destroys pathogens of fungal diseases and pests. Liquid consumption – at least 10 liters per 1 sq. m.
Plants that are not planned to be dug up for the winter should be treated.
Pruning lilies in autumn
You should not rush to prune your lily after flowering. For some time after flowering, nutrients flow from the stem and leaves into the bulb and photosynthesis continues. For a gardener, the protruding stem also serves as a landmark for the place where the lily grows.
To prevent protruding unsightly “sticks” from spoiling the appearance of the flower garden, fast-growing annual flowers (scented tobacco, asters, dahlias) are planted around the lily. The greenery of annuals will hide faded lilies.
We trim the plant on time, otherwise we can harm it.
Starting from the end of September, with the onset of the first cold weather, we cut off the stems with pruners.
The cutting height of a lily overwintering in the soil is 5-10 cm. The tops of the plant are not left in place, but burned. This measure will eliminate pests that may be hiding in the leaves and stem of the lily.
Sheltering lilies for the winter
After pruning, it's time to cover the lilies. The operation is carried out when the daytime air temperature no longer rises above 0 degrees. Flowers can be covered:
- wood shavings;
- peat;
- humus;
- fallen oak leaves (oak leaves are believed to have disinfectant properties).
Humus that has been left for at least 3 years, in addition to its protective function, provides additional nutrition to the plant.
Covering with coniferous branches step by step:
Lightly loosen the soil around the bush and cover the area where the bulbs are located with a layer of humus.
Cover the top with pine or spruce branches.
On a note! Coniferous branches repel rodents and pests and create reliable protection flower from frost. Snow easily lingers on such a shelter and provides additional and reliable insulation.
The shelter layer should be from 7 to 20 cm, depending on what frosts may occur in this area. In the spring, with the arrival of warmth, the shelter should be removed. This is done gradually so as not to damage the lily sprouts from returning cold weather.
Video: preparing lilies for winter
Do lilies need to be watered in the fall?
From the beginning of September, lilies do not need watering. Excess moisture in the soil can cause the bulbs to rot. If the weather is rainy in the fall, drainage grooves are arranged around the flower bed and the soil is often loosened, giving the roots access to air.
In the south of our country, autumn can be hot and without precipitation. In this case, 1-2 waterings in September - early October will be useful.
When to dig up non-winter-hardy varieties of lilies?
Digging of bulbs begins after the first frost.
In the middle zone, Moscow region The best time is mid-October. IN Leningrad region Lilies are removed from the ground a week to ten days earlier.
In the Urals and Siberia The ground temperature drops to critical levels for flowers already in mid-September. You cannot be late in harvesting the bulbs.
In the southern regions of Russia The climate allows even heat-loving varieties of lilies to be left in the ground.
Observing the weather in a specific area will help determine the exact time for digging up heat-loving varieties of lilies. Within one region, the difference in temperatures can reach 10 degrees, which must be taken into account in gardening work.
Preparing lily bulbs for winter
Dig out lilies using a fork, stepping back 12-15 cm from the stem and plunging the tool to a depth of 25-30 cm.
Plant bulbs removed from the soil are cleaned of soil, roots and stems are cut off. The baby is separated from the adult bulb. Planting material is inspected, bulb scales are removed from dark spots(beginning of rot) and mold.
After inspection, the bulbs are kept in a fungicide solution to destroy pathogens. Use:
- rich pink solution of potassium permanganate;
- drug Maxim;
- foundationol.
Processing time – 30 minutes. After which, the lilies are dried in air. Before storing, you can dust the onions with sifted wood ash.
Store lilies in a cool and dark place, at a temperature not higher than +10 degrees. Planting material is wrapped in newspaper, wrapped in moss or immersed in sawdust. To prevent the bulbs from drying out, moss or sawdust is lightly sprinkled with water during the entire storage period. You can cover the boxes with lilies with a damp, rough cloth that allows air to pass through (burlap, darnit).
Their luxurious flowering next year depends on proper care of lilies in the fall and preparation for winter. Don't be lazy and do it autumn work to the fullest!
There are quite a few plants that require close attention from their owners. Some of them require constant supervision: regular watering, fertilization and preventive treatment against pests. Others need special care during the onset of cold weather - due to insufficiently high frost resistance. So, today we will talk about the second aspect. Let us clarify whether it is necessary to dig up dahlias, hyacinths, lilies, and gladioli for the winter and explain why. Also, let’s say, is it worth removing tulips and anemones, as well as freesia for the winter, or can they be left in open ground? This is what our conversation will be about next. Let's begin...
Should you dig up lilies for the winter or not??
Lilies are rather capricious plants, which, nevertheless, are popular among many gardeners. But proper preparation Such crops may differ by winter; it depends on the climate of the area where the garden is located. In the event that it is characterized by not very severe frosts and loss of sufficient quantity snow, then there is no need to dig up lilies. They can easily survive the winter in the ground. They just need to be removed from the ground to distribute the young bulbs and remove the old ones.
Certain varieties of plants can tolerate even very severe frosts. They are presented Asian varieties, as well as OT and LA hybrids. Such lilies are also not dug up for the winter.
If there are lilies of oriental hybrid varieties growing on the site, you do not have to remove them from the ground, but protect them from frost.
As for the tubular varieties of flowers, they are not at all frost-resistant, which means that lilies of this variety will have to be removed from the ground for the winter. This should be done in the fall. Store them in the basement until spring.
Is it worth digging up gladioli??
These flowers are not at all frost-resistant, which means that gladioli are taken out of their planting areas for the winter. In principle, they can overwinter in the ground under cover in the southern territories of Russia, but those readers of “Popular About Health” who live in the central zone must definitely remove them. AND better than gladioli dig out before the onset of frost, because the bulbs can be damaged when the soil temperature drops below zero degrees.
Should I remove tulips from the ground for the winter or not??
There is no need to dig up tulips, because the bulbs of these flowers tolerate frost well. Many summer residents advise covering the plantings with peat and covering them with fallen snow, while others do not pay any special attention to the plants. Tulip bulbs are dug up only once every few years for division, replanting in a new place, adding fertilizers to the soil, etc.
However, there are rare and capricious varieties that are not able to set flower buds at low temperatures. You will have to dig up such tulips. Such crops need to be provided winter storage in a dry and fairly warm place.
Will we dig up anemones or not??
There are several varieties of anemone that require a different approach to organizing wintering. Thus, a tender anemone does not leave its place of growth for the winter, since it can easily withstand the cold period. However, you should dig up the crown anemone, as it can be severely damaged by excess soil moisture (in autumn) and frost (in winter). Such a plant should be removed around the end of September - beginning of October, laid out on newspapers to dry, and then cut off the above-ground parts. The rhizomes need to be additionally dried in a fairly cool room (about ten to fifteen degrees) for another four weeks. Afterwards, it is advisable to put them in boxes with barely moistened sand or peat and put them in a cool place.
Do we get dahlias for the winter??
Dahlias are not frost-resistant crops at all. Therefore, many gardeners grow them exclusively as annuals. Others successfully remove plant rhizomes from the soil and plant them back in the spring.
Usually, dahlia rhizomes are sent to a fairly cool room for the winter. This is done in early October (in case of earlier frosts, you need to cover them), cutting the stems ten centimeters from the ground. The planting material needs to be washed and sent for five to six days in a fairly cool room with high humidity. During this time, suberization of the skin of dahlia rhizomes will begin, and they can be folded into bags or parchment, surrounded with peat or vermiculite and stored until spring (at five to seven degrees).
Should I remove freesia for the winter??
This is an attractive and heat-loving crop, so its bulbs must be removed from the soil. You can dig up freesia after the leaves turn yellow, without waiting for complete drying. Such planting material should be sorted out and treated with fungicides, as well as insecticides (to prevent fungal infections and to destroy pests). Afterwards, the corms must be dried and stored in fairly specific conditions. They should be in a room with high temperature (twenty-five to thirty degrees) and high humidity.
Is it not necessary to dig up hyacinths??
Residents of the southern territories do not need to dig up hyacinths for storage during the cold season. They only need to remove the bulbs from time to time to separate the resulting children. During frosts, the area can only be mulched. But if the garden is located in the middle zone, it is necessary to remove hyacinths for the winter, and even in the fall - after they turn yellow and completely dry out ground part plants.
Thus, different garden flowers require different care in autumn. So, freesia and dahlias need to be dug up, but tulips for the winter - no. Well, I won’t repeat myself, you just read... Proper wintering is one of the main conditions successful flowering next year.