Fall-blooming bulbs are every bit as easy to plant and grow as spring-blooming bulbs, yet they remain unfamiliar to many gardeners. Garden centers rarely offer them so you will probably have to order them by catalog or online. If you need a source let me know. Plant a few, and you’ll be hooked. Your garden will be the talk of the street when the Colchicums bloom, because your neighbors will want to know what trick you used to get those “giant Crocuses” to bloom out of season. Choose a site in full sun to partial shade with average, well-drained soil.
Some of us have had more rain than others this summer, but here in Rockford, we have had very little. With such high temperatures, even the trees are struggling and show burnt or yellowing leaves. I always go over watering advice to my new landscape clients and we are going to review it now because watering is not easy and it is so very important.
The best way to water trees is to lay a hose end near the tree trunk and let the water trickle into the ground for 15 -30 minutes. With sand, a sprinkler might work better to water all of the roots. This method works well for large shrubs too. You want to get the water to the bottom of the root ball. The idea is to encourage the tree to develop a deep root system so it can eventually take care of itself. In the hot weather, water new trees 2x/week. Trees 1-5 years old; 1x/month. As the temperatures cool down, cut down the watering schedule too.
