Meet Mike in Chantilly next weekend!
Mike will appear at the Capital Remodel & Garden Show at the Dulles Expo Center in Chantilly Friday, Feb. 27 through Sunday, March 2.
Special deal: Enter promo code “McGrath” to get $4 off online tickets.
Can spring bulbs in water be made to rebloom?
Lara in Alexandria writes, “My mother has a vase of tulips growing hydroponically. She would like to know your suggestions for keeping them alive and thriving. She followed your holiday tip on keeping poinsettias alive and hers are still like new; she can’t stop talking about it!”
Well, she’s 1 for 1, Lara.
Now, when you say “hydroponically,” I presume you mean that the tulip bulbs were professionally chilled, forced and then sold in cute little water-filled containers; it’s an age-old technique.
But unlike the tulips and other spring bulbs you often see around Valentine’s Day that are growing in pots of soil, tulips forced in water are designed to be one-shot wonders. Keep them in a cool spot away from direct sun to prolong the life of the flowers, and then just toss (or compost) them when they get droopy.
But there is a somewhat crazy alternative.
Cowboy gardening with water-forced tulips
Now, there’s no shame in Lara’s mom just enjoying and then tossing her tulips. Spring bulbs have been forced for display in attractive water-filled containers for centuries, and are always tossed afterwards. (Heck, a lot of tulips planted in the ground don’t come back!)
But I will offer a “cowboy gardening” suggestion. Enjoy the flowering show; clip off the top of the central stalk after the flowers fade, then take the bulbs out of their vases and trim the roots down to about 3 inches long. (Those long, dangly roots look great in the glass, but can’t take root in real soil.)
Then, plant the bulbs in a container filled with soil-free mix (no garden dirt) with a good amount of compost and/or worm castings mixed in for nutrition. Saturate the container by sitting it in a few inches of water, let it drain and place it in the brightest light possible.
Turn the plant frequently and water when the pot feels light. If you get lucky and the leaves stay green, put the pots outside in bright sun around Mother’s Day and feed again. Water as needed until the leaves turn naturally brown, then stop watering and store the bulbs in a cool dry spot until Halloween, when you’ll plant them in a nice spot in the garden.
Good luck!
Getting rid of an aggressive groundcover
Bob in Germantown writes, “I’m thinking towards spring, and what I can safely do to get rid of the weed shown in the (picture to the right). (I was going to ask which petrochemical to use, just to see if your head would spin, but my wife threatened to lock me out.)”
Sounds like a good marriage, Bob.
Anyway, your photo shows a very attractive plant once used extensively as an aromatic groundcover that’s known today as ground ivy, lawn ivy and creeping Charlie. If it’s in your flower beds, pull the vines slowly out of soaking wet soil early in the season and don’t compost them. Then, get one of the new iron-based herbicides (like “Iron-X” from Gardens Alive) and be prepared to spray any regrowth on a hot, sunny day. Soak the leaves of the unwanted plant thoroughly and try not to get too much on any other plants.
Very important basic weed control: Pull (always slowly) when the soil is wet, but spray things such as Iron-X and herbicidal soap on the unwanted plant at the height of a hot, dry day.
If it’s in your lawn, it’s important for you to care for your lawn correctly. Charlie can’t compete with a lawn that’s cut at three inches with a sharp blade, fed naturally twice a year and watered deeply but infrequently.
…Unless that lawn just isn’t getting enough sun. Ground ivy was introduced as a groundcover for areas so shady that they couldn’t support turf. And if the lawn doesn’t get at least four hours of sun a day, it’s a losing battle — no grass can succeed with that little amount of sun.
If shade is not the problem, pull what you can in the spring and then spray the leaves with one of the new iron-based herbicides on hot and sunny days.
But if we are talking about a really shady spot, consider just saying hello to your new groundcover!
When big trees cross the line
Barb in Haymarket writes, “We have a pine tree in our backyard that has grown very large over the years and some of the branches are encroaching into our neighbor’s yard. Is it OK to prune those large limbs or should we wait? When is the appropriate time of year to prune?”
Right now, Barb. The dead of winter is the absolute best time to prune large tree limbs.
Now, the legalese: Any part of your tree that’s on his side of the property line belongs to him, and he can do as he wants with it. You don’t have to pay for the work—although you would have to pay for any damage caused by the branches if they break on his side.
Either way, it sounds like you should get a certified arborist to do this work. Big branches must be removed carefully and in short sections — for your safety and the future health of the tree — and professionals have the equipment and training necessary to do it right.
