Questions From The Bulb & Garlic Happy Hour

Here are the questions that we didn’t get to in the Happy Hour on Friday the 13th of October. Thanks to all who attended, and watch our events page for future Horticultural Happy Hours.

Q. Can you share any information about ranunculus?

A. Ranunculus aren’t hardy bulbs on Cape Cod. We commonly have pots of plants in the spring, but they won’t live from year to year. The Ranunculus that you see being sold as long stemmed cut flowers are raised in cool hoop houses by cut flower growers. So enjoy the potted plants in the spring to plant in containers, indoors or out, but don’t try to get them to live from year to year.

Q. Can you plant garlic that you buy in the grocery store?

A. If it’s organic garlic and you’re planting on Cape Cod, you will most likely be successful. The garlic you buy in the store is usually a softneck variety, from California, so not as hardy if it’s a very cold winter or if you live in northern New England. Some of the non-organic heads of garlic soil may have been treated so that they are less likely to sprout in the store, which would make them unable to sprout in your garden. If you don’t care if it’s successful or not, you can give the grocery store cloves a try…but if you want to be assured of a good garlic crop, buy seed garlic.

Q. Is it too late to prune our Weigela now?

A. If you prune it now you’ll be removing the flowers for next year, since this shrub forms the buds for blooms the previous summer. It’s best to prune these shrubs immediately after they flower. However, if you have random stems that are heading into the center of the plant, you can cut those off now. BTW, these aren’t shrubs that look good when chopped back to try and make them smaller, since part of their beauty is the long, arching stems.

Q. When garlic is mature and grows a bulb on the end, do you cut that off?

A. That isn’t a bulb, but is a seed pod. Most people who grow garlic don’t let the plant form seeds – we cut off the “scapes” that are developing flowers long before they bloom and make that pod. This is to cause the garlic plant to put all its energy into making big heads of garlic below ground. When any plant makes seeds, some of the resources from that plant must be used for that process, so there is a “cost” for other parts of the plant. In my house, we cut off the scapes and put them in a vase…they make an interesting bouquet. Others cut them when they are very young and tender, and cook with them or even can them in a pickling brine.

Q. What bulbs can I plant in a moss lawn?

A. I would recommend that you use smaller-flowering bulbs that are known to be long-lasting. Try Crocus, Scilla (aka Siberian squill), netted Iris (Iris reticulata), and some of the smaller varieties of daffodils such as ‘Tet a Tet.’ Note that moss does quite well on sandy, infertile soils, but if you want your bulbs to get a strong start, fertilize them with a liquid, organic plant food in the spring when they first poke up. Use the liquid since scattering granular over the moss might damage it.