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How to care for Amaryllis
Baby, it’s cold outside. The annuals have gone to seed. Your roots and bulbs areplanted.Timeto grow some flowers indoors! Amaryllis can be potted in soil. Choose a container that is just a little bit bigger than the bulb itself and leave the top third of the bulb above the soil. Water the soil deeply after planting, and then not again until it begins to grow. You can also grow your Amaryllis without soil, you just need a way to stabilize the bulb above the water. The easiest way to do this is to put a 3" layer of stones in a glass container, add the bulb after trimming off any dried roots so only the plump white roots remain, then layer in more stones to stabilize the bulb. Add water until it reaches just below the bulb - you want the roots to grow into the water, but the bulb itself should not touch the water or it will rot. Keep the water level just below the bulb, and you can change out the water every week or two to keep it fresh.
Place your bulb on or near a windowsill, preferably East or South facing, where your cat won’t knock it over. If you are planting numerous bulbs in one container, space bulbs about 1" apart. If planting in dirt, use an indoor potting soil mix. Put pebbles over the soil to keep the dirt in place. Plus, it just looks way cuter and more polished that way, and ‘tis the season to keep your home decor en pointe.
Two to three stalks of multiple blooms, about eight weeks after planting.
Take care that the bulb is not in contact with the standing water if growing without soil, and if potting in soil, do not over-water as the bulb is prone to rot - the soil should be kept just barely damp. Indoor plants can attract fruit flies and fungus. Air circulation is important. If it’s too chilly to open the window, let a little fan blow gently on your flowers from time to time. Treat foliage with neem oil spray. Place a vinegar trap for the flies nearby if needed. The tall stalks with large blooms are top-heavy. Rotating your growing container regularly will help your bulb grow straight, as it will lean towards its light source. Adding a little stick to support the blooms can help as well.
How to Care for Dahlias
Alright, let’s plant some dahlias, dah’ling! Dig a hole about 8-12" deep and mix in compost if you have it. For planting the clump whole, the tuber clump should be fully covered in dirt, but the stem should be sticking out, just even to the soil level. For planting a single tuber, (see below under Dividing), lay the tuber on its side horizontally 2-4” deep. Cover with soil and gently compress to make your dahlias nice and snug. Mark the spot with support (a stake or tomato trellis works well) for the big blooms to come. If planting multiple tubers or clumps, space them about 12-18” apart for a tight cluster, or 24” for taller varieties (over 4 feet) or if you plan to pinch them back to make them bushier (see below under Flowers and Foliage). Water the area after planting to settle the dirt around your tubers, then only water if the soil is very dry, otherwise leave it be until it starts to grow. If you want to start your dahlias indoors about a month before your last frost to get a head start, you can plant them in a 1-gallon pot and place them under a grow light or in a sunny windowsill. We recommend pots that drain well (don’t forget to put a dish underneath!) Put a layer of pebbles at the bottom of the pot to facilitate drainage. Keep the soil just slightly moist, and water them a bit more once they start to sprout. Carefully remove from the pot and plant as above once the spring weather settles in.
With dahlias, the more sun the better, but if you live in a super hot climate, a little afternoon shade is good to keep from getting droopy and dried out. If your plant is in too much shade, it may get green and leafy, but not bloom. Dahlias prefer good soil, so mixing in compost when you plant is ideal. More importantly, the soil needs to drain well - don’t plant your dahlias in a place where they might stand in soggy dirt. You will need to water them regularly, but not as often as your summer annuals. Keep the soil evenly moist - stick your finger in the dirt a couple times a week to check the soil’s moisture until you get into a watering rhythm. If it's dry, water it. Easy. Water the whole plant, not just the soil, to prevent fungus and keep off bugs. Mulching your garden bed will help keep the moisture in and fight off weeds.
Dahlias are prolific bloomers, and the more you pick the flowers the more blooms you will get. Their vase life is relatively short, but they make up for it by producing an abundance of flowers. They’ll bloom from mid summer until frost, and they’re colors will change as the heat of the summer ramps up then wanes in the fall. The early blooms will start small on shorter stems, but the more you cut the flowers and as the season progresses, the flowers will get big and full and their individual stems will get longer. When the plant is about 12" tall you can pinch it back, (which is to clip off the first main middle bud), so that the plant is encouraged to be bushier, produce more large stems, and more blooms as it matures. (Make sure to plant your tubers with a little extra space if you plan to do this). Dahlias grow on tall stalks with big deep green serrated leaves. The leaves can cause a bit of irritation, so gloves are recommended when handling. In places with mild climates, generally zones 7-10, dahlias are tender perennials, but in places with freezing winters they are annuals. See below for more info on over-wintering your dahlias.
Problem solving Fortunately, most fuzzy critters don’t care for dahlias, but they are popular with some bad bugs. A gentle, vegetable-safe, neem oil based spray works best. Be sure to avoid the flowers themselves, as we don’t want friendly pollinators to buzz off. Dahlia tubers are prone to rot, so only water when the soil is dry. Be sure to pull weeds around your plants so they aren’t competing for nutrients in the soil. Supporting your plants is key. The simplest method is with a wooden stake. We recommend a stake between 3-6 feet, depending on the height of your plant (check the product page!) Use a rubber mallet to drive the stake into the ground next to the stem of your clump, about 4-6 inches away so you don’t hit your tubers with it. Use anything you have handy to tie them gently to the stake - twine, hemp string, zip ties, etc. As your plants grow, you may need to add additional ties to increase support.
Operation Easy - Leave Them There: In most regions dahlias are annuals, but if you live in *just* the right climate you can leave them in the ground and they’ll come back the next year. If you get cool winters but do not get long hard freezes (zones 7 and up or coastal regions), you can generally leave your dahlia tubers in place and they’ll come back happily next spring. Now, you are leaving them to the mercy of the increasingly-unpredictable elements with this plan, but it's the least work. Just cut the stalks and foliage down to the dirt, and then cover the area with a natural blanket about 4-6” deep to keep them cozy: mulch, compost, fall leaves, pine needles... the idea is just to insulate the ground above your dahlia tubers. If you have particularly rainy winters, we also recommend that you cover your dahlia patch with a tarp to prevent the bulbs from getting too wet and rotting. Some people outside of the mild and coastal zones for which this method is recommended can get lucky with a strange micro-climate, an unusually mild winter, or an especially cozy spot in the garden, and their dahlias will come back in the spring. If you give it a try and it works for you, let us know!
Operation Dig: Dahlia tubers multiply during the season, so if you want to dig them up and divide them you can quickly multiply your stash of tubers for subsequent seasons. First, get the right tool for the job. A big shovel or pitchfork is optimal. You’ll want to cut the stalks down, but leave 6-8 inches sticking out of the dirt - it will serve as a handle when you pull out the clumps. When digging out a clump, start into the dirt about a foot away from the stalk - and go gently, because it's easy to break a tuber if you get in close. Make a circle around the stalk loosening dirt, just digging your shovel in at about a 30 degree angle, about 10 inches deep or so to start, getting the clump loosened from the dirt nice and easy. Then, it's time to “feel it out” - literally. Get a hold of that stalk-handle and give it a little tug. If it still feels firmly planted, go back in with your shovel and loosen up more dirt, getting closer to the stalk and deeper below the clump this time. If it feels loose, go ahead and gently pull your clump out of the dirt. Just like magic - that single tuber you planted is now a whole little family of tubers! Each tuber that has eyes (hopefully some of them but probably not all of them) can make its own plant. You’ll notice a couple of sad looking dark floppy tubers (those are called the mother tubers, isn’t that rude??) and you can cut those off because they typically won’t grow healthy plants next year. Next, you want to divide and store your dahlia tubers (see below). You can either store them as-is and divide in the spring (it’s easier to see the growing eyes in the spring, but harder to cut the tubers), or you can clean and divide your dahlia tubers in the fall and then store them ready to plant (the tubers are easier to cut in the fall, but it can be hard to see the growing eyes).
You can leave the clumps dirty and whole, (leaving them dirty is actually key to "preserving" them through the winter), then store them as-is in a place like a garage or basement where it's cool but not going to get freezing. 40-50 degrees is optimal. You can store them in a bed of *slightly* damp sawdust, vermiculite, or peat moss in boxes or crates, using newspaper to pack them in snug. Just don’t use plastic, air-tight bins - they need to breathe a bit. You can either divide them up or plant them as-is again once the soil warms up again in the spring. The good news: if you leave the clumps as-is until spring, the eyes will become more pronounced, and even sprout a little, so it's much easier to identify them and therefore divide up the viable tubers. Bad news is, they’re harder to divide in the spring - so it’s a tradeoff. Come spring, unpack your friends and divide your dahlia tubers - instructions below!
If you want to divide the tubers now, you'll want to skip down to Operation Divide below. Once you've divided your tubers, let them dry out overnight so their cuts harden off. You then can either store them in bins, with the tubers not touching each other, in a bed of *slightly* damp sawdust, vermiculite, or peat moss. Or you can wrap them individually in plastic cling wrap (more work intensive but space efficient). Store them someplace cool and dark like a basement or a cool garage (40-50 degrees is optimal) until the soil warms up in the spring.
To divide your dahlia tubers, first clean the dahlia clumps off really well (hard spray with the hose will do it- prepare to get messy). Then using a really sharp tool, cut your clump in half, then quarters. You can stop here (you’ve quadrupled your dahlia inventory!) or you can keep going to divide down to the individual tuber level. Each tuber, in order to grow, needs two main things: an eye and a connection to the growing stalk. Eyes, like on potatoes, are tiny little round nubs that will produce a sprout. They’re located on the crown of the dahlia tuber right where it meets the center stalk. They’re tricky to identify at first, and can be nearly impossible to see in the fall - in the spring they are much easier to spot and often have even begun to grow. Secondly, you need to make sure that the neck attaching the tuber to the stalk is not broken during dividing (if it breaks the dahlia tuber won’t grow, toss it.) If you aren’t sure that you have both of these things you can always plant a couple of iffy tubers together to increase your chances of getting a healthy dahlia. Now, you’re ready to either store (if it’s fall) or plant (if it’s spring). Dahlias are complicated, but worth it. There’s a lot of detail here, but you don’t need to get it precisely right - your dahlias want to grow. We’re also here to help, reach out with any questions!
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How to Care for Peonies
Bareroot peonies can be planted in spring or fall. The plants are not frost tender, so they can be planted 2 to 3 weeks before your frost free date in the spring or after your first frost in the fall. Your Peony roots want to be planted within a day or two of when you receive them. If you can't plant them right away, store them someplace dark and cool, like the basement. You can soak your Peony root in room temperature water for about 2-4 hours to re-hydrate it before planting. Now dig a hole about twice as large as your root (space roots around 2 ft apart), and mix in some compost if you can before re-filling the hole so that your root sits at the correct depth. You should be able to see a couple of reddish 'eyes' - these are the first growing parts, and you want to plant your root with those eyes pointing up. Now - this is important - you have to plant it at the correct depth or it will not flower. The eyes at the top of the root should be covered by ½” - 2” of soil. Now compress the soil around it, and give it a nice long drink of water. If you have super cold winters you can mulch the area a bit. Now sit back and wait for your life-long plant friend to make its appearance!
Peonies will live for over 100 years, so let's find the right spot for them. They love morning sun and afternoon shade. They are not picky about soil, but good soil is always better. Regular water during the growing season will result in more and bigger blooms.
Peonies will bloom for just a couple of weeks, and picking the blooms will not encourage more - you just get what you get. We recommend that you do not pluck the blooms for the first couple seasons. If you are very disciplined you can cut off the buds the first year before they bloom so that the plant will put all of its energy in growing strong roots. Varieties with large full blooms will need some support to not flop over - most hardware stores will sell a little round trellis that works great. Wind can knock over the blooms also, so best to plant them somewhere protected from strong winds. In the late fall the foliage will die back, and you can pull it away - the peony will send up all fresh foliage the following spring.
As with most plants, the symptoms of under-watering and over-watering are similar: yellow/brown, wilted leaves. It’s important to check the soil regularly before you water. The best way to do that is to stick your finger in it. (All the way. Don’t be scared.) The dirt should be moist. If it’s dry and crumbly, increase your watering schedule. If it’s quite wet (and maybe even stinky), water less. If leaves become coated in a white film, you may have powdery mildew or another type of fungus. Rinsing the leaves regularly with water helps fight off fungi as well as applying a neem oil spray (it’s amazing stuff; natural insecticide too). Water leaves and apply neem oil at night or when the plant is in the shade to avoid burning the leaves. Ants love peonies, but don’t spray them away! They only take a little nectar and fight off the other bad bugs that eat the buds and leaves. They are your peony’s guardians. Coexist.
How to care for Tulips, Daffodils, Muscari, Fritillaria, Allium, Snowflakes, Snowdrops
Hey, hey! You’ve got a bag full of bulbs! When you’re ready to plant, (no rush, but before your ground freezes solid for the winter), dig holes about 1.5 times as deep as the bulb is tall and 3” apart, mixing in some compost if you like. Stick the bulbs in, one per hole, with the pointy end sticking up. Fill in the holes and compress the soil firmly. Water them well - a good long soak. Stick your Plantgem marker in the middle of the area so you remember where your bloomers will pop up. Sit back, brew some tea, and wait for the springtime show.
They need sun, but can thrive in dappled light and part shade. Consider that a spot under a leafy tree might be sunny in the early spring, before the leaves grow back in. They aren't too picky about soil quality, but avoid water-logged areas, as the bulbs will rot. They only need supplemental water if it’s very dry. Their bulbs hold the water and food they need.
Most of our spring flowering bulb buddies bloom just once, so picking the flowers will not encourage more blooms - but don’t let that discourage you! They do very well in vases. Cut back the withered foliage once it turns yellow in the summer - wait as long as you can, so the bulbs can store up as much sunlight power as possible. If you want to plant them elsewhere next season, or you plan to plant other flowers in the area that need lots of water, you can dig them up, dry them out for a few days, and store them somewhere cool and dry. Otherwise, just let them be. Blow them a kiss - see you next spring, friends!
Fortunately, bulbs aren’t fussy. As long as they get a little bit of sun, plenty of soil drainage, and room to spread, they’ll take care of themselves from there. Your biggest issue will be critters eating them. Plant in containers to prevent moles and voles from eating the bulbs underground. Try a homemade spicy spray or protect the plants or wire fencing to keep the deer and bunnies at a bay. Keep fungus and bad bugs away with neem oil spray or a veggie-safe anti-fungal+anti-pest product. Gently water/rinse the foliage in the evening or when it is in the shade, and let it dry before applying. Pull those weeds from around your gems, dear friends. It's therapeutic.
How to care for Saffron Crocus
Your Crocuses need to be planted within a day or two of when you receive them, so make your plan when you get your shipping notification! When you’re ready to plant, dig holes 3” and 4” apart, mixing in some compost if you like. Stick the bulbs in, one per hole, with the pointy end sticking up. Fill in the holes and compress the soil firmly. Water them well - a good long soak. Stick your Plantgem marker in the middle of the area so you remember where your Crocuses live now.
These little guys reproduce like bunnies, so pick a place where there is room to grow their Crocus family. They need some sun, but can thrive in dappled light and part shade. They only need supplemental water if it’s very dry. Their bulbs hold the water and food they need.
Saffron Crocuses produce pretty little purple flowers in the fall - but more importantly - Saffron! Harvest your spice by carefully plucking the three red-orange stigma (strands) and drying them somewhere safe and warm. Store in an airtight container. A little bit goes a long way in your risotto. Wait for the foliage to wilt and turn yellow before clipping it back, so that the bulb can preserve energy for the next year's blooms.
We’re just mad about Saffron. They call it mellow yellow for a reason. As long as they get a little bit of sun, plenty of soil drainage, and room to spread, they’ll take care of themselves from there. Pull weeds around them so they don’t get crushed by the competition. Your biggest issue will be critters eating them. Plant in containers to prevent moles and voles from eating the bulbs underground. Try a homemade spicy spray or protect the plants with wire fencing to keep the deer and bunnies at a bay.
How to care for Ranunculus
The first thing you should do when you receive your Ranunculus corms is: don’t plant them just yet! Your corms will look a bit like tiny octopi. They’ll arrive dehydrated and ready to store somewhere cool and dark for the winter, or for our warm region friends, for a couple extra weeks until the weather chills down a bit. Planting time depends on where you live. In zones 8 and warmer, plant your corms in the fall for spring blooms. If you live in a zone colder than 8, with significant stretches of freezing weather in the winter, plant in the late winter/very early spring instead, about 6 weeks before your last hard frost. Soak in room-temperature water for 4-6 hours before planting, and allow a little trickle of water to run into the bowl as they soak in order to increase the oxygen in the water. Plant 5" apart, 1-2" deep, with the 'tentacles' of the corms pointing down. Fill in the holes and compress the soil firmly. Water them well - a good long soak. Stick your Plantgem marker in the middle of the area so you remember where your flower babies live now.
Ranunculi prefer healthy, well draining soil. Enrich with compost for happy plants. They like cooler climates and gentle warmth. Plant them where they get 6+ hours of sun in cooler regions and afternoon shade in hotter regions. Begin to water when you see the sprouts poke up from the dirt. Find the balance with watering them. Too wet and they will rot, too dry and they will wither. Stick your finger in the dirt to check the moisture level before you water. The dirt should be moist. If it’s dry and crumbly, increase your watering schedule. If it’s quite wet (and maybe even stinky), water less.
Prepare to be in awe. Each corm produces an abundance of flowers, and their bloom season is 6-10 weeks long, from early to mid-spring. Stems last up to 10 days in a vase. They are total show-offs and we love them for it. Cut back the withered foliage once it turns yellow in the summer - wait as long as you can, so the corms can store up as much sunlight power as possible. If you are in zone 8 and colder, you can dig them up, dry them out for a few days (in the sun or inside where they can lay out) then store them in a cool dry place. For zones 8 and warmer: just leave them be. The flowers will come back again next season like magic, just you wait.
Plant your corms in healthy soil, then resist fertilizing - they don’t like too much. Pull weeds from around the base. Ranunculi, like so many lovely flowers, are prone to fungi (powderly film) and bad bugs. Protect them with neem oil spray or a veggie-safe anti-fungal+anti-pest product. Gently rinse the foliage in the evening or when it is in the shade, and let it dry before applying. If you know a frost in coming, cover your planting area with a frost cloth.
How to care for Anemones
The first thing you should do when you receive your Anemone corms is: don’t plant them just yet! Your corms will look a bit like hard little nuggets - but don’t be deceived - they hold a lot of flower power! They’ll arrive dehydrated and ready to store somewhere cool and dark for the winter, or for our warm region friends, for a couple extra weeks until the weather chills down a bit. Planting time depends on where you live. In zones 8 and warmer, plant your corms in the fall for spring blooms. If you live in a zone colder than 8, with significant stretches of freezing weather in the winter, plant in the late winter/very early Spring instead, about 6 weeks before your last hard frost. Soak in room-temperature water for 10-12 hours before planting, and allow a little trickle of water to run into the bowl as they soak in order to increase the oxygen in the water. Plant 5" apart, 1-2" deep, with the point end sticking down (but if you can’t figure out the pointy end, don’t worry, just stick it in there - it will sort itself out). Fill in the holes and compress the soil firmly. Water them well - a good long soak. Stick your Plantgem marker in the middle of the area so you remember where your Anemones are snoozing.
Anemones prefer healthy, well draining soil. Enrich with compost for happy plants. They like cooler climates and gentle warmth. Plant them where they get 6+ hours of sun in cooler regions and afternoon shade in hotter regions. Begin to water when you see the sprouts poke up from the dirt. Find the balance with watering them. Too wet and they will rot, too dry and they will wither. Stick your finger in the dirt to check the moisture level before you water. The dirt should be moist. If it’s dry and crumbly, increase your watering schedule. If it’s quite wet (and maybe even stinky), water less.
With over 20 flowers per corm, and 6-10 weeks of blooming in early to mid-spring, you're going to be rolling in flowers. Cut them and give some to your Mom. Or someone else’s Mom. Cut back the withered foliage once it turns yellow in the summer - wait as long as you can, so the corms can store up as much sunlight as possible. If you are in zone 8 and colder, you can dig them up, dry them out for a few days (in the sun or inside where they can lay out) then store them in a cool dry place. For zones 8-12 - just leave them be for their triumphant return next spring.
Plant your corms in healthy soil, then resist fertilizing - they don’t like too much. Pull weeds from around the base. Anemone, like so many lovely flowers, are prone to fungi (powderly film) and bad bugs. Protect them with neem oil spray or a veggie-safe anti-fungal+anti-pest product. Gently rinse the foliage in the evening or when it is in the shade, and let it dry before applying. If you know a frost in coming, cover your planting area with a frost cloth.
How to care for Bearded Iris
Your Iris want to be planted within a day or two of when you receive them. If you can't plant them right away, store them someplace dark and cool, like the basement. It’s important to know the difference between rhizomes and roots when planting Irises. The rhizome is the potato-like thing and the roots are the strings hanging off of it. Soak your Iris rhizome in room temperature water overnight to re-hydrate it before planting. Dig a hole about 12” wide and 6” inches deep. (Plant roots around 2 ft apart; they need air circulation and room to grow. Personal space: it’s important for everybody). Then, fill the hole back in so that your root sits at the correct depth, *just* below the surface, packing the dirt back into the hole a little bit so the rhizome won’t sink when watered. You want to plant the rhizome horizontally, (on its side, slightly pointing down), so the roots can grow down into the soil from under it, with the stems of the plant (green or brown trimmed leaves) pointing straight up. About 5% of the top of the rhizome should be a little exposed. The trimmed stems should be completely exposed. Fill in the dirt around your Iris, making sure all the roots are tucked in and covered. Press firmly all around the base. Water thoroughly. Try to contain your excitement until next spring when your fancy Irises will be the talk of the neighborhood.
Irises aren’t too picky when it comes to soil types, but they need good drainage, so pick a spot on a little hill or where there is never, ever sitting water. They also need tons of sun - at least 6 hours a day or more. Water them after planting and then only if it’s very dry. Their rhizomes hold the water and food they need.
The leaves of Irises grow like a fan, so you’ll also want to consider the “front” of the Iris when planting it. Plant the rhizome pointing towards where you will most likely view it, so you can admire the fan’s array straight on. Generally, Irises bloom for a couple glorious weeks in the summertime. Enjoy with gusto. Stare at them often.
The most important thing when it comes to Irises: don’t let their toes sit in water. They need water to drain away from their roots. Do not mulch around their base, as this keeps the soil moist. Cut back brown and withered foliage (all the way - about 1 inch off the rhizome) to keep fungus away over the winter. (It just looks better, too, and we’re trying to look good here, amirite?) Cut off seed pods after flowering to save the plant’s energy and prevent seedlings from crowding the scene.