The principles of why fall is for planting are especially true in our climate. The soil retains tremendous warmth from the summer, our days are relatively warm with cool nights and ornamentals have great opportunity to grow new roots and establish before the onset of winter. Plus, winter doesn't typically set in with a vengeance until middle to late December. Bulbs To attain heights of spring flowering glory, gardeners must direct their thoughts to procurement of bulbs in fall. But for you to have selection and quality of bulbs, you'll need to buy them in September through October at reputable garden centers.
Bulbs come in different quality grades.
For refined garden beds, indoor forcing of bulbs and purchase of tender bulbs such as amaryllis for Christmas gifts, you'll want to spend the extra pennies on top-quality, number one grade bulbs. Unusual bulbs to look for are snowdrops, fritallaria, autumn-flowering crocus and saffron crocus. Timing really is everything in controlling, eradicating and preventing pest problems. A particularly useful, less-toxic control for a wide variety of insects, mites and scale on decidous trees, shrubs and fruit trees is the use of dormant oil. This is a petroleum-based oil that simply coats overwintering insects, literally suffocating them.