Evening star., 1955-10-23
GARDENS
Summer Bulbs Need
A Cool, Moist Rest
By W. n. YoUNGsEAN

- 1OOl ! MOI
By w. II. YOUNGNEAN
Now that their summers chors
Is done and they. have stored W
strength for another seasons
show. It Is up to the gardener t.
safely store the summer flower
Ing bulbs. The tender summer.
Towering bulbs tcorms. tuhers
roots. etc.) are subject TO freeze
injury. but more especially they
are likely to suffer from dry roi
and other ms In the modern
warm. dry Easements. Thus, Il
Is up to the gardener to protect
them from warmth and dryness
II those big healthy bulbs are
TO pass through the winter safely
without loss Of vitality.
Most Of the summer Towering
bulbs do. not need to be dug
until after frost has blackened
their tops. The exception Is the
giadiolus which should . be dug
as soon as the foliage begins ID
turn brown. They do not wait
for frost to reach this stage.
Many gardeners leave their
dahlias. Ismene lilies Peryuian
daffOdils) and some other bulbs
IN the ground for several days
90 that the bulbs win ripen or
mature. However, the tops are
removed promptly after the
frost. cutting the plants back
to within 2 or 8 inches Of the
ground.
Some Have Long Roots
In digging it is always well to
remember that some, such as the
dahia and Ismene lily, have long
feeding roots which must be
loosened or severed before at
tempting to lift the bulbs. Other
wise. there Is danger Of breaking
the roots from the stem (dahlia)
or tearing the bulb usmene) !.
The tubers Of caladiunas, callas,
glads. Ixias. and tuberoses do not
have such long roots nor Is there
the danger Of tearing them when
digging. They should be lifted
with enough soil between the
bulb and the spading fork 90
that the bulbs will not be bruised.
Tears. bruises, and breaks are
entry points for rot and should
be avoided rs far as possible.
After digging, the bulbs should
be left In q dry shaded situation
to cure for several weeks. The
excess moisture must be removed
II rot Is to be avoided and this
drying period is needed to tough
en- the skin. Undoubtedly, many
have stored bulbs successfully
without prolonged curing PEE
riod. but In the majority Of cases
curing Is good insurance.
After drying. the bulbs should
be cleaned ior winter storage.
This consists Of removing the
soil. A moderately Stiff brush
may be needed although . glQved
hand Is ordinarily sufficient. The
stem. old corn. and the cormels
(baby corms). are removed from
the glads as wen as the outer
husks. The fibrous roots OF the
they do not, leave them on. Most
Of the roots Of the Zephranthes
viii remain attached to the
bulbs. The Ismene lily needs
only TO have the soil removed.
The roots should be left intact.
Dahlia Roots
The problem Of storing the
daillia roots Is an old one. They
must not be allowed to dry to
the point OF shriyeling. Some
growers store them in peatmoss,
sphagnurn moss, sand, YER
miculite, etc. A few put
the clurnps Of roots into
polyethylene bags. In q dry
warm basement they must be
kept In the coolest part and
wrapped to prevent loss Of mois-
ture. Even then it win be neces-
sary to check them at frequent
intervals during the winter to see
II they are too dry or too wet.
II the former, add water; in the
latter case it viii be advisable
to spread them out on the floor
to dry.
Injured bulbs should be busted
with q fungicide such as bor-
deaux mixture or dusting sui
phur. Diseased bulbs should be
discarded. Glad sorms should be
busted with a DDT-fungicide
mixture TO control the thrips and
diseases. Place q tablespoonful
Of the dust in q paper bag with
the corrns. Shake well and then
open the bag and leave in o
warm room for q week or more.
This acts as q fumigant. After
that period the bulbs should be
stored in thin layers In a slated
crate or rack in q room with .
temperature Of between 40 and
so degrees F. ~Ixia. montbretia.
and tigridia bulbs need about
the same storage temperatures
but do not need the DDT fungi
eide treatment. However, they
need to be protected from mice
which are especially fond Of the
tigridia.
Only two OF the summer-fiow-
ering bulbs need q warm dry
situation. They are the Isrnene
lily and the tuberose. Do not
put them In tightly closed bags
or boxes. Rather o well venti-
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