Container Gardening with Specialty Plants

~ May 25, 2011

Weather conditions, or more accurately, the growing zone dictates what gardeners can and cannot grow. Canada covers a wide range of growing zones. Gardening in a colder zone does not mean you cannot enjoy the pleasure of tropical plants. This is where container gardening really becomes unique.

Consider the mature size of the plant. Most exotic plants can be kept to a manageable size (8 feet high, approximately 30 inches wide) with vigorous pruning and some tying with string. However, there are some tropicals that cannot be maintained at a manageable size. Do your research and verify the mature size listed on the plant tag.

Select a container that is large enough to support the plant you want to grow. Keep in mind that you will need to carry the plant indoors come fall. As the plant grows you will transplant into a larger pot in early spring.

Choose a container that is lightweight and durable. The plant will be moved around a lot and will get heavier. A ceramic pot would not be wise because it is simply too heavy and fragile. Plastic pots are perfect for this type of application and are relatively inexpensive. In addition, a pot with handles or wheels is very helpful when moving. Make sure the pot has adequate drainage holes to drain excess water.

Select or create a soil that drains quickly but retains enough moisture to keep the roots moist. Use a slow release fertilizer, like Smartcote, when planting and water according to the plant specifications.

The list of what you can grow in containers is virtually endless. Some examples are: figs, citrus, cactus and palm. I grow a Banaana tree which is 8 feet high and produces a small crop each year. Select a quick maturing variety if you want any chance of a harvest.

Winter Storage.

When the plant goes dormant in the fall, move it into a cold cellar. Storage temperatures should not dip below 0C or above 7C in the winter.

When spring arrives move the plant out of storage and gradually harden it off to the outdoor conditions, keeping it protected from spring frosts.

Spring Showers will bring May Flowers

~ May 18, 2011

This spring has been one of the coldest and rainiest in memory. I encourage you to take advantage of this unusual weather and visit your local garden centre.

"A rainy day is a great time to visit a garden centre -- not only does it give you a head start on your neighbours, it can also be a rewarding shopping experience. Shorter line-ups at the cash register, parking spaces close to the entrance and a full inventory of plants will make life less hectic. Easier access to knowledgeable staff, just waiting to offer local gardening advice will ensure your garden gets off to a fantastic start this year," says my buddy Denis Flanagan, public relations manager, Landscape Ontario.



The late spring has another bonus for shoppers -- garden centre staff are spending more time caring for plants which are bigger and healthier than ever. And a rainy day is automatically a great day for planting!

Get out in the garden now to ensure you won’t be playing catch-up when the weather finally does warm up. Here are a few activities to get you through this cold and wet spring:

· Plant woody plants and hardy perennials now! Ontario garden centre inventories have never been as healthy or looked as good. The late spring has provided great growing conditions and extra time for plants to mature.
· Think ahead. Landscape projects that you would like to tackle this summer take planning, conceptualization and design. Avoid disappointment by calling contractors now. If waiting until late May they may already be booked.

Your best source to find local garden centres, contractors and other specialties is at http://www.landscapeontario.com/. “Find a Company” by searching a city, postal code, or specialty, etc.

Get the Most from Your Soil

~ May 11, 2011

Perhaps you have heard me say this before but these are words to live by: 90% of the success that you achieve in your garden is the direct result of proper soil preparation.

So what does that mean to you? ….. glad you asked!

First, figure out what type of soil you have.

The simplest and most accurate way is to figure out your ‘soil type’ is the jar test. Simply take a shovel full of your soil, mix it together and then take one cup of soil from that and half fill a 1L mason jar with the soil. Top up the jar with tap water and shake it for 5 minutes or so. Then let it sit for 24-48hrs while everything settles.

What you should see is three layers or ‘strata’ of soil on the bottom half and somewhat murky water on the top half with floating organic matter. The bottom layer will likely be separated into 3 layers: sand on the botttom, the middle silt and the top clay.

Looking at the jar carefully you can estimate the proportion of each layer according to the soil triangle.Ideal soil is a sandy/medium loam which is approximately 40 percent sand, 40 percent silt and 20 percent clay. This is a great all purpose soil for any garden bed no matter what you want to plant. It allows plants to root easily, holds onto water but also drains excess water easily.

In reality most garden soils do not have this composition and need some amendments.

CLAY SOIL

The easiest way to deal with a primarily clay soil is either to dig it out and remove it to a depth of 40 cm and then fill in the void with good quality triple-mix and as weed free as possible. Triple-mix is an equal mix of peat, compost and sand. Add about 10 cm more triple mix than soil that you removed. The new soil should be well above grade for it to provide a good home for your new garden. It will settle over time and you will add more each year to keep it topped up.

If you do not want to dig, remove and backfill with the ‘good stuff’ (and if you have a lot of patience!) add sharp (coarse) sand and well rotted compost which will help loosen up the soil, improve drainage, air circulation and organic nutrients. Turn it into the existing soil the best that you can using a shovel, spade or rototiller.

SAND

Dealing with a primarily sandy soil is much easier; to do this till in peat moss and well rotted compost or manure which will improve the soils ability to hold water but will also add missing nutrients.

Next week: knowing the acidity (or pH) of your soil – why it is important, how to do it and what to do with the information.

The Dirt on Spring Planting

~ Blog May 5th 2011

A question: would you build a house without a foundation?
Of course not.

It is, indeed, planting time: with many Canadians finally getting the good spring weather that we have been waiting for – and with Mother’s Day here (a cue to many Canadians to get planting in their gardens).

This is your very best opportunity to build a foundation for your garden this year that will support plant life and grow –in reality – the garden that you have imagined all winter long. My advice is that you begin your spring planting by not planting at all, but rather, get into your garden with a sharp shovel or spade in hand and dig some holes.

You are not digging just for the fun of it – you are going to examine your soil to determine what needs to be added to it in order to grow a great garden this year.

Some helpful tips:
* Take a handful of soil and squeeze it in the palm of your hand, then bounce it around a few times.
- If the soil breaks up in your hand, you have a pretty good start. Add lots of organic material in the form of finished compost from your composter or purchased from a reliable local source. If you are buying your compost by the bag, look for a good quality national brand like C.I.L., Green Earth or Hillview.
- If you are purchasing compost by the cubic yard (i.e. truckload) make sure that you are buying from a supplier that has a solid reputation for quality. There is no sense going to all of the expense and effort to have it delivered (the easy part) and spread over your garden (the hard part) if it is second rate material.
- If your soil samples do not break up in your hand, but stay in the shape of the soil that you squeezed, it is time to assess more closely: is it clay? If so, add generous quantities of sharp sand, otherwise known as play sand (but NOT beach sand!). This will open up the clay particles, which are so small that they bind together to form an impenetrable mass. Also add the compost – as described above.
- If you are unsure of the quality of your soil (after all, you likely have a day job and chances are good that soil analysis is not a big part of it) then I recommend that you take it to a local hardware store or garden centre and talk to a trained professional. Someone who deals with soil issues often can tell you a lot about the quality of your existing soil and how to improve it.
- If you have solid clay (e.g. you could make bricks or cereal bowls out of it) I recommend that you seriously consider removing it to 40 cm (15 inches) deep and backfilling it with 50 cm of triple mix (18 inches).

What is triple mix, you ask?
An equal portion of quality top soil, peat moss and finished compost (vs. ‘unfinished’ or ‘green’ compost).

I have pretty good quality soil in my garden, but you know what, I add 2 cm or one inch of mushroom compost (the ‘high octane’ stuff) over the entire garden every spring. I just let the earth worms pull it down and convert it into nitrogen rich earth worm castings. This takes about 6 to 8 weeks, depending on rainfall.

If you are in a hurry or just enjoy the experience of digging, turn it under with a garden fork or small rototiller.

How important is it to prepare your garden this way?
Well, about as important as building a foundation under a house or garage. Try building one without it and you will soon understand the wisdom of building one in the first place.

If I prepare the soil well, will I still need to use ‘fertilizer’ on my garden plants?

This depends on the plants. Roses, clematis, most annual flowers and tomatoes are heavy feeders, so yes, you would be wise to add some fertilizer – synthetic or organic – to the soil at the time of planting and every 4 to 6 weeks until the middle of the summer. Organic gardeners should look for Green Earth products: otherwise, there are many quality synthetic products like So Green, Vigoro, and C.I.L. that will do the job for you nicely.

If you are looking for a really easy way to feed your plants over the summer try the super slow release fertilizers that are sold under the ‘Once and Done’ or ‘Smart Cote’ labels.

After you have your soil prep done, it is time to go shopping – almost.

Have a great week and remember to keep your knees dirty!

Mark

Best Lawn on the Block #2

~April 27, 2011

We had such a great response to my blog last week about ‘Lawn Care’ that I thought I would expand on ‘Lawn Care #101’ here. There are many unanswered questions that I hope to clarify for you this week.

Why fertilize my lawn?

Under normal circumstances you would enrich and enhance the soil around the roots of the permanent, perennial plants in your garden. I recommend that you spread 2 cm of finished compost or organically-enriched soil over your entire garden each spring or fall. You may dig this in with a garden fork or wait for the earthworms to pull all of that good stuff down into the top soil.
‘Feeding the soil’ works well for your garden, but this is generally not practical for your lawn.
I recommend a fertilizer that has high nitrogen content (the element that your lawn craves the most come spring) and has a slow release nitrogen ingredient in it. I recommend Golfgreen (20-0-5) because it has the highest and most sophisticated content of slow release nitrogen of all national brands.

Fertilize once in early spring, again in early summer and (most importantly!) a final application before the snow flies in late summer.

Why don’t you recommend other national brands?

Other national brands like Vigoro, So Green, and Nutrite are excellent products, just not as good as Golfgreen. The most important thing is that you apply a quality product this time of year to take full advantage of the early season growth activity of your lawn.

What do the 3 numbers on the bag mean?

All 3 numbers refer to the percentage of an element found inside of the bag, measured by weight.

The first # is Nitrogen.
The second # is Phosphorous.
The third # is Potash.

Each of these ‘elements’ represents one of the primary ‘food groups’ for plants. Different plants require different amounts of each of these elements. In spring and early summer your lawn responds best to nitrogen. Potash encourages strong roots and enables your grass plants to use the nitrogen.

How do I get rid of earth worms that are making mounds of earth in my lawn?

This is always an awkward question for me to answer as I am a great fan of earth worms – ‘the foot soldiers of the garden’ as I refer to them. But I acknowledge that they can make for a bumpy lawn, when their castings erupt on the surface of the soil at the root zone.
I suggest that you ‘even out the mounds’ and ‘fill in the valleys’ with triple mix. Buy as much as you need (a few cubic yards or a truck load?) from a reliable supplier – keeping in mind that not all suppliers will send you the best quality stuff.
Triple mix is an equal combination of screened top soil, composted manure and peat. Spread it with a shovel and rake with a straight, hard rake smooth, being mindful of creating as smooth a surface as possible.

Over Seed Your Lawn.

As mentioned in my previous blog (2 weeks ago) this is a great time of year to thicken your lawn with fresh grass seed. You will compete many weeds out of existence and produce an even, thick lawn by Fathers Day if you do it now. Don’t worry about pending frosts or even snow … no harm.
If you are spreading triple mix over your lawn as described above, now is the perfect time to sow grass seed at the rate of one pound for every 400 sq. ft (1/2 kilo per 10 sq. metres). Apply the seed by hand, letting it roll off of your index finger as you move your wrist or arm from side to side slowly.
Rake smooth.
Roll with a lawn roller filled only 1/3 full with water or step on it with flat soled shoes (if it is not a big area).
Water and fertilize.

You can sow grass seed and fertilize on the same day, unless you are using a fertilizer with a weed control product in it. A ‘weed and feed’ will need about 6 weeks before you sow grass seed and a crabgrass preventer will vary depending on the brand. Follow directions on the bag.

Just laid fresh sod last fall or this spring?

If you are laying sod or starting a new lawn from seed use a ‘lawn starter’ fertilizer with a formula like 10-20-5. The high proportion of phosphorous will encourage strong young roots. Apply same day if you like.

If you laid fresh sod last spring or earlier, use Golfgreen Lawn Fertilizer or another national brand.


Keep your knees dirty!

Mark

The Best Lawn on the Block - without Chemicals!

~April 20, 2011

As Canada emerges from the deep freeze we tend to get pretty antsy to get out of doors. Before you can walk on your lawn and get into the garden you may satisfy your urge to enjoy the first sunny day by washing your car. At this point hosing down the driveway can feel like a trip to Florida.

After the driveway/car experience we turn our attention to the lawn.

Everyone, it seems, wants to have a nice green lawn. Even if you spend the rest of the gardening season on the golf course or at the cottage, I find that even the most negligent of lawn owners take some time in early spring to spruce up the lawn, one way or the other.

My job is to make sure that the time and money that you invest in your lawn – however little that may be – is well spent.

It must be said, too, that recent experience tells me that Canadians have a high regard for the environment. This is because we care. Not that people of other nations don’t care, it is just that we happen to care a lot. We are a country of caring people: it is part of our character.

I only say this based on my travels across the country talking about gardening everywhere that I go.

I have noticed that there is a conspiracy against the lawn, in some quarters. There are people out there who would like lawn-loving people like me to feel guilty about our nice green lawn.

Your Lawn is like a Potato.

To all of the lawn naysayers and doubters I have this to say: think of your lawn like a potato. We know that a baked potato contains all kinds of good stuff: vitamin C and D, fiber, minerals – the kind of stuff that makes you strong.

It is the stuff that you PUT on your potato that is not so good for you. “Will you have that loaded?” was the question when I was last at the Keg for a New York strip loin and baked potato side. That would be a generous helping of butter, sour cream, chives and bacon bits. I, of course, said that I was not interested in having MY potato ‘loaded’. Jeez, no. I asked her to hold the chives. Who wants chive breath?

The point of course is this: we have the option to put all kinds of stuff on our lawns that is not good for the environment.

Make no mistake: your lawn is good for the environment.

A lawn sequesters carbon, filters toxins out of rain water, eats CO2 and returns fresh oxygen to the air. It is soft to walk on bare foot, is 5 to 10 degrees cooler than asphalt and supports a host of wildlife, most of which is too small for the naked eye to see but believe you me, it is there in abundance. A handful of rich root-level subsoil is teaming with over 4 billion micro organisms: michoriza, beneficial bacteria, sow bugs, millipedes, earth worms and the like. These are the good guys.

In short – a lawn is the most sophisticated living ground cover known to mankind.

All of that said, here is how you can enjoy a nice lawn, without the use of weed or pest controls (to be performed in this order):

1. Rake your lawn lightly with a fan rake – the goal is to get the grass blades to stand upright and to remove the winter debris.

2. Aerate if necessary. I only aerate my lawn where foot traffic occurs as this is where the soil is compacted and most in need of the fresh air that you introduce when aerating. Use a power aerator if you are doing your whole lawn or buy an inexpensive manual ‘foot’ aerator at the hardware store for small areas.


3. Overseed where your lawn is thin and where weeds are a problem. Use a good quality grass seed (I recommend Golfgreen) and remember that the ultimate pedigree of your lawn is in the bag! Lay down 2 to 3 cm of triple mix (equal parts top soil, peat moss and compost). Rake smooth. Spread the grass seed thinly at one pound for 400 sq. ft (1/2 kg per 40 sq. metres). Rake THAT smooth. Water. You will thicken your lawn nicely and compete most weeds out of existence –before they even get a start!

4. Fertilize. Use a good quality fertilizer that is relatively high in nitrogen (about 20 to 28%) which is represented by the first # in the 3 number analysis. And make sure that it contains a ‘slow release’ nitrogen ingredient. This produces a greener lawn over a long period (8 to 10 weeks) AND feeds the lawn with the one element that it craves the most – nitrogen.


5. Cut 2 ½ to 3 inches high. Often we cut our lawns much too short. Remember this: the taller the grass blades the longer the roots. The longer the roots the greater the resistance to drought, disease and insect problems. AND most lawn weeds are ‘shaded out’ by long grass.

6. Mulch. Use a mulching mower and return the nitrogen-rich grass clippings to the root zone of your lawn.

7. Use a reel-type push mower. Eliminate emissions and enjoy the sound of the cutting action of an old fashioned reel-type mower. Note: the new models are much lighter than those of 30 or 40 years ago. And they hold their cutting edge much longer.

Replace your old mower. You have heard that gas driven lawn mowers are big emissions spewers… right? Well, the new lawn mowers on the market are much ‘cleaner’ burning than the old ones. Look for MTD or Honda for two of the cleanest burning brands. And avoid the 2 cycle mowers that require you to mix oil with the gas.

Just following a few of the guidelines above will improve on the environmental impact that your lawn has on your neighbourhood.


Keep your knees dirty,

Mark

More Things To Do in the Garden

~April 13, 2011 I know that it has been said before, but remember to amend your soil with generous quantities of compost early in spring, before you plant. The organic gardener’s mantra says, ‘Feed the soil and the plants will take care of themselves’. True, to a large extent. If you provide lots of goodness at the root zone of all of your plants you will be amazed at how few insects, disease and other garden-nasties you will experience. There is no better time of year than spring to take care of this ever important task. Veggie Garden. In the vegetable garden, be sure to sow your onions, peas, snow peas, carrots and your first crop of radishes before the last frost. For most of us that is in mid to late April: in northern Ontario/Quebec during the first two weeks of May. Brussels sprouts, cabbage, broccoli and all members of the so-called ‘gassy’ family of vegetables perform their best when planted as transplants at the same time as you sow the aforementioned seeds. Make sure that your transplants have been hardened off before planting out. Rock Gardens – cut back and weed. Remove weeds and cut back straggly growth of rock garden plants. Lightly loosen the soil in pockets adding a teaspoon of ‘Once and Done’ slow release fertilizer or bone meal. After each variety has flowered, take up each plant, divide and replant to maintain proper control, plant vigor and proportion in the rockery. Prune evergreens. Maintain the healthy appearance of your cedars, junipers, yews and other foundation planted evergreens with a light sheering (or a major cutting back, if the plants have been ignored for years). The fresh flush of new growth that occurs later in spring will fill your evergreens in very nicely. Plant Bleeding Heart amongst your daffodils and narcissus. For a great show every spring, plant perennial Bleeding Heart among your spring flowering daffodils and narcissus. All are reliable performers from year to year and they will bloom together almost forever. Look for Bleeding Heart ‘Luxuriant’ for a longer blooming variety to mix with the old fashioned Bleeding Heart. Take pictures! Use that digital camera that you received for Christmas to record the daily progression of change in your garden this spring. Reviewing these pictures later will give you ideas and inspiration for your garden in future years. Keep your Knees Dirty! Mark

Ready, Set, Go!

~ Wednesday, April 6, 2011

Time to give your garden the once over before you get planting.

I am frequently asked; “what is the one word of advice that I can give Canadian gardeners that will ensure success”. The answer is always the same: proper soil preparation.

This is why I devoted 1/3 of my latest book, The Canadian Garden Primer An Organic Approach, to the subject.

If you have ever tried to produce a gorgeous garden in heavy clay soil, you know what I am talking about. The same is true for pure sand.

Adding generous quantities of organic matter in the form of compost makes a world of difference to most any garden.

My recipe for a great looking garden:

(Assuming that you have poor to average quality soil.)

1. Spread finished compost one to two inches thick over the planting area and around established perennials and shrubs. If your garden soil is made up mostly of heavy clay add 1/3 sharp sand (not beach sand!) to the compost.

2. Turn the compost under using a garden fork (a fork disturbs the roots of established plants much less than that of a shovel or spade and is easier to push into your existing soil).

3. ‘Slap’ the mixed soil/compost to get rid of large clods of earth: small ones will not matter.

4. If the consistency of the newly turned soil is not ‘open’ enough to easily push a garden trowel you have three choices: add more 2/3 compost and 1/3 sand, dig it over again a couple of times or get a better trowel.

This is less work than it may seem, if you take it a step at a time (read: stop digging when your back begins to hurt) and if you don’t tear into it, but rather take a slow easy pace. In the long run you will get more done and enjoy the experience.

The goal here is to create a ‘friable’, open, rich organic based soil that is ready for planting.

In April you can plant trees, shrubs, evergreens, roses and some hardy perennials that have not been forced early in a greenhouse somewhere (these will be ‘soft’ and frost tender). Never mind if you get some frost or snow between now and the ‘traditional planting time on the long weekend of May’.

There is a myth out there that you can only plant on the May 24th weekend, but it is very misleading. For one, this rule only applies to ‘frost tender’ plants like annuals and tender vegetable plants.

Secondly, there are some tender plants that perform better in warm soil, like squash, pumpkins, corn and beans. In the flower garden I plant my impatiens last as there is nothing they like less than to have ‘cold feet’.

Finally – there are parts of the country where a late May planting of tender plants is too early – Newfoundland and the northern prairies as an example. Check with your local gardening authorities to be sure (they may be the operators of a local greenhouse, garden centre or your Home Hardware).

While we are talking about getting ready for the planting season now would be a good time to fertilize your lawn (see last weeks’ blog), sharpen your lawn mower blade and change the oil.

Oil and sharpen all of your digging tools. A bastard file does the job in most cases and a squirt of WD 40 or equivalent.

Get out your garden hose, lawn furniture, the garden ornaments that you put away for the winter and if any of these need a coat of paint, now is a great time to give them a new coat.

Keep your knees dirty!

Mark

Things To Do...

~ March 30, 2011

With the forecast for much of the country being ‘excellent’ over the next few days it seemed only fitting that I help you get a leg up in the garden before you find yourself thinking that spring has passed you by and you missed out on all of the fun.

All kidding aside, I can help you save time and money – by being pro-active on a number of fronts.

1. Kill over wintering insects and diseases. Use all natural ‘Dormant Spray’ to bring under control many of the diseases and insects that wreak havoc over the balance of the gardening season. Dormant spray is not to be feared, unless you are a tent caterpillar or the spore of ‘maple blotch’ and chances are good that you are neither of these. Just because it is a ‘spray’ is no reason to think the worst.

Truth is, an application of Green Earth Dormant spray this time of year will save you a ton of trouble later by eliminating insect and disease problems that manifest in warm late spring weather.

When to apply? When evening temperatures are reliably above 0 Celsius (freezing) and stay there all night AND before the buds on the plants that you are applying it to have broken open in to leaf or flower.

What do I apply it to? Lilac, mock orange and most other deciduous flowering shrubs, all roses, berry plants like raspberries, most deciduous trees and of course all fruit trees.

2. Fertilize your lawn. Apply a good quality, slow release lawn food now (Golfgreen is the best, in my opinion. It is all that I use on my lawn). The difference that this will make in your lawn over the long haul is remarkable. Your grass plants will be thicker, greener and healthier. They will compete with weeds before they become established and your lawn, duly strengthened, will resist the damage of the common gray and white grub, among other ‘nasties’.

3. Over seed your lawn with fresh grass seed. If feeding your lawn sounds like a panacea, I apologize. The job is not complete until you have tackled the bare or weak spots in your lawn with a bag of triple mix, spread about 2 to 3 centimeters thick, raked smooth and a thin layer of grass seed applied. Rake that smooth, step on it with flat soled shoes to get it in firm contact with the soil and water well. This will thicken those thin spots like nothing else…. Apply the fertilizer before or after the seed. No matter.

4. Cut back perennials that remain standing from over the winter – right to the ground. Dig and divide the old ones that are too big for their space or are just not performing as they once did. Divide them and replant around your garden or give away to friends. This works really well with monarda, hosta, day lilies and the like. Leave the division of your peonies until mid September.

5. Rake, using a fan rake: your lawn and garden. Pick up loose debris that has arrived over the winter and compost the soft, brown stuff like last years leaves and perennial leaves etc.

If you are blessed with sunshine this weekend – enjoy it and remember why you started to garden in the very first place – it was going to be fun!

Keep your knees dirty,

Mark

Nature's Miracle - Spring Bulbs!

~March 23, 2011

Chances are, you have noticed the selection of tulips, daffodils and crocus flowers expanding at retailers across Canada over the last few weeks. Truth is, most of these are not only grown in Canada in commercial greenhouses but we actually grow so many of them that they are deemed an ‘export’ crop. Go figure. And you thought we only sold wheat abroad.

Now is the time to bring these treasures home. There is more than meets the eye or even the nose with spring flowering bulbs: let me explain.

Spring flowering bulbs bloom for a long time. The secret is to keep them in a bright room but not in direct sunlight. The more sunlight that they receive the faster that they finish blooming.
They do not need fertilizer. Not while they are in bloom anyway: that is the ‘miracle’ part of the thing. All of the nutrients are built right into the bulb.
Spring flowering bulbs will last for years. How is that, you say? Well, after they have finished flowering THEN place them in bright sunshine where the leaves will absorb the energy of the sun, convert it into plant sugars and push those natural energy boosters down to the root zone where they store the energy ‘til next season.
After the leaves have turned yellow, plant them in the garden, in a sunny position. Because they are very winter-hardy this works in most any part of the country. Next year they will bloom at their natural time of year.

Is now a good time to plant bulbs in the garden?

Yes and no.
Yes, you can sink a pot full of forced bulbs into the garden, being careful not to do it so early that a really deep frost kills them off. On the other hand, they have ‘built in anti-freeze’ and as such are resistant to frost down to about minus 8 for the most part.
If you plant pre-started flowering bulbs in the garden you will get a record early show of colour and likely fool a lot of your neighbours into thinking that you are some kind of miracle/green thumb.

No – you plant the bulb itself in the autumn.

How do I keep squirrels out of my bulbs?

Short answer is not to plant tulips – they are edible to both humans and rodents.
Narcissus and daffodils are not the least bit interesting to squirrels and are considered mildly toxic.
The other answer is to plant your tulips with chicken wire placed over the top of them to deter the little pests.

How long will flowering bulbs last in my garden?
Depends on the species and variety.
As a rule tulips will last up to 4 years, daffodils 5 or 6 years and hyacinths 3 or 4 years.
However, when you shop for bulbs this fall look for the words ‘suitable for naturalizing’ and plant these. They will grow and improve year after year forever.

Another note:

With night time temperatures flirting above freezing in many parts of the country these days, it is time to think about applying Green Earth Dormant Spray. It is a natural combination of mineral oil and lime sulphur. Both are harmless to plants and people but when sprayed in combination they will kill and otherwise control overwintering insects and diseases.
This is a ‘must do’ for fruit trees, roses, berries, flowering shrubs and any deciduous plant material that gives you problems in this department during the gardening season.
I highly recommend that you apply this before the flower or leaf buds break open.

Keep your knees dirty,

Mark