RECOMMENDATIONS FOR THE CARE AND MAINTENANCE OF SPRING FLOWERING BULBS ANDPERENNIALS There is no better way to brighten up and enhance your garden year round than by colorscaping with bulbs and perennials. FERTILIZING Bulbs and perennials should be fertilized in the Spring to insure that enough nutrients are present for the next season's flowers. As foliage begins to emerge, apply a low nitrogen fertilizer (5-10-10 or 5-10-5) at the rate of one pound per fifty square feet. After the initial Spring feeding, apply half the recommended label amount every month until the foliage begins to yellow. After fertilizing be sure to water thoroughly so that the fertilizer works its way rapidly into the root zone. A substitute for chemical fertilizers would be a soil mix composed of three parts (by weight) of dehydrated manure and one part of bone meal applied at the rate of 5-7 pounds per fifty square feet. WATERING Begin watering the plants when the flower buds start to develop. Water thoroughly throughout the growing and blooming period. In general, 1" of water per week is recommended. During dry spells in Summer and Fall, bulb beds may require additional watering. Watering should continue until after the flowers fade and the foliage turns yellow. The best time to water is early in the morning. Watering should be directed at the soil level of the plant whenever possible rather than at the leaves. CUTTING Flowers can be cut when they are safely beyond the tight bud stage. Be careful to let the foliage remain and remove only the flower stem. Depending on the species and variety, flowers may last a couple of days, a week or even more. MAINTENANCE Remove spent flowers with a scissors before seed pods develop. Leaves must be allowed to remain until they have yellowed but can be folded and tied for a neater appearance. After the leaves have turned completely yellow, carefully pull or cut them off at ground level. Following this procedure will insure that each bulb has had enough time to absorb nutrients needed for the following season. DIVIDING Most hardy bulbs and perennials require dividing every 3 to 4 years or when flower display diminishes and the plants appear to be over-crowded. Dividing can normally be done with a garden fork in the fall of the year. Take care not to physically damage the bulbs. STAKING Staking may be necessary for bulbs which grow quite tall or which produce heavy blooms. Timing is the key to success. Early staking allows bulbs to grow naturally and makes full use of the supports. As the plants mature the stakes are concealed. Bamboo stakes and twine are usually sufficient to support plants or you may use metal cages or rings. WINTER PROTECTION After the first couple of hard frosts, cut back your fall flowering bulbs and perennials to a height of 2 to 3 inches. After the ground has frozen, generally by December 1st, cover your perennial beds with mulch (evergreen boughs work well). The mulch should be installed to a depth of 3 to 4 inches. The layer of mulch will prevent the soil from alternate thawing and freezing, which can heave the perennials out of the ground. When the new growth is noticed in the Spring and the threat of frost has passed (usually by April 20th), carefully remove the winter mulch. Please feel free to contact Stano Landscaping, Inc. at 414-358-1800 with any of your landscape questions or concerns.