Spring Bulbs – Lake Mary Gardens

I was pleased this year to grow Tulipa bakeri Lilac Wonder, Daffodil Mix, and Jetfire Daffodil. The Lilac Wonder Tulip is closed in the morning and opens during the day. I think most tulips bloom like this, but in this wild tulip, it seems more pronounced. I will be sharing more posts and pictures later as more flowers bloom this spring.

I have been working on my garden clean up day after day. It seems like when I weed out a spot making sure to remove the roots, more sprout after I turn around again! I put some effort into protecting my plants from armadillos this year by putting down some chicken wire and securing it with landscape staples. So far, it has slowed down the squirrels.

My poor crinum lilies had all the foliage frozen off of them like never before. They are recovering well from the severe cold weather we had in February. I have taken some time to create another photo album for a closer view of the flowers this week. The weather has become wonderfully balmy, and I am enjoying the garden along with the plants!

Tulipa bakeri 'Lilac Wonder' and Don Quichotte

On March 12th, I planted my giant Large Marge pumpkin seedlings in the garden. These large pumpkins are capable of growing up to 40 pounds. I used 1/3 kitchen compost and rabbit manure, 1/3 organic topsoil, 1/3 potting soil with some minerals, and bone meal for my amendments. I dug a 2 foot deep hole and backfilled it as I turned the soil to combine my native soil with the added amendments.

Then I gently tipped the pumpkin plants out of their gallon pots and planted them about a foot apart in the hill. Planting two plants together may not be the best way to grow a giant pumpkin, but these will grow just fine this way. I should get some sizeable pumpkins for fall decorations this year.

Then I used cardboard boxes, leaves, pine straw, and old hay as mulch. I have to protect my plants from armadillos, so I used chicken wire around the bottom and placed a cage around them. In my zone 8b climate, I have always had better results with pumpkins by planting them early, and then I have to look for squash vine borer eggs every other day.