SEPTEMBER 22, 2016 // 7
Plan and plant now for spring-lowering bulbs Registration open for Gifts
By LEE REICH
ASSOCIATED PRESS
It’s nearly that time of
year when gardeners think of
spring — of planting bulbs
that are going to bloom then.
Bulbs are “pre-packaged”
lowers, so a green thumb
isn’t necessary to get those
irst season’s blossoms. Still,
a few tips for buying and
planting bulbs can make for
a better show next spring.
Bigger is better
The bigger the bulbs, the
bigger next spring’s lowers.
Bulbs are usually sold as
small, medium or top size, the
measurement taken around
the circumference where
the bulb is fattest. Which
measurements go with which
size depends on the kind of
bulb. Small tulips are 10 to 11
centimeters around, medium
ones 11 to 12 centimeters, and
anything larger is top size.
Naturally smaller bulbs
include certain tulips, such
as the charming waterlily
tulip, as well as grape hya-
cinth, crocus and snow drop.
More is better
Over time, with good
care, smaller bulbs will grow
into larger ones, whose show
will match that of the ini-
tially fatter bulbs. One way
to compensate for smaller
LEE REICH VIA AP
Over time, spring lowering bulbs, especially narcissuses like
the ones shown here, can multiply and become overcrowded,
at which time they need to be dug up, separated and replanted.
lowers would be to plant
more of them, putting your
money into buying more
rather than fatter bulbs.
More is better, for any
kind of bulb. Forget about
planting tulips in a single ile
ready to march like soldiers
down the edge of your front
path. Instead, plan for big
dollops of color, massing
bulbs in circular groups
or, for bolder visual effect
from fewer bulbs, triangular
groupings with an apex di-
rected to your vantage point.
Good conditions
Even though this coming
spring’s lowers are already
packaged inside bulbs, the
more sunlight the plants
bask in, the better will be the
show they put on in years to
come. The spot where you
plant bulbs doesn’t have
to be bathed in sunlight all
season — only until the
bulbs’ leaves disappear.
Those leaves disappear, for-
tuitously, at about the same
time that emerging leaves of
deciduous trees inally knit
together to create shade.
Another consideration
in siting spring bulbs is soil
drainage; most abhor wet
feet. The original home of
tulips, narcissus, crocuses,
and many other popular
spring bulbs are the moun-
tainsides of western Asia,
on ground that is parched all
summer. Holland is a good
place to raise bulbs commer-
cially because the long, cool,
moist springs delay dorman-
cy. In the long time before
the bulbs’ leaves inally die
back, the greenery has plenty
of time to fuel the following
season’s lower buds.
What about fertilizer? The
traditional recommendation
is to put bone meal into the
bottom of the planting hole.
Actually, a bulb does not need
fertilizer to lower well its irst
season, only to lower well
in subsequent seasons. What
these bulbs really need is any
balanced fertilizer — includ-
ing compost — spread on
the ground right after planting
this fall or even in spring.
Bone meal is not a particular-
ly well-balanced fertilizer.
Good growing conditions
will get these bulbs multi-
plying, with younger bulbs
budding off the mother
bulb. Overcrowded bulbs
won’t lower well, so they’ll
eventually need to be dug
up; a good time is when the
foliage is dying down. They
can then be replanted with
suficient elbow room.
And unless your yard is
free of deer, plant types of
bulbs that deer don’t like,
such as ornamental onions,
glory-of-the-snow, winter
aconite, fritillaria, snowdrop,
hyacinth, snowlake, squill
and narcissus.
That Make a Diference
ASTORIA — Registration
is open for Gifts That Make
a Difference, the lower Co-
lumbia region’s only holiday
gifts fair that showcases the
region’s nonproits.
The gifts fair will be held
Dec. 10 in the Liberty The-
ater’s McTavish Room.
At Gifts That Make a Dif-
ference, nonproits can dis-
play information about their
work, meet the public, sign
up new volunteers, expand
their mailing lists, solicit
donations and network.
The gifts making the dif-
ference are donations made
as holiday gifts honoring
friends and family by donat-
ing in their names to their
s
t
n
e
E v
OCT.
1 * 7 pm
Doors Open @ 6:00pm
Buffet @ 6:15pm
Blues and R&B Review
SEASIDE — Providence
Seaside Hospital Foundation
is currently seeking tree
designers for this year’s
Festival of Trees, scheduled
to take place on Dec. 3 at the
Seaside Civic and Conven-
tion Center.
Designing a tree for
Festival of Trees is a great
opportunity for businesses,
organizations, families or
individuals to support the
community and have a lot of
fun at the same time.
Each designer decides
the theme of their tree, then
decorates it to be featured at
the community open house
and auctioned off at the
gala.
All proceeds support the
Providence Seaside Hospi-
tal and local programs and
services.
Designers can showcase
their design talents, honor
a loved one, or use this as
a community service or
team-building project
for staff.
For more information
about designing a tree for
this year’s festival, contact
Veronica at the Providence
Seaside Foundation ofice by
emailing veronica.russell@
providence.org or calling
503-717-7604.
SUBMITTED PHOTO
Oct. 8 * 9 pm
Bruce Thomas Smith
and Friends
Port of Call Bistro & Bar
Produced by Jimmy James
O RIGINAL
T EXAS
R OADHOUSE
R OCK
Tickets @
brownpapertickets.com
$
15 Presale
20 At the door
$
12 Buffet ticket
$
Enter the silent
auction for this
33-year old
drawing!
$ 1 per ticket goes to
Filling Empty Bellies
Astoria Event Center
Designers wanted for Festival of Trees
favorite local groups.
Space ills quickly. Tables
are provided in three sizes:
small ($20), large ($30) and
extra-large ($45).
The fair is hosted by
Lower Columbia Time-
Bank, the Liberty Theater
and United Way of Clatsop
County.
Registration will remain
open until Nov. 10 or until
all spaces are illed.
Groups may register
online at GiftsThatMakeA-
Difference.org or by email
at LCTimeBank@aol.com.
For early registration by
phone or general infor-
mation about the fair, call
503-741-3050.
Sept. 23 & 24
Come join us for the unoffi cial offi cial
BrewFest Afterparty!
September 25 * 8 pm
Joshua Cook and the
Key of Now
Simmering
rock ‘n’ roll in a
hearty soul stew
of psych, blues,
and folksy
wanderlust
www.keyofnow.com
Free
BY JUSTIN GRAFTON STUDIOS
Each tree at Providence Sea-
side Foundation’s Festival of
Trees fundraiser is decorated
with a theme that matches
the item being auctioned of
during the evening gala.
Port of Call Bistro & Bar
894 Commercial Street
503*325*4356