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Date Created:
April 25, 2008
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Gardening
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Nan1204 AARP Member
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Dirty Hands
I'd like this group to be made up of people who like vegetable gardens and who will discuss their successes and their failures. Also we could exchange recipes using the produce from our back yards.
  Post to Topic     Print   ALLIUMS ~ DEER RESISTANT BULBS
http://www.aarp.org/community/groups/displayTopic.bt?groupId=6032&topicId=5313312
Zil said:
on November 5, 2009 08:02 AM ET

Calling Alliums "Ornamental Onions" kind of diminishes them. It's true they're closely related, but Alliums deserve more respect that being labeled inedible onions. These late-spring bloomers look like a fireworks display in the garden. In fact, I've seen the dried flower heads spray painted neon colors and left in the garden to dazzle throughout the summer.

There are dozens of alliums to choose from, tiny to larger than a softball. They're hardy from USDA Zones 4 through 10 and their deer resistant. My only qualm with alliums is that the voles seem to enjoy the newly planted bulbs. Now I plant my bulbs with a handful of grit or gravel, to discourage the pests. Once your alliums have established themselves in your garden, they'll start to multiply. Then the fireworks really begin!

 

White Allium Blooms with Purple Pansies

White Allium Blooms with Purple Pansies

 
Overview:
There are hundreds of alliums, including the onions and garlic we eat. The ornamental varieties often have leaves similar to onions, as well as the onion’s round ball shaped flower heads. However there are many varieties with star-like clusters of flowers and others, like A. Cernuum, the ‘Nodding Onion’, with hanging pendants of blossoms.
Latin Name :
Allium

Common Name(s): Ornamental Onion

Zone:
4-10
Size:
5 - 60" H, 3 - 12" W
Exposure:
Full sun
Bloom Period/Days to Harvest :
Varies with variety
Description:
Alliums grow from bulbs. They have strappy, undistinguished leaves and straight tubular flower stalks. The flower form in clusters and are best known in the round pom-pom form, but they can be start shaped, cup-shaped, semi-circular or pendulous.
Cultural Notes:
Plant the bulbs in autumn, for bloom the following season. Alliums are not prone to many problems except certain rots, if conditions are too wet. Even deer don’t like alliums.

Maintenance: Alliums do not repeat bloom. Flower heads can be left on the plant to dry. The dried seed heads look attractive in the garden and can be cut for arrangements. Keep foliage watered after flowering, to feed the plant.

Design Tips:
The lollipop shape of the flowers looks charming poking through low growing mats such as hardy geraniums. The shape also works well with other medium height plants like foxglove, that provide a form contrast or Monarda, which provides a form echo.

It's heartbreaking enough to put a plant in the garden, only to find it eaten to the ground the next day. But waiting all winter for your spring bulbs to bloom and then loosing them to deer is utterly frustrating. Tulips are wonderful, but they are also deer candy. If you must have tulips, treat them with a repellent, preferably a systemic repellent. Even then, the deer will try a bite or two until they realize that your tulips taste bad.

If you are plagued by deer browsing, consider spring bulbs that are less tempting to deer. We all know that deer don't like daffodils, but that doesn't mean your spring bulb garden has to be a swath of yellow. There are several other bulbs that deer tend to avoid. Of course I can't make any promised that the squirrels and armadillos won't dig them up, but that's another problem.


Deer Resistant Spring and Early Summer Flowering Bulbs

ALLIUM

Ornamental onions are among the most deer resistant flowering bulbs. The most commonly know alliums have pom pom like blossoms on top of single, straight stalks. There is, however, a fair amount of variation in the species. Allium schubertii looks like a fireworks sparkler. Others, like Allium unifolium and Allium bulgaricum are bell shaped. You can find alliums in almost every color and height and their bloom times vary throughout the season. Allium are also rodent resistant.

  • Height: Varies (4" - 4')
  • Bloom Time: Late Spring - Early Summer
  • Exposure: Full Sun
  • Zones: 4 - 9

CROCUS

The bright colors of crocus are a welcome sign that the soil is starting to warm. Crocus will even bloom in the snow. This versatile little spreader can be used as a ground cover or as an accent. Plant a few by your mail box to make the walk down to collect your mail worth it.

  • Height: 4"
  • Bloom Time: Early Spring
  • Exposure: Full Sun to Partial Shade
  • Zones 3 - 9

DWARF IRIS ( Iris reticulata )

You get the familiar iris flower on a low growing, spreading plant that blooms early in the season. What's not to like. You can find Iris reticulata in blues, purples and white. They all blend extremely well with other spring bloomers.

  • Height: 4 - 6"
  • Bloom Time: Early Spring
  • Exposure: Full Sun to Partial Shade
  • Zones: 5 - 9

EARLY STARDRIFT (Puschkinia libanotica)

Another of Spring's blue offerings, this ttime ina pastel powder blue. Puschkinia makes a nice addition to the borer, but it also works well when allowed to naturalize and spread.

  • Height: 4 - 6"
  • Bloom Time: Early Spring
  • Exposure: Sun to Partial Shade
  • Zones 3 - 7

Fritillaria

Fritillaria add a touch of drama to your spring garden. From the dramatic, loud colors of 'Crown Imperial', to the speckles of 'Guinea Hens' (Fritillaria meleagris ), the deep purple of Fritillaria persica, the bi-colors and the creamy white 'Ivory Bells", Fritillaria will be noticed. They look exotic, but they are fuss-free, easy growers. Fritillaria are also rodent resistant.

  • Height: Varies (10 - 24")
  • Bloom Time: Mid-Spring
  • Exposure: Full Sun to Shade
  • Zones: 4 - 9

GLORY OF THE SNOW (Chinodoxa forbesii )

Similar to Scilla siberica, Glory of the Snow works best as a ground cover or naturalized in the lawn. Each bulbs provides multiple blue, star-shaped blossoms with white centers, that start to bloom as the snow is melting.

  • Height: 4 - 8 "
  • Bloom Time: Early Spring
  • Exposure: Full Sun to Partial Shade
  • Zones: 3 - 9
 
1 post by 1 user
joyinky
Post #1
joyinky said:
on November 5, 2009 08:45 PM ET

This was my first year for allium in my garden and they got a lot of comments from passers by.  Fun, and I can't wait for the fireworks as they multiply.  Joy