by Wildwood Outdoor Living | Oct 22, 2021 | Gardening 101
The Snowdrop, also known as Galanthus is a flower with purpose and tradition. With over 20 varieties the Snowdrop belongs to the Amaryllidaceae family. Popular in many folklore tales, the Snowdrop was believed to be from Britain but was later discovered as originating from all over Europe and the Middle East. This perennial fall bulb (spring flowering) is famous for being the first flower to make an appearance after winter. Eager to grow, it often pushes it’s way through snow sending it’s onlookers a sigh of relief that spring is on its way.
Folklore
” At the beginning of time, Snow searched for a color to borrow. The elements admired flowers and their colors. When Snow asked and pleaded for one of the colors of the flowers, the flowers turned way denying Snow a color; they felt Snow was too cold and unpleasant. The snowdrop however felt sorry for Snow and offered it its color. Snow accepted the gift and became white from that point on. To show its gratitude, Snow allowed snowdrops to bloom at the end of winter with Snow’s protection against snow and ice. Snow and snowdrops exist side-by-side as friends.” – Floraqueen.com
Symbolism
The Snowdrop is a symbol of purity, innocence and hope. As the first sign of spring, hope is brought to mind for those longing for warmer and brighter days. While it’s white blossoms symbolize innocence and purity. When presenting a Snowdrop as a gift, it is said to represent rebirth and the strength to overcome challenges.
Varieties of Snowdrops
Each variety of Snowdrop is very similar to the other with minor differences making them all unique in their individual way. All elegant and dainty, you can find variations of Snowdrops that are tall or small, single petals or double petals. Some with green accents and some without. Here are a few types of Snowdrops that you can find online at Wildwood.Express.
Snowdrop Mount Everest A tall variety of Snowdrop. Growing up to 8 inches high with a large white flower.
Snowdrop woronowii (Ikariae) The tallest of Snowdrops, with a mature height of up to 10″ tall.
Snowdrops Galanthus Elwesii The Galantus Elwesii grows only 4″ tall and is the most common variety of Snowdrop. The perfect variety naturalizing.
Snowdrop Double Flore Pleno Growing 4″ tall, the Double Flore Pleno Snowdrop is a fluffy double Snowdrop, also known as Perce De Neiges.
Growing Snowdrops
Subtilty fragrant, Snowdrops are a perennial fall bulb (spring flowering bulb) that can grow in many types of soil. They’re a low maintenance plant that only require a cool or moderately cool winter for them to bloom. The Snowdrop is toxic to humans and pets, and should be planted where they will not be accidentally ingested. However, this also makes them resistant to deer, squirrels, chipmunks and more. To plant your Snowdrops this season, follow the quick and easy steps below.
1.) Plant your Snowdrops before the ground freezes in your zone, sometime between September and December. Choose a full sun to partial sun location.
2.) Loosen your soil and add your compost of choice.
3.) Add 5-10-10 granular fertilizer and mix soil until well blended.
4.) Place your Snowdrops with the pointy side up, 3 inches deep and 4 inches apart. When in doubt, you can always place them on their side!
Inspiring Snowdrops
As you can see below, the Snowdrop is a great choice for mass naturalizing. Giving your landscapes fairytale character and interest. Over time, the Snowdrop will spread naturally, creating beautiful large drifts of gorgeous white blossoms.
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by Wildwood Outdoor Living | Oct 15, 2021 | Top 5 in The Garden
If you ask someone who grows garlic, they’ll tell you that garlic is one of the greatest gifts you can pull from your garden. Not only are they incredibly easy to grow but they multiply and store extremely well, giving you unlimited garlic year after year. Why would someone want unlimited tasty, health benefiting, organic, garlic? We thought you might ask. Here are the top 5 reasons you might want to consider growing garlic this season, before it’s too late.
1.) Garlic is Medicine
Throughout history garlic has been famously used to fight and prevent illnesses. When crushed, chopped or chewed it’s able to release many healing properties including Sulfur, Allicin and A-allyl cysteine (1). Low in calorie, garlic is also a strong source of vitamin B6, Vitamin C, Selenium and Manganese (2).
Where Garlic Can Heal
Used as a topical rub it can be used to treat fungus, bug bites and warts. When eaten raw it prevents and reduces colds by boosting immunity. As an oil extract, garlic can reduce inflamed joints and muscles by massaging the treated area. As a supplement in any form, garlic has been known to cure lung infections, blood pressure and more. More importantly, homegrown garlic has been proven to have higher levels of Allicin which produces all the health benefiting properties in garlic.
2.) Homegrown Garlic Is Better Than Store Bought
It’s not often, if ever at all that you walk into a grocery store with isles of garlic to choose from. In most grocery stores, you get to choose from jarred garlic or a single selection of garlic bulbs. When you stop to think about how many different types of recipes require garlic, you might want to shop for the best one for your dish. Each variety of garlic offers it’s own flavor profile to keep your recipes from all tasting the same.
Garlic Scapes
Not to mention garlic scapes! As pictured above, the garlic scape is a delicious stem that looks similar to a long bean. With an asparagus texture and scallion flavor, garlic scapes are produced from hardneck garlic. You can cook garlic scapes in recipes, on it’s own or eat raw. Garlic growers world wide choose hardneck garlic for their delicious garlic scapes, which you just don’t get in the store.
Garlic Varieties
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Name:
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Flavor:
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Per bulb:
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Size:
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Use:
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Notes:
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Bogatyr
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Strong, Fiery
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5-7 Cloves
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Large
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Sautéing, Roasting
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Strong, long-lasting heat. One of the hottest hardneck varieties
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Duganski
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Strong, Fiery
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7-10 Cloves
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Large
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Tomato Sauces, Hearty Soups, Slow Cooker Chilli
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Fiery flavor that mellows out to a rich garlic aftertaste
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|
German Red
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Strong, Spicy
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5-7 Cloves
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Large
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Garlic Rich Dishes, Mashed Potatoes, Roasted
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Great full-bodied and long-lasting flavor. Stores very well
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German White
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Strong, Robust
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5-7 Cloves
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Medium
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Pesto, Sautéed Vegetables, Sauces, Marinades
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Great for roasting. Stores very well. Grows great in northern locations
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Legacy
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Medium, Strong
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7-12 Cloves
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Medium
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Raw, Curries, Pickled, Dried
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Great flavor. Easy to peel. Cold hardy.
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Metechi
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Strong, Hot
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5-7 Cloves
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Large
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Raw, Salads, Dressings
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Cold Hardy, vigorous grower and long lasting in storage.
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|
Mexican
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Rich, Medium
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8-16 Cloves
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Small, Medium
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Baked, raw, salads, salsa
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Milder flavor when baked. Colorful.
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|
Music
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Medium, Strong
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4-7 Cloves
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Large
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Roasted, Caramelized, gamey meats, vinaigrettes, infused oil
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Cold hardy. Very hot when eaten raw. Great for roasting.
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Siberian
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Strong, Hot
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5-9 Cloves
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Large
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Greek marinades, mashed potatoes, cream sauce
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Mild flavor when stored. Great for roasting/cooking
|
|
Spanish Roja
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Rich, Spicy
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8-9 Cloves
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Medium
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Cold pasta, salsa, salad dressing
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Rich complex flavor, long-lasting taste. Excellent for cold climates.
|
3.) Garlic Is Easy To Grow
After a beautiful summer of gardening, you can clean up your garden beds and leave them empty until spring or you can keep planting! Garlic is one of the best ways to use space in your garden that isn’t going to be used over the winter. They’re a great fall bulb that you can plant four weeks before the ground freezes. They don’t take up much space and they’re ready to harvest late spring/early summer!
How To Plant Garlic:
1.) Break bulbs into individual cloves. Make sure cloves are hard and solid. Plant larger cloves as they will produce larger bulbs – you can use the smaller cloves for dinner!
2.) Plant root plate end down, 3 inches deep, in well-drained soil.
3.) Add organic matter/ manure or mulch on top. Raised beds are recommended, as soil should be well draining. Spacing of at least 5 inches on 1-foot rows will provide adequate sunshine, any extra spacing will allow bulbs to grow larger.
4.) Keep soil moist.
4.) Garlic Is Best Fermented
Fermented garlic (also known as black garlic) is the process of storing your garlic with herbs, salt and water in a cold place for an extended amount of time. Because garlic is a perennial that multiplies, you can expect to have a lot of it. Fermenting garlic is not only a great way to use all your garlic without any waste, but it’s also delicious and healthy! Studies show that fermenting garlic creates enhanced bioactivity, which allows us to function better. Black garlic benefits many different functions in our bodies such as; Antioxidation, Antiallergic, Antidiabetic, Anti-inflammation, Anticarcinogenic (3).
How to Make Black Garlic:
1.) Peel as many garlic cloves as you wish to store.
2.) Fill your mason jar with the peeled cloves. Leaving 1 inch space at the top.
3.) Create your brine by adding water, 2 tablespoons salt and any additional herbs of your choice (fresh oregano, basil, pepper or pickling spice).
4.) Store your garlic in a cool, dark place for 3-6 weeks. TIP: Opening the jars once a day is a method called “burping” used to get rid of carbon dioxide.
5.) Once completed, store in the fridge! The longer the fermentation the better the taste!
Once ready, you can use your Black garlic to add to soups, dips, marinades, dressings, to treat ailments and more!
5.) It’s Hard To Get Organic Garlic
How well do you know your average grocery store garlic? Do you know where it comes from? Or, how it got there? For most, it’s just cheap and easy to get. The organic conscious consumer might be surprised to learn that over 90% of garlic is produced in China (4). Meaning that getting garlic into our grocery stores isn’t only environmentally harmful, but it’s also costly. This has lead to the price of garlic increasing substantially.
Careful of Bleach
Back to our organic conscious consumer, garlic isn’t as bright white and perfect as you might think. Unlike what you’ll find in a grocery store, garlic is naturally very spotty and marked. Yet, it’s picture perfect appearance is achieved by using a toxic bleaching technique used to extend shelf life. Unfortunately, even when indicated that it is “organic” chances are that it is not which only takes a quick trip to Dr. Google to learn more about (5).
What Do You Think?
Ask anyone who grows garlic and they’ll tell you it’s healthier, it’s easy, it tastes better and it’s addictive! At Wildwood Outdoor Living Centre, we have over 40 years of garlic experience. Need help choosing the right variety or have questions? Reach out to us any time, we’re happy to help you grow!
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(1) https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/11-proven-health-benefits-of-garlic#TOC_TITLE_HDR_3
(2) https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/howto/guide/ingredient-focus-garlic
(3) https://www.webmd.com/diet/fermented-garlic-health-benefits#1
(4) https://www.wsj.com/articles/heres-something-that-stinks-high-garlic-prices-11582196400
(5) https://www.google.com/search?q=bleached+garlic&oq=bleached+garlic&aqs=chrome..69i57j0i512l2j0i22i30l2j0i390.7903j0j4&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8
by Wildwood Outdoor Living | Sep 23, 2021 | Gardening 101
Just when you think winter couldn’t get any more windy, wet, and cold, you step outside and notice something new. Something emerging from the ground that reminds you that spring is on its way! And it’s all thanks to you and your fall bulb planting back in October! When planting fall bulbs, Tulips are famous for making an early, long-lasting, spring entrance which makes them one of the most popular fall bulb choices. In this article, we’re going to teach you what there is to know about our friend the Tulip and how you can get started on your very own this fall.
About Tulips
From classic folklore tales of “true romance”, the Tulip has been crowned the flower of perfect and deep love, making them ideal for gifting to your partner, children or family. Originally from Turkey, the Tulip comes in over 150 varieties. The most common varieties of Tulips are Double Peony, Fringed Tulips, Triumph Tulips, Parrot Tulips, Single Early, Double Early and more! All incredibly different, with many different shapes and colours available in each variety.
Single Early Tulip
With their district cup shape and 6 petals, Single Early Tulips are on average 10-18 inches tall. Single Tulips are one of the earliest bloomers in cool weather and they also tend to last longer as well. Single Early Tulips pair well with Peonies and Clematis.
Fringed Tulip
Also known as “Crispa”, Fringed Tulips are famous for their soft fringe. They come in a variety of colors including pink, violet, yellow, white and red and grow up to 14-20 inches tall. Fringed Tulips perform beautifully on their own, or paired with slim flowers.
Double Early
Also known as Peony Tulips. Double Early Tulips resemble Peonies with their layered pedal arrangements. Double Early Tulips grow 10-16 inches tall and come in a huge variety of colors. Double Early Tulips are sensitive to rain, and prefer to be sheltered. These Tulips are versatile and go great with most flowers!
Parrot Tulips
Named after tropical parrots for their vibrant color and feather like pedals, the Parrot Tulip comes in a large variety of colors including red, orange, yellow, purple, pink, green and white. As a tall Tulip with long stems, the Parrot Tulip can get up to 3 feet tall, making them a delicate variety of Tulip. Add your Parrot Tulips to any flower arrangement for an eye catching exotic look.
How to Plant Tulips
Tulips are an easy to grow perennial that require little maintenance once they blossom. When choosing your Tulip bulbs, be sure to check whether the ones you’re choosing are fragrant are not, as not all Tulips are. This is especially important if you’re going to use your Tulips for fresh cut flowers. Once you have your Tulips selected, you’re ready to follow these quick and easy steps for growing them.
1.) Plant your Tulips= bulbs in September or October, when the soil is 15C in well-draining soil with full sun or partial shade.
2.) Plant the Tulip bulbs 5-7″ deep and 4-5″ apart, with the pointed side of the bulb face up.
3.) Water your bulbs well and wait for spring!
Once your Tulips have bloomed, be sure to allow the foliage to die back without pruning. This allows the foliage to fall to the ground, nourishing the soil for future growth. Tulips require little maintenance, with little to no watering depending on Mother Nature. If your Tulips aren’t getting enough rain, you can water them once a week.
Look at that, you’re ready to plant your own Tulips! Now you can expect beautiful Tulip blossoms year after year. With every year, comes more unique colorful combinations and varieties of Tulips for you to enjoy every spring. Happy gardening!
Have a question? Let us know at info@wildwoodoutdoorliving.com.
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by Wildwood Outdoor Living | Aug 24, 2021 | Gardening 101
Now that Fall is approaching, it’s time consider which fall bulbs are the best choice for you to plant this season. A great way to do this might be to reflect on previous years. Perhaps you were surprised to find that your garden didn’t have the beautiful smell you were looking for. Maybe after all your fall bulb planting efforts, your beautiful spring blooms were gobbled up by deer before you could even enjoy them. Your garden bed might have looked a little sparse and could use some fluff. Or maybe you could appreciate some pollinators to keep your garden at it’s best. Whatever it is, we’re going to help you pick the right fall bulbs for your garden this season. Here are a few important categories for you to consider when choosing your fall bulbs this season.
Deer Resistant
Our friend the deer. As graceful and beautiful as they are, they don’t always make great house guests. If they make their way to your yard it’s not likely they’re stopping by for a quick “how ya been”. It’s most likely that they’re there to steal a bite of all your tasty new beautiful spring blossoms that you waited months and months to enjoy. We don’t blame them, who wouldn’t wander into a yard with dessert was growing from the ground up. If you have had this problem in the past the good news is that the solution is a lot easier than tangling string all over your garden. This fall, your best option is to consider planting bulbs that are resistant to deer. Meaning that deer won’t be tempted by the taste of your garden, so they’ll move on to the next yard (sorry neighbors). At Wildwood Outdoor Living, we have plenty of deer resistant options for you to choose from. If you have a deer problem, get longevity out of your garden with these deer-resistant fall bulbs.
Bee-Friendly
There are many reasons why you might want to attract bees to your garden. Bees are the primary pollinator for all of our produce and plants. Without bees our plants, produce and overall air quality would suffer. Thankfully, gardeners around the world are helping to take care of the declining bee population by planting resources for them to thrive and pollinate. If your garden looked tired last year, count on Mother Natures best pollinators to pick it back up again. When you attract bees to your garden, these pollinators will attract small ecosystems, creating healthier soil and water. Bee friendly bulbs will attract bees to your garden, letting your plants flourish and even multiply!
Fragrant
Who would have thought that not all flowers are fragrant? You walk by a flower, you smell it, and nothing?! No magical fragrance to keep you humming along with your day. Sometimes you learn the hard way by planting all your fall bulbs and when spring comes, it still smells like winter. If you enjoy the fragrant smell of spring, fresh cut flowers or crafting sachets, potpourri or essential oils, fragrant fall bulbs are perfect for you. Each flower beautifully crafted with it’s own scent for you to enjoy in the privacy of your own home.
Naturalizing
Naturalizing your garden is just as it sounds. Inviting natural elements that are found outside of your garden in. These elements include non-invasive plants and that are indigenous to the area and the micro-organisms they attract. Proving you with richer soil and healthier, happier plants that come back year after year with little to no maintenance. Most often you will use short stock flowers when naturalizing, creating a layered garden affect for gardens that are missing some dimension.
After you’ve made your fall bulb selection, be sure to compare the different colours that are available in your bulb of choice. For a calmer feel, try choosing a cool color as your main focal point. For more energy, go with a warm primary color. You can then plan out your garden according to your individual bulb needs. If you’re ever stuck, send us an email to info@wildwoodoutdoorliving.com and we will be happy to help you plan the perfect fall bulb arrangement.
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by Wildwood Outdoor Living | Aug 11, 2021 | Gardening 101
Fall Bulbs
While tulips and narcissus (daffodils) are some of the most known fall bulbs, there are quite a few different types of flowers that can be planted in the fall to allow for early spring blooms.
These include:
- Alliums
- Anemones
- Crocus
- Hyacinth
- Iris
- Ranunculus
- And even Garlic!
Some types, such as anemones and ranunculus, can also be planted in spring so you may have already seen some for sale earlier this year. Fall bulbs require a cooling period. This varies by type, but it can last up to 16 weeks. This forces the bulbs to remain dormant otherwise new growth could be damaged by the cold weather.
Forcing Bulbs
Wouldn’t it be nice to enjoy those fall bulbs a little sooner? Amaryllis and Paper White Narcissus are flowers that are commonly referred to as “forcing bulbs”. They are both from warm climates, so they don’t require a cooling period to trigger blooms.
So, what does that mean?
Forcing bulbs are bulbs that have been tricked into blooming out of season. The term “forcing” can make it sound like a laborious process, but its usually about as hard as planting any other kind of bulb.
How To Force Amaryllis
Amaryllis are one of the easiest bulbs to force to bloom out of season. Since they don’t need to be chilled, they can just be potted indoors and require minimal care. There are a few different options for planting amaryllis. You can pot them up, place them in a decorative vase, or order ones that come coated in wax. The choice depends on how you want your display to look, and how much time you want to put into caring for the bulbs.
Soil
If you enjoy the classic look of having your flowers potted up, then we have good news for you, you can just plant your amaryllis bulbs in some soil. There are a few things to be aware of, so here is how you should go about it:
- Choose a pot with good drainage, and make sure to use well-draining soil.
- Plant the bulb close to the top of the soil. Only cover the bottom half of it.
- Give the bulb a good soak. Let water flow out of the drainage holes.
- Move the bulb to a sunny and warm location inside your home.
- Water sparingly. Keep the soil moist but do not soak it. Once growth starts to appear (green shoots will start to come out of the bulb) you can begin watering it regularly.
- Turn the pot every few days as it grows so your Amaryllis grows straight up instead of leaning towards the sun.
- Once blooms start to appear, move the flower out of direct sunlight to prolong the lifespan of the flowers. Amaryllis take an average of 6 weeks to bloom after potting.
Water
If you prefer a more decorative look, then planting amaryllis directly into a vase might be for you. This method doesn’t require any soil and gives you a lot of options for how you would like your flower display to look.
So how do you get a flower to grow without any soil? There are a few steps:
- Choose a vase or container that you want to grow the bulb in. There are vases specifically designed for amaryllis if you don’t have any that would fit the bulb.
- Fill the bottom 2-4 inches with marbles or pebbles. Glass stones work well. Set your bulb on top of the glass or pebbles.
- Slowly pour water into the vase. Stop when the water is just below the bulb and is barely touching the roots.
- Place the vase in a sunny and warm location and soon you will see the roots growing out the of bulb and down into the pebbles. This will give the plant stability while also allowing it to take in more water.
- Make sure to rotate the vase every few days as it grows so your flowers grow straight.
- Top up the water any time it is needed, making sure to keep the water just below the bulb.
- Once blooms start to appear, move the flower out of direct sunlight to prolong the lifespan of the flowers. Amaryllis take an average of 6 weeks to bloom.
Waxed Bulbs
Finally, there is the easiest way to grow amaryllis: Waxed bulbs. Waxed amaryllis bulbs don’t require soil or water because they come with all the nutrients they need sealed inside the wax.
They usually come dipped in red, gold, silver, or copper colored wax so they fit into almost any display. You can see our wax coated Amaryllis bulbs here. Waxed bulbs are often a surprise regarding what color they will be when they bloom, but ours will bloom red.
If potting bulbs or having to remember to top up the water in the vase doesn’t appeal to you, then waxed bulbs might be just what you’re looking for. Makes sure to rotate waxed bubs every few days to keep the flowers growing straight.
With so many options (both for growing styles and bloom colors) it’s hard to say no to adding Amaryllis to your fall bulb wish list. Check out our selection of Amaryllis here or our entire selection of fall bulbs here!
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