The Garden Club September 22, 2005

September 22, 2005

Vigorous and Beautiful Spring Blooming Crocus

- Crocus Tomasinianus
- A Note from Alan
- Garden Q&A

Crocus that Covers New York
Walk along Flatbush Avenue in Brooklyn, New York. In summer the shade is so heavy from a double row of sycamores and maples, the roots are so thick and the foot traffic so intense that not even a blade of grass will grow. On a sunny day in March, see the flowers bloom - everywhere; in the barren earth, amongst tree roots, where chunks of sidewalks are missing, even in the ancient potholes at the edge of the curb. A solid sheet of lilac crocus blooms almost cheek to cheek. Oh, there are a few white ones and some dark purple ones but most are silvery mauve with golden orange stigmata and anthers. These are all escapees; on the other side of the big iron fence is the Brooklyn Botanic Garden. Many years ago someone planted Crocus tomasinianus at the top of the hill where they proceeded to do as Crocus tomasinianus does - self-sow. Tumbling down the hillside, through the lawn, under the fence, across the sidewalk and out into the street, it has spread a distance of perhaps 50 feet.

Tomasinianus - Vigorous and Beautiful
Crocus tomasinianus are smaller than your average crocus, growing on three inch stems with blooms the size of a quarter. Tomasinianus is a crocus so vigorous it grows in sun or deciduous shade, damp or dry. So prolific from seed and cormlets (a short, thick solid food-storing underground stem) that it can outgrow the rampage of squirrels, chipmunks, rabbits and voles. (The tactile root which pulls the seedling corms down 2" into the hardiest of soil certainly helps.) It's so floriferous that it blooms from an immature bulb the size of a small pea. And, it's one of the earliest crocus to bloom.

Try it in deciduous woodlands amongst wild flowers, plant it in the lawn or let it naturalize in the perennial garden - anywhere except amongst the choicest of alpines, which might be crowded out by Crocus tomasinianus' vigor, or where the sun never shines. By mid-April, the very fine diminutive foliage is totally gone. It's particularly nice in the sunny perennial garden because it can be interplanted with the larger flowering Dutch crocus which blooms after Crocus tomasinianus has passed. Clumps of daffodils can add a third bloom period, even before the first perennial shows any color. We sell out of this popular bulb every year, so order yours early!

Planting and Care

For best results plant in early fall.
Prefers full sun to part shade.
Plant 2 inches apart in well-drained soil.
Fertilize with Bulb-Tone in very early spring before they come up, late spring just before the foliage disappears and fall.
Hardy in zones 4-8.
Crocus tomasinianus is in very limited supply!
We send a mixture of the true species and named selections in shades of lavender and purple.
25/$9.85 or 100/$29.85

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Crocus Tomasinianus

A Note From Alan

Many areas of the country are very wet. The nursery and the surrounding counties are mostly dry. If you live where it is very dry, be sure to water any plants that were installed this year thoroughly 2-3 times per week.

Garden Club Frequently Asked Questions

Question: There are some young sprouts coming up in the mulch around my Lenten Roses. Could these possibly be self sown seedlings of Lenten Rose? If so, when should they be transplanted?

Answer: Under favorable conditions, Lenten Rose does self sow, especially in well-decomposed mulch. Lenten Rose seedlings should be transplanted in April.

Question: Our Japanese anemones have spread into a large patch. They are in full bloom and they are absolutely gorgeous. The patch is getting very large and I would like to dig up some of the plants from around the edge. Also should they be thinned out? When is the best time to do this?

Answer: If you need more Japanese anemones, you can thin out the patch. But otherwise I suggest you just leave it alone. Reducing the size of the patch by digging around the extremities should not be a problem. Japanese anemones are best transplanted in the spring just as the new leaves unfold. Digging into an established clump of Japanese anemones in the fall is a sure recipe for failure.

Question: Why don't my Lilies of the Valley bloom? I have a large planting in a shady area that has been there for years. They used to bloom nicely, but every year I seem to get fewer and fewer blooms. The planting is dense and dark green and seems to be doing fine except for the lack of flowers. I fertilize with Holly-Tone early every spring and then again after blooming. Do you have any suggestions?

Answer: I suspect in time the area where your Lilies of the Valley are planted has become too shady. Lilies of the Valley will grow in dense shade, but they bloom best with a few hours of sun or dappled shade all day long. I suggest you thin out the tree canopy and remove the lowest hanging branches.

Question: I made the mistake last year of planting a few heavenly blue morning glories climbing up the posts of our deck. They were gorgeous but this year thousands of seedlings have taken over our flower beds and I have morning glories everywhere. I've had my fill of morning glories and I don't want them anymore. I know the frost will kill them, but how do I prevent the new seedlings from taking over my flower beds next year?

Answer: This year's morning glories have dropped thousands of seeds which will all grow next year. I suggest you remove the mulch, with the fallen seeds, from your flower bed this fall after the frost has killed the morning glories and after you have removed the tops. Replace with 2 inches of new mulch. Undoubtedly a few seeds will be left and they will germinate next year. Morning glory seedlings are very distinctive and when young they are very easily pulled out. The key is to check the beds every week and be diligent about eradicating the morning glory seedlings as soon as they emerge.

Question: We just came back from Kyoto Japan: in some of the temple gardens there were beautiful moss gardens. I am thinking of digging up my lawn and creating a moss garden. I have never heard of a moss garden in the United States. We live in Virginia. Can I grow a moss garden here?

Answer: There are a few true moss gardens in the United States. They do best in cool moist climates and partial shade. Unless you are in the mountains of Virginia, I doubt that you are going to have success even with the best of care.

True moss gardens are more difficult than those made of a similar looking plant, Arenaria verna (Irish moss). There is also a golden form called Scotch moss. Be aware that gardens made of mosses and moss-like plants require extremely high maintenance, because the mosses and moss-like plants make an ideal germinating location for every weed seed. These gardens require constant hand weeding to stay ahead of the weeds. Moss gardens do best in the Pacific northwest and even there, small moss gardens require more maintenance than most people are prepared to invest.

In short, I do not recommend digging up your lawn and planting a moss garden. Instead, you may want to consider a classic Japanese garden with slow growing trees, conifers and perennials, with lots of open space, perhaps mulched in stone and with an oriental focal point such as a Pagoda or a stone lantern.

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