vanveenbulbs

NW Flower Show Sold to O'Loughlins

2009-07-01T09:46:00.000-07:00

Yolanda Vanveen
http://www.facebook.com/ext/share.php?sid=98086390797&h=ufF-o&u=oovDl&ref=nf
Good news-NW Flower and Garden Show has been sold to the O'Loughlins who manage the Tacoma Home and Garden Show and I have worked with them for 16 years! It is going to be a fun 2010!

Business & Technology NW Flower & Garden Show sold to O'Loughlin Trade Shows Seattle Times Newsp
Source: seattletimes.nwsource.com
Comments

Garden Gal Likes Peruvian Daffodils

2009-06-19T21:41:00.001-07:00

Here is a message I received from Anne Jaeger www.gardengal.tv/ on Facebook-The plant she is talking about is Ismene Exotica, the Peruvian Daffodil:

"Hey Yo. The exotic bulb you gave me just finished blooming. I'd have to go look at the tag to remember the name. But it was just stunning. Grew like an amaryllis, but it's daffodil like flowers were very spidery and bloomed in a cluster. Just loved it. Thank you for the excellent suggestion, my friend."

Check Vanveenbulbs.com out on Youtube and Facebook

2009-06-11T10:37:00.000-07:00

Yolanda's youtube gardening video channel:
http://www.youtube.com/user/yolandavanveen
The Ehow Garden Channel:
http://www.youtube.com/ehowgarden
http://www.youtube.com/profile?user=ehowgarden&view=videos&sort=d
expertvillage.com: http://www.expertvillage.com/expert/921.htm
ehow.com: http://www.ehow.com/Search.aspx?s=yolanda+vanveen&Options=0
http://www.ehow.com/members/EV_Yolanda-Vanveen-articles.html
See you on the internet!

Are you on Facebook? Be a friend and keep track of vanveenbulbs.com.
I have been obsessed with Facebook catching up with high school, college friends and customers.
Love flower bulbs and gardening and vanveenbulbs.com?
If you are a facebook member, search Yolanda Vanveen
http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#/profile.php?id=1264395417&ref=name
and make a friend request or it is easy to become a member-go to facebook.com and follow the directions...

Vote for your favorite farmers market

2009-06-08T12:27:00.000-07:00

Nineteen years ago I started vanveenbulbs.com and put as many buckets of flowers and bulbs that I could in the back of my Mustang hatchback and drove to the Beaverton Farmers Market. Farmers markets were new back then and Beaverton was it in the area.

Now I go to the Hillsdale market on Sundays and have attended the Portland Famers Market in the past. They are also great markets but Beaverton will always be my favorite because of all the memories and because it is a gardener's market with many plant vendors besides fruits, vegetables and prepared foods.

Vote for your favorite:

http://action.farmland.org/site/PageNavigator/Americas-Favorite-Farmers-Markets/best_local_farmers_market_vote

Do Naked Ladies do well in Redmond, Washington?

2009-06-08T10:53:00.000-07:00

Hello Yolanda!

My name is Donald and I live in Redmond, WA, and would like to be able to have some of these for my balcony container. I was very much encouraged when I noticed that you live in the same state, for I always thought these bulbs would only do well in much warmer, drier climates. I used to live in southern California and that is where I first saw the Amaryllis Belladonnas, blooming in the dry, hot sun – and alongside a busy, noisy congested interstate roadway! What a beautiful juxtaposition.

Anyways, is there a chance still for me to purchase some of these bulbs at this point in the year for where I live? I hope so; but do please let me know. Also, could you tell me if there is a best type of container to use to plant these in? I am hoping to keep them outside under a covered balcony; as you know, it never really becomes so very cold here, and your description states that they cannot be forced to bloom inside.

Thank you so much for any reply,
Donald

Hello Donald-
Naked Ladies grow very well down to 10 degrees or colder if mulched well so would grow well in Redmond. I will have more by the end of August to plant right away. You can order them on-line at vanveenbulbs.com right now and preorder. We will not charge until shipped. If planted in a container make sure the container is dry in the winter in the garage or under the covered balcony covered in plastic to protect from the cold to be safe.
We still have lilies, crocosmia and calla lilies in stock to plant right now for blooms this fall that can be stored the same way in containers over the winter.
Thanks!
Yolanda

Raised Beds Solution for Soil Lead Poisoning

2009-06-08T10:46:00.000-07:00

I have always said that making your own compost or bringing it in and gardening in raised beds is the best way to vegetable garden. Here is an article that was in the NYTimes.

From Karen, Clark County Master Gardener
Given that we have a lot of citizens here deciding to put in a garden for the first time, it seems this is something we, as MGs, should be aware of. Older neighborhoods, where lead paint was scraped off houses, are particularly at risk. I think citizens living in older neighborhoods (pre-1978) should consider raised beds with imported soil or a soil test for lead levels.

For Urban Gardeners, Lead Is a Concern
Patrick Andrade for The New York Times
FRANK MEUSCHKE’S garden, which surrounds the house he rents in Brooklyn, is a bountiful source of tomatoes, snap peas, green beans, peppers, lettuce and multiple varieties of flowers. It is also, as he recently discovered to his dismay, a rich repository of lead. He had his soil tested last month, and the analysis showed more than 90 times the amount of lead expected to occur naturally.Mr. Meuschke, an artist who specializes in landscape paintings, is well aware of the dangers of lead paint.

“You know not to eat while you paint,” he said. And he had suspected that paint scraped off houses in his neighborhood might have left lead residue in the soil over the years. “But I really didn’t expect there to be that much,” he said.

Harmful even at very low doses, lead is surprisingly prevalent and persistent in urban and suburban soil. Dust from lead-tainted soil is toxic to inhale, and food grown in it is hazardous to eat.Health officials, soil scientists and environmental engineers worry that the increasing popularity of gardening, particularly the urban kind, will put more people at risk for lead poisoning if they don’t protect themselves.

Thanks in part to the influence of the local-food movement and to economic considerations, more households in the United States plan, like the Obamas, to grow their own fruits, vegetables, herbs and berries this year — seven million more households, according to the National Gardening Association, a 19 percent increase over last year.

While the increased physical activity and access to fresh produce promised by this trend are certainly healthy developments, widespread lead contamination means that many people are going to have to do more than wear gloves and sunscreen to garden safely. The presence of lead in soil doesn’t mean gardening is out of the question, but it may require a change in plot design and choice of crops, and soil amendments.

“You won’t know if you’re at risk unless you test your soil,” said Murray McBride, a professor of soil chemistry at Cornell University in Ithaca, N.Y., which because of concerns about lead in community gardens began a free soil-testing program last month in cooperation with the New York City Department of Parks and Recreation.County extension services as well as local public health departments often offer free soil testing or can recommend schools or companies that do it for a fee.

Individuals generally mail dirt in sealed plastic bags for analysis. Mr. Meuschke paid $12 to have his soil tested by the Environmental Sciences Analytic Center at Brooklyn College; some private companies charge as much as $50.

The Environmental Protection Agency and Department of Housing and Urban Development advise (but do not require) remediation if lead levels in soil exceed 400 parts per million in children’s play areas and 1,200 p.p.m. elsewhere. But some states and cities have set much lower limits. For example, 100 p.p.m. is considered hazardous in Minneapolis. In the Netherlands, 40 p.p.m. is unacceptable. Unpolluted soil averages 10 p.p.m. Mr. Meuschke’s soil had lead levels of 939 p.p.m.

Since 2003, hazardous amounts of lead have been documented in backyard and community gardens in New York as well as in Baltimore, Boston, Chicago, Detroit, Indianapolis, Los Angeles, Minneapolis, New Orleans, Philadelphia and Washington. Lead-laden soil has been found not only in inner city neighborhoods but also suburban areas.

“It doesn’t matter if you’re rich or poor,” said David Johnson, a professor of environmental chemistry at the State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry in Syracuse, where he has found lead concentrations as high as 65,000 p.p.m. in the yards of upscale homes. “Lead knows no socioeconomic boundaries.”

Excessive lead in soil is the legacy not only of lead paint but also of leaded gasoline, lead plumbing and lead arsenate pesticides. Although these products were outlawed decades ago, their remnants linger in the environment. Lead batteries and automotive parts, particularly wheel balancing weights, are still widely used and are sources of soil contamination.

Soil is likely to contain high levels of lead if it is near any structure built before 1978, when lead-based paint was taken off the market, or if a building of that vintage was ever demolished on the site. Pesticides containing lead were often used on fruit trees, so land close to old orchards is also of concern. And beware of soil around heavily trafficked roadways; it, too, is probably laced with lead. But environmental engineers and soil experts said any place is potentially tainted.

“It’s kind of a dirty secret nobody really knows about because we’re all distracted worrying about lead in toys from China,” said Gabriel Filippelli, a professor of earth science at Indiana University-Purdue University in Indianapolis who has published several papers on lead accumulation in soil. His and other research indicates lead levels in people’s blood correspond directly to the amount of lead in the soil where they live.

“We have been unable to identify the threshold of lead exposure at which there is no risk to health,” said Mary Jean Brown, chief of lead poisoning prevention in the Healthy Housing Branch of the federal Centers for Disease Control.

“But we know the risk increases with increased exposure.”Fetuses and small children, because of their rapidly developing nervous systems, are more sensitive to and suffer the most harm from lead exposure. Adverse effects include damage to the brain and nervous system, lower I.Q., behavior problems and slow growth. Adults may suffer cognitive decline, hypertension, nerve disorders, muscle pain and reproductive problems.

If soil is found to have high levels of lead, experts advise covering it with sod. Those who want to grow flowers or edible crops can either replace the contaminated soil or alkalinize it by adding lime or organic matter such as compost. Soil with a pH level above 7 binds with lead, making it less likely to be absorbed by plants and the human body if the dirt is inadvertently inhaled or ingested.

The White House is mixing lime and compost into the soil for its kitchen garden, which according to a National Parks Service analysis has 93 p.p.m. of lead — an amount above background levels but not considered hazardous to children or adults by the E.P.A.’s standards.Dr. Filippelli recommends planting kitchen gardens with fruiting crops like tomatoes, squash, eggplant, corn and beans because they don’t readily accumulate lead. Lead-leaching crops, he said, include herbs, leafy greens and root vegetables such as potatoes, radishes and carrots.

Dirt also clings to these crops, making it hard to wash off and thereby increasing the risk of ingesting lead.But some experts advise planting greens, specifically Indian mustard and spinach, for a couple of seasons as phytoremediation, or plant-based mitigation, before growing crops intended for food. By growing spinach for three months, researchers at the University of Southern Maine lowered the lead count in one garden by 200 p.p.m.

Of course, the lead-leaching crop cannot be eaten or composted and must be disposed of as toxic waste.A safer approach, particularly in areas where lead levels exceed 400 p.p.m., is to build raised or contained beds lined with landscape fabric and filled with uncontaminated soil.

Luckily for Mr. Meuschke, many of his edible crops are in containers or pots filled with dirt bought at nurseries.But lead dust blowing in the wind or rain splashing off lead-painted structures can sully food grown even in raised beds or containers. Situating gardens away from buildings is therefore a good idea, as is washing produce thoroughly with water containing 1 percent vinegar or 0.5 percent soap.

“It isn’t that you shouldn’t garden if you find lead in the soil, you just have to manage the space,” said Edie Stone, executive director of GreenThumb, a division of the New York City Parks and Recreation Department that supports urban gardening. “You can’t assume what you buy at the grocery store is any safer.” Peanuts anyone?

Garden Gal Thanks

2009-06-08T10:40:00.000-07:00

Hello Yolanda,
Thank you so very much for the bulbs you gave me. I’ve got them all planted and I haven’t moved since….I’m still waiting right by the pots to see their little heads poke out. When do you think I can leave my post and get on with life? Hahahahaha. Kidding. Thank you girlfriend. I’ll try to send a jpeg when they spread their glory!
Yer bud,
Anne Jaeger
www.gardengal.tv/

Using vegetable and fruit oils to kill bugs

2009-06-08T10:26:00.000-07:00

Hi Yolanda,I would appreciate if you could help me a little with spraying fruit trees. I have just bought a Stanley plum and a nectarine tree in May. I was looking at your video for when to spray them for bugs and how to do it. You say you think it is only necessary to spray once a year after all the leaves have fallen off the tree just before winter. You also say to use a water and vegetable oil mixture and spray it all over the tree. Can you tell me what the ratio of water is to the vegetable oil? I would like to give this a try. In looking at mixes at the nurseries it says to spray trees many times throughout the summer. Your advice is totally different. I live in Michigan. This is my first time with fruit trees. Thanks for any information you can give me. Pat

Thanks Pat for the e-mail.
I do not use oil on my trees because there are not many bugs in my trees and I can deal with a few spots on my apples.
If there are lots of bugs, by spraying oil on the trees in the winter you stop them from coming out in the spring. If you see bugs anywhere on your trees or plants, use water. I spray the trees with water and hose off all the bugs. Do this three times in a week.
If there are still bugs, you can use a 50/50 mix or less and make sure and shake well when spraying to mix. You can spray anytime of the year with oil and any kind of oil will work as long as it is from a plant-olive, vegetable, canola, sesame.......
The video was about spraying in the winter to stop the bugs in the spring but you can spray anytime. Oil works to kill all bugs including ants and aphids. Don't spray trees if there are no bugs. Thanks!
Yolanda

How to grow daffodils in Australia?

2009-06-08T09:34:00.000-07:00

Hello,
I sore you email address on the internet as l was searching for information on Storing daffodil bulbs, and thought l will ask you directly as l couldn’t get a answer for my question.

Over the Australian summer and autumn, I kept my daffodil and tulip bulbs in there pots from where they were planted and flowered over winter/spring. I removed then from their pots 6 weeks before winter and they looks good. Dry and multiplied. Si l stored then in a paper bag in the bottom of the fridge and planted them a week before winter.

Tulips looked fine, most of the daffodils were soft and squishy. They were a small bulb variety. So l through them away. :( What did I do wrong???

Regards Anastasia, Australia

Dear Anastasia-
When storing bulbs, there are various things that can go wrong. It is like storing potatoes or garlic. In warm climates, tulips and daffodils must have a cooling period to come back up each year so you must refrigerate. If they are in a paper bag sometimes they get dried out and turned to dust. If they are in plastic sometimes they are too wet and rot and turn to mush.
If they freeze without any protection (soil around them) they can turn to mush. If they get too hot outside before you bring them in they can cook in the heat just like garlic when you bake it.

I have had the most success by placing them in dry soil in plastic bags in the refrigerator. That way they are not too wet and should be fine. But there is no guarantee.
Good Luck!
Yolanda

Does Vanveenbulbs.com send out a catalog?

2009-06-08T09:32:00.000-07:00

Do you mail order and have a catalog? Jennifer H.

Jennifer-Thanks for the e-mail. We have a web site vanveenbulbs.com where you can order right on-line. We do not send out a catalog because our stock changes all the time.

Thanks!
Yolanda, Vanveenbulbs.com

Callas and Acidanthera in Malaysia?

2009-06-08T09:24:00.000-07:00

Dear Yolanda....

i m Norhaini from Malaysia..... i m yearning to plant Calla Lillies and Acidanthera n see them bloom in my garden.... n hoping to buy some from vanveenbulbs ...but before i do that.... i wonder if they would grow n thrive n finally flower in my garden... Malaysia has a hot n humid climate.... i do have some cleomes blooming...n eucharis amazonica that blooms on n off.... n i have chives/allium schoenoprasum growing.... but has not bloomed.... used to have purple coneflower bloomimg in my garden...but has died away n did not return.... based on this info....do u think i can grow Calla Lillies n Acidanthera...??? Pleease help....

Hope to hear from u.....Thanx zillions for your time.... warm regards ..norhaini.

Dear Norhaini-
Callas and Acidanthera (Gladiolus murielae) are from South Africa so they would grow very well in Malaysia. They do not need a cold winter.
I can ship to Malaysia but would need an export certificate (cost $30) and you would need a customs broker in Malaysia to get the bulbs through customs and you would have to speak with your local government agricultural department to make sure there are no restrictions on bulb imports to your country of Malaysia. So in short, it is not easy to ship bulbs internationally but if you want to look in to it on your side, I can ship from my location. Without import certificates and paperwork from Malaysian customs, they could be confiscated.
Thanks!
Yolanda

What to do about Squirrels in Planter Boxes?

2009-06-08T09:01:00.000-07:00

Subject: Squirrels and Bulbs

I have 3 planter containers that I planted your bulbs in and the squirrels dug them all up. I guess they eat them, but don't know for sure. What advice do you have for preventing this?

Jim & Gladys

Hello-
You can try spices such as red hot chili peppers, cayenne, pepper on the top of the containers so they don't like the smell and won't dig. That has worked for me-
Thanks! Yolanda

Vanveenbulbs.com Newsletter June 2009

2009-06-04T12:04:00.000-07:00

Vanveenbulbs.com 423 Modrow Road, Kalama, WA 98625 503-970-2992
e-mail: info@vanveenbulbs.com

It is not too late to plant summer blooming bulbs or order spring blooming bulbs for fall delivery!!!

We still have lots of bulbs in stock to bloom this summer or into the fall.Calla Lilies, Lilies, Crocosmia and many more plants are still available to plant right now!

You can order tulips, daffodils, hyacinth now for fall-You won't be charged until they are shipped!!!

Vanveenbulbs.com Summer Schedule 2009-Come See Us!
June 12-14, 2009
Everett Sorticulture Garden Arts Show, Everett, Washington, Legion Memorial Park, Everett, Washington http://www.ci.everett.wa.us/default.aspx?ID=1228

June 26-27, 2009
Oregon Coast Gardening & Landscape Expo, Newport Middle School, Newport, Oregon http://oregoncoastgardeningexpo.com/index.html

July 17-19, 2009Sequim Lavender Festival, Street Fair, Downtown Sequim, Washington http://www.lavenderfestival.com/street-fair/index.html

Beaverton Saturday Market-8:00-1:30 pmFull Season vendor-Mothers day weekend through Halloween weekend. http://www.beavertonfarmersmarket.com/

Hillsdale Farmers Market, Portland, Oregon Sundays 10-2 pm May through October.

* Note: Vanveen Bulbs will not be at markets on garden show dates above.

Summer Bloomers/Kay Balmer of the Oregonian
Thanks to Kay Balmer for featuring Vanveenbulbs.com in the Oregonian's new magazine,
Homes + Gardens Northwest and on Oregon Live.com. For complete article with pictures go to:
http://clicks.aweber.com/y/ct/?l=O5FB4&m=1ZiNNjqXHkrBLD&b=Xkf49cLsrW4ZzZavkpAA.Q

Yolanda Vanveen has new youtube.com gardening video channel!
We have just finished nearly 1200 gardening videos in the last year. To find them go to:Yolanda's youtube gardening video channel: http://clicks.aweber.com/y/ct/?l=O5FB4&m=1ZiNNjqXHkrBLD&b=Wb.X156IlmJdAR950sIxEAThe Ehow Garden Channel: http://clicks.aweber.com/y/ct/?l=O5FB4&m=1ZiNNjqXHkrBLD&b=4XODiRvljxgPBNJbHhtQBA http://clicks.aweber.com/y/ct/?l=O5FB4&m=1ZiNNjqXHkrBLD&b=qW02zDe_A5eLRZXcsOKm3wexpertvillage.com: http://clicks.aweber.com/y/ct/?l=O5FB4&m=1ZiNNjqXHkrBLD&b=ZeN6rAF1xSn2CWX1DaMBUQehow.com: http://clicks.aweber.com/y/ct/?l=O5FB4&m=1ZiNNjqXHkrBLD&b=N52k5j_tqlPjJZobVE6spw

Are you on Facebook? Be a friend and keep track of vanveenbulbs.com.
I have been obsessed with Facebook so haven't been blogging much lately on vanveenbulbs.com.Love flower bulbs and gardening and vanveenbulbs.com?
If you are a facebook member, search Yolanda Vanveen
http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#/profile.php?id=1264395417&ref=name
and make a friend request or it is easy to become a member-go to facebook.com and follow the directions...

Thanks for reading this newsletter. Your e-mail address will not be sold or used for any other purposes. Happy Gardening!!!!!!!

Are you on Facebook? Be my friend and keep track of vanveenbulbs.com

2009-06-04T10:40:00.001-07:00

I have been obsessed with Facebook so haven't been blogging much lately on vanveenbulbs.com.
Love flower bulbs and gardening and vanveenbulbs.com?
If you are a facebook member, search Yolanda Vanveen
http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#/profile.php?id=1264395417&ref=name

and make a friend request or it is easy to become a member-go to facebook.com and follow the directions...
Yolanda

It is not too late to plant summer blooming bulbs!!!

2009-06-04T10:36:00.000-07:00

We still have lots of bulbs in stock to bloom this summer or into the fall.
Calla Lilies, Lilies, Crocosmia, Astilbe and many more plants are still available to plant right now!

This week-
Beaverton market Saturday
Hillsdale market Sunday

Next week-
Portland Wednesday Farmers market
Sorticulture, Everett Washington-Thursday through Sunday so no markets that weekend.

Happy Planting!!!!

May Flower Bulb Availability Vanveenbulbs.com

2009-05-14T10:14:00.000-07:00

This is our current availability list: You can find photos/prices on Vanveenbulbs.com http://www.vanveenbulbs.com/shop.shtml
Acidanthera Gladiolus Murielae
Astilbe Fanal and Astilbe Peach Blossum
Callas-Colored Zantedeschia and White Aethiopica
Crocosmia Red-Yellow and Orange
Cyrtanthus
Galtonia
Kniphofia Red Hot Pokers
Lilies
Nerine
Scilla Peruviana
Tigridia
Tricyrtis
Tritonia
I have many more plants at the farmers market and the nursery with limited supply.
Thanks!
Yolanda

Summer Bloomers/Kay Balmer of the Oregonian

2009-04-28T07:54:00.000-07:00

Thanks to Kay Balmer for featuring Vanveenbulbs.com in the Oregonian's new magazine,

Homes + Gardens Northwest and on Oregon Live.com. For complete article with pictures go to:

http://www.oregonlive.com/home-garden/index.ssf/flowers/summer-bloomers-1.html

Summer Bloomers
Kay Balmer / Gladiolus photo by Marv Bondarowicz

They are such cooperative plants, these old-fashioned gladioluses, gorgeous lilies, fanciful spider lilies and bridal-ready colored calla lilies. These summer bloomers that draw nourishment from nature's underground storage units give their all in the garden in summer. Plus, they're easy to grow, versatile, fabulous in bouquets and they love being in containers.

What do they ask in return? Only well-drained soil, organic matter, water and sun.

Yolanda Vanveen of Vanveen Bulbs International outside Vancouver, Wash., says not to worry about following a bunch of rules with these adaptable souls. April through June is prime planting time, but it's fine to go as late as August. Lilies can even be planted in winter, she says.
Vanveen uses the term "bulb" with all of these plants, but some gardeners insist that her definition is too broad for the tubers and corms. Still, it's hard to argue with the success of this third-generation plant expert who learned at the knees of her Dutch-born parents in the family nursery.

Vanveen mixes a variety of bulbs in a container and staggers the planting time in the garden and in containers to have blooms through the summer and well into fall. She's even had gladioluses bloom in the snow.

COLORED CALLA LILIESCOLORED CALLA LILIES (Zantedeschia)

Exposure: Full, hot sun

Planting: April through August. Place 4 inches deep, 1 to 2 feet apart.

Care: Water generously when growing. Every couple of weeks, let dry out for a couple of days -- until they just begin to wilt -- then soak again. Blooms typically appear in July and August.

Don't be confused: These aren't Z. aethiopica, the white and green callas, even though the blooms look much the same. These calla lilies want sunny, dry conditions; Z. aethiopica prefers shade and wetness.

Vanveen's favorite: 'Flame' (shown above), one of the Callafornia Calla series, has fire-colored blooms that last three to four months; its leaves are spotted and no two are the same. Blooms of all the colored callas will last one to two months in a vase. 'Crystal Blush,' with its white blooms edged in pink, is a favorite among Vanveen's bridal customers.

SPIDER LILIES SPIDER LILIES (Hymenocallis, syn. Ismene)

Exposure: Sun Planting: April through August. Place 3 inches deep and 6 inches apart.

Care: Water well when growing; mulch in fall.

Vanveen's favorite: 'Exotica' (shown on the previous page), which grows 2 feet tall. The flowers last up to a month, with orchid-like foliage and a lemony fragrance. They bloom in August and September.

GLADIOLUSES

Exposure: Sun

Planting: April through July. Place 3 inches deep and as close as you want, as they grow tall and thin. They like a little sand.

Care: Tall stems might need staking. Many garden references recommend that you dig the corms in the fall, but Vanveen doesn't bother. Sometimes they don't come back, but she doesn't mind because they're inexpensive to replace.

Vanveen's favorite: She loves all of them for their colorful spikes, but white is especially nice for bouquets. They bloom in July and August.

ORIENTAL HYBRID LILIES

Exposure: Sun

Planting: April through June. Place 3 inches deep and 6 inches apart.

Care: They like heat more than sun, so avoid planting where they'll be scorched by late-afternoon sun. They bloom in July and August.

Vanveen's favorites: White 'Stargazer' and 'Casablanca.' 'Stargazer' is what you commonly see in cut-flower arrangements, and its shorter stem works well for growing in containers. Oriental lilies have a spicy fragrance that can fill a room.

ASIATIC HYBRID LILIES

Exposure: Sun

Planting: Vanveen keeps her bulbs in the freezer, so planting them now through June will bring blooms in 60 to 90 days. They will transition to normal June and July blossoms the following year. Place 3 inches deep and 6 inches apart.

Care: They like heat more than sun. Optimum condition is sun until late afternoon. She tops them when the bloom goes.

Vanveen's favorite: 'Commander in Chief' is a brilliant, true red. Unfortunately, the Asiatics are not fragrant.

How to grow bulbs
Keep it simple, Vanveen advises. No commercial fertilizers or bone meal. Feed the soil with a bit of organic compost.

Remove spent blooms, but trim only what's brown.

Mulch well in fall to protect the plant's food warehouse and in spring to keep weeds down.

Provide plenty of water while plants are growing, but every couple of weeks, let them dry out for a few days. Just as they begin to wilt, soak them again.

Bulbs like to be crowded and they like warmth, Vanveen says, so they are ideal for growing in containers. Even the tall lilies, such as 'Casablanca,' like containers. Just match the size of the pot to the plant.

Vanveen says sheltering the bulbs isn't necessary, but it can't hurt either.

Yolanda Vanveen In person: You can find Yolanda Vanveen and her bulbs on Wednesdays at the Portland Farmers Market in the downtown Park Blocks. Contact: Send e-mails to http://info@vanveenbulbs.com/contact.shtml or call 888-289-2852.

Scientific studies find organic compost best fertilizer not nitrates

2009-04-23T20:39:00.000-07:00

Here is an article forwarded from my buddy Wayne Chandler from my 2004 Clark County Master Gardening Class in Vancouver, Washington. Researchers at WSU Pullman have found that compost is the best growing medium and that fertilizers high in nitrates are cancer causing when used on vegetables:

MASTER GARDENER FOUNDATION
OF WASHINGTON STATE

USA Today Online Article

News Highlights
Master Gardeners
Organic gardens may yield more nutrients
Wednesday, Apr. 22, 2009
By Dennis Brown, WSU Extension
PULLMAN – One of the hottest trends in gardening today is organic gardening which relies on natural processes to grow plants. There is now a growing consensus among scientists that organically grown fruits and vegetables may contain higher levels of nutrients than conventionally grown produce.

“Organic gardening is experiencing a surge in interest,” said Tonie Fitzgerald, state Master Gardener program leader for WSU Extension, “and there is more information about doing it correctly.”

Master Gardeners are university-trained volunteer educators who answer garden-related questions, teach gardening classes, and manage demonstration gardens on behalf of county extension offices across the state.

There is no question that organic gardening requires more work. Now there is growing scientific evidence showing that the extra effort may pay off in some nutritional benefits.

That was the conclusion of a panel of scientists at the annual meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science this past February in Chicago. The scientists on the panel, which was organized by Preston Andrews, associate professor of horticulture at WSU, and The Organic Center, reviewed a decade of research comparing the impacts of organic and conventional farming systems on soil and food quality.

Among other studies, they cited research that has found that organically farmed tomatoes have higher levels of soluble solids and secondary plant metabolites. Most of the secondary plant metabolites are antioxidants, which help prevent human diseases.

Studies of 27 varieties of organically grown spinach found higher levels of flavonoids and vitamin C and lower levels of nitrates. Nitrates in food can form cancer-causing compounds.

Improved soil chemical and physical properties were seen in apples grown organically in research in Washington. Improvements in soil quality were shown to lead to added nutritional quality, taste, and storability.

Soil is made up principally of mineral particles, organic matter and microorganisms that break down organic residues into organic and eventually inorganic compounds. Organic matter is the residue of decomposing plant and animal material. Organic matter is the fodder for nutrient recycling in the soil, and it also improves soil structure and water retention.

What lessons can home gardeners learn from this research?
“Increase the organic matter content of your soil,” Andrews said. “I think one of the best ways you can do this is with compost. Feed the soil so that the soil microorganisms can provide readily available nitrogen and other nutrients that plants need, but in a more slow-release fashion than synthetic fertilizers do.”

Composting is the managed decomposition of plant and animal material, and is a way of speeding up what happens in the soil naturally. Yard wastes and vegetable scraps, which comprise as much as 20 percent of household garbage, can be recycled in the soil as compost, according to Craig Cogger and Dan Sullivan, authors of “Backyard Composting,” a free WSU Extension bulletin.

“With composting, you get some readily available sources of nitrogen and ammonium because the soil microorganisms produce them as the digest the proteins and then the amino acids that are broken down from the proteins,” Andrews said.

How long will it take to see benefits?

“It depends on the soil you start with and how greedy you are for producing something from the soil,” Andrews said. For depleted soils, he recommends planting a green manure crop, especially legumes which fix nitrogen from the air, then turning it into the soil and letting it decompose before planting a vegetable crop.

“You can add compost along with the green manure crop,” he said. “It really depends on the condition of the soil you start with and what you want to produce from it.”

“Backyard Composting” is available as a free download from WSU Extension at http://cru.cahe.wsu.edu/CEPublications/eb1784/eb1784.pdf.
WSU Extension Master Gardener can provide information on organic gardening and composting. Find one near you at http://mastergardener.wsu.edu/mgpcounty.html; click on your county.

Yolanda Vanveen has new youtube.com gardening video channel!

2009-03-25T15:03:00.001-07:00

We have just finished nearly 1200 gardening videos in the last year. To find them go to:

Yolanda's youtube gardening video channel: http://www.youtube.com/user/yolandavanveen

The Ehow Garden Channel: http://www.youtube.com/user/ehowgarden

http://www.youtube.com/profile?user=ehowgarden&view=videos&sort=d

expertvillage.com: http://www.expertvillage.com/expert/921.htm

ehow.com: http://www.ehow.com/members/EV_Yolanda-Vanveen-articles.html

See you on the internet!
Yolanda

Vanveenbulbs.com mentioned in Eugene Register Guard

2009-03-25T14:58:00.000-07:00

Beautiful inspirations
Ornamental gardening experts will share advice, plant picks and more in free Home & Garden Show seminars.
By Ellen Schlesinger
For special publications
Posted to Web: Thursday, Mar 12, 2009 11:14AM

Rain or shine, calm or blustery, spring is here. If you’re like most gardeners, you’ve spent a good portion of the winter daydreaming about the coming season. Curled up on a sofa, poring over flower and seed catalogs or perhaps reviewing your gardening journal for 2008, you probably made all sorts of promises to yourself (and your garden.) You’ve vowed to do better—learn more, use fewer chemicals, experiment, try new plants or new varieties of old favorites — and now you’re rarin’ to go.

And the good news is that expert horticultural advice and information is right at hand. The March 12-15 Lane County Home & Garden Show is showcasing an impressive group of Northwest nursery owners, growers, garden writers and other plant professionals who will address many aspects of ornamental gardening during their live presentations. The hour-long talks and slide shows are free and questions from the audience are encouraged.

The topics under discussion by these experts cover a broad spectrum from the basic to the whimsical. Attendees can learn about soil amendment, how to prune shrubs correctly, which plants to grow for an abundance of flowers for cutting, how to arrange dazzling container plantings and much, much more.

The clinics offer attendees a chance to absorb the speakers’ expertise and pick up their tips on soil preparation, growing bulbs, perennials, herbs and ornamental grasses, native plant varieties and new introductions.

‘Wow’-worthy blooms
Yolanda Wilson started her company, Vanveen Bulbs of Kalama, Wash., (near Portland) more than 20 years ago. Her grandparents, the Vanveens, grew flowers in their native Holland; her parents grew cut flowers for the Portland Flower Market for more than 30 years.

“I didn’t want to have anything to do with flowers,” Wilson admits. “I went to college, got a degree and went to work in an office. And then one day I wondered what I was doing in a little cubicle. I guess I was genetically programmed to be a grower.”

At the Home & Garden Show, Wilson will discuss proper planting techniques and share her enthusiasm for some lesser-known, more exotic bulbs.

“I think canna ‘Cleopatra’ is a great tropical-looking accent plant,” Vanveen says. “It’s a lush, 5-foot-tall, dramatic stunner with bold foliage and bright flowers. The large leaves are green with a purple stripe and the flowers are a brilliant yellow and orange. It’s a ‘wow’ — in the ground or in a container.”

Spider lily or Peruvian daffodil (Ismene or Hymenocallis) is another bulb that Wilson thinks should be more widely planted. This summer bloomer has large white flowers that thrive in full sun.

“They’re gorgeous,” says Wilson, “and they smell like heaven; just like lemon meringue pie!”

Several other Northwest experts also will share with show-goers their plant picks and pointers for successfully growing stunning blooms, including Sharon Frey of Frey’s Dahlias (Turner, Ore.), Jan Detwiler of The Lily Pad Bulb Farm (Olympia, Wash.), and Linda Beutler, author of “Gardening with Clematis” and “Garden to Vase: Growing and Using Your Own Cut Flowers.”

Ellen Schlesinger is a writer who lives and gardens in Eugene, and the author of “A Gaga Gardener’s Guide to Nearby Nurseries.” She may be contacted by e-mail at sp.feedback@registerguard.com.

At the Home & Garden Show
Experts on ornamental gardening — with specialties that range from sustainable landscaping to planting flower cutting gardens and stylish containers — will share their knowledge during free presentations at the March 12-15 Lane County Home & Garden Show. These seminars, suitable for gardeners of all levels, will take place at the Green Thumb Garden Theater (see map, Page 5):
Thursday, March 12
• 6 p.m.: “Growing Flower Bulbs and Lilies for Summer Cutting Gardens for Weddings, Celebrations & Scented Bliss” by Jan Detwiler, The Lily Pad Bulb Farm
• 7 p.m.: “Sensuous Gardens: Planning for Scent, Texture and Sensual Pleasure” by Jackie Chama, Bloomer’s Nursery
Friday, March 13
• 7 p.m.: “Dazzling Dahlias: Blazing, Ravishing & Easy to Grow” by Sharon Frey, Frey’s Dahlias
Saturday, March 14
3:30 p.m.: “Fast Facts for a Phat Garden: Selecting the Best Plants for Your Shady or Sunny Garden” by Anne Jaeger, www.GardenGal.TV host
5 p.m.: “Exotic Flower Bulbs for Northwest Gardens: Selections to Care” by Yolanda Vanveen, Vanveen Bulbs
6:30 p.m.: “Designing High-Style Planters & Landscapes with Ornamental Grasses” by Jackie Chama
Sunday, March 15
• 1 p.m.: “Fearless Flowers, Fearless Bouquets: Using Unconventional Flowers, Foliage and Fruit to Create Fearless Bouquets” by Linda Beutler, author of “Gardening With Clematis”
• 2:30 p.m.: “Sustainable Landscaping: All About Selecting the Right Plant for the Right Place” by Nancy Sorensen and Sue Sierralupe, Lane County Master GardenersRelated stories do not exist

On the Road Again-People are Bulb Crazy!

2009-03-09T13:41:00.000-07:00

We have finished the Eugene Good Earth Show, Tacoma Home and Garden Show, Seattle NW Flower and Garden Show and the YGP in Portland. No worries about the recession-for every one person that is worried they may not have a job tomorrow, two people are saying they are not going to Italy or Disneyland this summer so they will spending a lot of time at home and in their garden and want it to be pretty.....

I spent this weekend putting fresh compost over the beds to stop the weeds from coming up and they look nice for now. Crocus, snowdrops and some short Minnow daffodils are blooming!!!

We are gearing up for Eugene and San Fran leaving Thursday for 12 days so I am excited and running hard trying to get everything done. There is snow on the ground here in Kalama, WA in March! My snowdrops are blooming in the snow. So beautiful. It is supposed to come in like a lion and out like a lamb and we are getting the extremes this year.

The Eugene Register Guard is featuring vanveenbulbs.com in their article about the Lane County Home and Garden Show and I will be speaking on Hardy Exotic Bulbs for NW Gardens on Saturday. Exciting stuff. I love Eugene!!!
Kay Balmer from the Oregonian interviewed me this morning on summer bulbs for the new Oregonian magazine. It comes out in May.

I have my own youtube channel now and I am featured on the home page of ehowgarden with many videos on it. It is fun and my dream come true.

http://www.youtube.com/user/ehowgarden
http://www.youtube.com/user/yolandavanveen

Hope all is well with you. Take care and happy spring planting.... Yolanda

Hummingbird and Butterfly Garden Plants

2009-02-06T12:20:00.001-08:00

Hummingbird gardens-Yolanda Vanveen, vanveenbulbs.com, 1-888-289-2852
info@vanveenbulbs.com
 Make certain that there is always fresh water available for drinking as well as for bathing.
 Create both sun and shade areas in your hummingbird garden. Hummingbirds need a place in shade to perch as well as to build their nests.
 Willows and Eucalyptus trees provide nesting materials which your hummingbirds will use, along with bits of leaves, spider webs, moss, and lichens to build their tiny nests.

Hummingbirds must feed 3-5 times per hour and your hummingbirds may become reliant on your garden for it's food, but there may be periods when there are no blossoms from which they can get nectar. It is a good idea to provide hummingbird feeders hung about thirty feet apart throughout your garden for these times. The best color for a feeder is bright red to attract the birds from a distance. Never fill your feeders with anything but sugar-water mix of 1 part sugar to 4 parts water. Do not use food coloring of any kind, and never, never use honey. (Honey can develop a fungus which can be fatal to hummingbirds)

Perennials- Bee balm Monarda didyma,,Butterfly weed Ascelpias tuberosa ,,Cardinal flower Lobelia cardinalis ,,Columbine Aquilegia sp. ,,Coral bells Heuchera sanguinea ,,Cosmos Cosmos,,Dahlia ,,Delphinium Delphinium elatum , Flame acanthus Acanthus mollis, Foxglove Digitalis purpurea (Biennial), Fuchsia Fuschia hybrida ,,Geranium Pelargonium species , Hollyhock Althea rosea (biennial),,Lupine Lupinus hybrids , Monkeyflower Mimulus hybridus,,Penstemon Penstemon,,Red hot poker Kniphofia uvaria , Sage Salvia officinalis, Scarlet sage Salvia splendens , Speedwell Veronica hybrids , Verbena Verbena sp.

Annuals- Mountain garland Clarkia elegans , Four-o'-clock Mirabilis jalapa , Touch-me-not Impatiens sp., Flowering tobacco Nicotiana alata , Nasturtium Tropaeolum majus , Petunia Petunia hybrida, Spider flower Cleome hasslerana , Zinnia Zinnia sp.

Bulbs, corms and tubers- Acidanthera, Gladiolus Murielea, Tuberous Begonia Begonia sp. , Canna Canna sp. , Gladiolus Gladiolus sp. , Iris Iris sp, Montbretia Crocosmia sp. Galtonia, Agapanthus,

Vines- Bougainvillea Bougainvillea sp., Cardinal climber Ipomoea quamoclit , Flame vine Pyrostegia venusta , Honeysuckle Lonicera sp. ,Lantana Lantana sp.,Rosary vine Ceropegia woodii ,Trumpet creeper Campis grandiflora ,Trumpet vines Bignonia tagliabuana , Mandevilla,

Shrubs and trees- Abelia Abelia grandiflora ,Azalea Rhododendron sp,Bottlebrush Callistemon lanceolatus , Butterfly bush Buddleia davidii , Catoneaster Catoneaster sp., Eucalyptus Eucalyptus sp. ,Flowering currant Ribes odoratum , Flowering quince Chaenomeles , Fuschia tree Fuschia arborescens, Hibiscus Hibiscus sp.,Lilac Syringa sp. Mimosa (silk tree) Albizia julibrissin , Strawberry tree Arbutus unedo , Wild lilac Ceanothus griseus ,Weigela Weigela rosea , Fuschia

Butterfly Gardens-Yolanda Vanveen, vanveenbulbs.com, 1-888-289-2852
info@vanveenbulbs.com
 Make certain that there is always fresh water available for drinking as well as for bathing. Butterflies like muddy areas, create a mud bath spa for them
 Create both sun and shade areas in your butterfly garden. Butterflies need a place in shade and green foliage for the caterpillars. No pesticides in your garden to kill any bugs or slugs

Perennials- Bee balm Monarda didyma,,Butterfly weed Ascelpias tuberosa ,,Cardinal flower Lobelia cardinalis ,,Columbine Aquilegia sp. ,,Coral bells Heuchera sanguinea ,,Cosmos Cosmos,,Dahlia ,,Delphinium Delphinium elatum , Flame acanthus Acanthus mollis, Foxglove Digitalis purpurea (Biennial), Fuchsia Fuschia hybrida ,,Geranium Pelargonium species , Hollyhock Althea rosea (biennial),, Lavender, Lupine Lupinus hybrids , Monkeyflower Mimulus hybridus,,Penstemon Penstemon,,Red hot poker Kniphofia uvaria , Sage Salvia officinalis, Scarlet sage Salvia splendens , Speedwell Veronica hybrids , Verbena Verbena sp. , Rudbeckia, Daisies, Chyrsanthemums, , Ageratum (Ageratum),* Aster (Aster species)Bee-balm (Monarda didyma),* Black-eyed susan (Rudbeckia species), Boltonia (Boltonia asteroids, Bugle (Ajuga reptans),* Butterfly weed (Asclepias tuberosa),Chives (Allium schoenoprasum),* Coneflower (Echinacea purpurea), ,* Coreopsis (Coreopsis species)Daisy, Shasta (Chrysanthemum maximum), Daylily (Hemerocallis species), False indigo (Baptisia australis), * Gayfeather (Liatris species), Goldenrod (Solidago species)Hibiscus (Hibiscus species),Hollyhock (Althaea rosea,* Ironweed (Vernonia species)* Joe-pye weed (Eupatorium fistulosum),* Lantana (Lantana camara, L. species)Leadplant (Amorpha fruticosa, Lobelia (Lobelia cardinalis),* Milkweed (Asclepias species)Mountain mint (Pycnanthemum species), Passion flower (Passiflora species)* Phlox (Phlox paniculata, P. carolina),Sage (Salvia leucantha; Salvia species)Sedum (Sed um species), Thistles (Cirsium species),Verbena (Verbena species)Yarrow (Achillea species)

Annuals- Mountain garland Clarkia elegans , Four-o'-clock Mirabilis jalapa , Touch-me-not Impatiens sp., Flowering tobacco Nicotiana alata , Nasturtium Tropaeolum majus , Petunia Petunia hybrida, Spider flower Cleome hasslerana , Zinnia Zinnia sp. Cosmos (Cosmos sulphureus), Globe amaranth (Gomphrena globosa), Impatiens (Impatiens wallerana)Marigold, French (Tagetes patula), Mexican sunflower (Tithonia species), Nasturtium (Tropaeolum majus),* Sunflower (Helianthus species), * Verbena (Verbena species),Queen Anne's Lace (Daucus carota), Zinnia (Zinnia elegans

Bulbs, corms and tubers- Acidanthera, Calla Lilies, Gladiolus Murielea, Tuberous Begonia Begonia sp. , Canna Canna sp. , Gladiolus Gladiolus sp. , Iris Iris sp, Montbretia Crocosmia sp. Galtonia, Agapanthus, Hostas, Liatris, Lilies, Scilla Peruviana

Bulbs for Year Round Color

2009-02-06T12:16:00.000-08:00

Here is a list of bulbs to select so that you have blooms throughout the year-
Yolanda Vanveen, vanveenbulbs.com

Winter Bulbs for Indoor Forcing-Grow these bulbs inside for color in winter-
Always plant bulbs outside again after forcing to enjoy outside for years to come:
Allium Ostrowksianum-Pink, Allium Moly-Yellow, Allium Purple Sensation,
Chionodoxa, Crocus, Daffodils- Short varieties are best: Daffodil Jetfire, Minnow,
Thalia, Sir Winston
Paperwhites
Eucomis-Pineapple Lilies Pink and White
Grape Hyacinth
Hyacinth
Iris Reticulata-Short
Leucojum Snowflakes
Puschkinia
Scilla Peruviana, Scilla Siberica

Early Spring (February/March) Outside Blooms
Chionodoxa, Crocus, Daffodils, Grape Hyacinth-Muscari
Hyacinth, Iris Reticulata-short iris, Leucojum Snowflakes,
Scilla Siberica, Puschkinia,

Late Spring (April/May) Tulips, Alliums, Dutch Iris, Siberian Iris, Japanese Iris
Lily of the Valley,

Early Summer (June) Giant White Calla, Green Goddess Calla, Peonies
Asiatic Lilies, Ornithogalum, Scilla Peruviana-Cuban Lily

Summer July/August
Acidanthera, Agapanthus, Astilbe,Brodiaea,
Calla Zantedeschia-Colored Calla Lilies
Cannas, Crocosmia, Eremurus, Kniphofia
Oriental Lilies-Stargazers, Casa Blanca, Begonias
Colocasia, Gladiolus, Gloriosa, Haemanthus, Ismene, Liatris
Tigridia, Tritonia

Autumn September/October
Amaryllis Belladonna, Lycoris, Nerine Lily,
Eucomis Pineapple Lilies, Cannas, Tricyrtis Toad Lilies, Aconitum
Begonias, Crocosmia, Galtonia, Colocasia, Cyclamen Neopolitanum

Vanveenbulbs.com Bulbs Up for Garden Show Season

2009-02-06T11:53:00.000-08:00

By Yolanda Vanveen
So I take everything back that I said about global warming. We had the coldest winter in 30 years with snow on the ground for three weeks. We are not used to that here in the Northwest. I only lost a few plants including my scadoxus formerly known as haemanthus because they were too wet in the greenhouse. Check out our winter pictures:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/29252080@N03/

Come visit us at the garden shows: We may attend the Spring Fair in Puyallup in April -

Winter 2009
January 23-25, 2009 Good Earth Home, Garden & Living Show, Eugene, Oregon, Fairgrounds www.EugeneHomeShow.com

January 28-February 1, 2009 Tacoma Home & Garden Show, Tacoma, Washington www.oloughlintradeshows.com

February 7, 2009 OSU Master Gardener Training, Hood River County, Yolanda Wilson instructor, "Introduction to Flower Bulbs, Exotic Bulbs, Bulbs for Year Round Color, Responsible Gardening"

Feb 18-22, 2009 Northwest Flower and Garden Show, Seattle Convention Center, Washington www.gardenshow.com

February 27-March 1, 2009 Portland Yard, Garden & Patio Show, Portland Oregon Convention Center www.ygpshow.com

March 12-15, 2009Lane County Home & Garden Show, Eugene, Oregon Fairgrounds www.EugeneHomeShow.com

March 18-22, 2009San Francisco Flower & Garden Show, San Mateo Convention Center, San Mateo, California
www.gardenshow.com

March 27-29, 2009 Portland Better Living Show, Home, Garden & Lifestyle, Expo Center, Portland, Oregon www.betterlivingshow.org

April 4, 2009 Gardenpalooza, Fir Point Farms, Canby, Oregon www.gardentime.tv

April 11-12, 2009 Hardy Plant Society of Oregon Spring Plant Sale, Portland, Oregon Expo Center www.hardyplantsociety.org

April 24-26, 2009 Clark Public Utilities Home and Garden Idea Fair, Ridgefield, Washington,Clark County Fairgrounds www.clarkpublicutilities.com/Community/homeAndGardenIdeaFair

May 2-3, 2009 Clackamas County Master Gardeners Spring Garden Fair, Canby, Oregon Fairgrounds

May-October Beaverton Farmers Market Full Season-Mother's day weekend through Halloween www.beavertonfarmersmarket.comww.extension.oregonstate.edu/clackamas/homeHort/activities

June 12-14, 2009 Sorticulture Garden and Art Show, Everett, Washington

Mint Julips in Minnesota

2008-11-11T22:04:00.000-08:00

Hi, I have a quick question about the Mint Julip Calla Lily that I bought from you in May at the Portland Farmer's Market. They were beautiful, but I live in Minnesota and don't know the proper care for this particular bulb. Since it was snowing here yesterday, I need to do something soon! > thanks Paula

Hello Paula-
Thanks for your purchase. Treat the calla like a dahlia or other tender bulb. Keep it in a pot with dirt or keep it dry in a bag or box or wrap with newspaper. Do not let it freeze so keep in garage if it is heated, basement or anyplace you can keep it from freezing hard (they can go down to 10 degrees outside if planted) but not too warm. Make sure it does not get too dry either so run them under water in the winter if they get dry-Replant in May of next year.
Let me know if you have any other questions.
Thanks!
Yolanda Wilson
vanveenbulbs.com