Q. I bought several small pots of flowering bulbs from the grocery store. What do I do with them after they flower? I have dwarf iris, crocuses and miniature daffodils.
–Janet Carruthers, Chicago
A. All the bulbs you mentioned are hardy to the Chicago area.
They normally are planted outside in fall to bloom the following spring. This normal cycle of growth is disturbed when they are forced to bloom indoors in winter.
Although most people discard forced bulbs after they flower, some gardeners treat them in the following fashion, with the hopes they might bloom again in their own gardens:
Keep the plants in bright light and continue to water as needed. Apply a very dilute 5-10-5 fertilizer twice a month. Allow the foliage to yellow completely before removing it from the bulbs.
In spring, transplant the bulbs to a sunny, well-drained location in your garden. Mark the spot so they will not be disturbed during their summer dormancy. Apply another dose of fertilizer in the fall.
If the plants fail to come up the following spring, dig up the bulbs and discard them.
Q. I received a dozen beautiful red roses and was very disappointed when many of the flower heads drooped just a few days later. Why did this happen?
–Patricia Kaufman, Hinsdale
A. One of several possibilities might have occurred. If the roses were not fresh to begin with, they will droop, drop their petals and quickly fade. Some florists will wire the stems to encourage the flower heads to remain upright.
When cut flowers are deprived of water, even for brief periods of time, they will react by drooping.
If they are quite healthy and suddenly droop, they might have air bubbles lodged in their stems. Fill a sink with water and recut the stems on an angle under water. Float the entire stem in water (keeping the cut end submerged) as you gently try to straighten the flowerhead. If air bubbles were the problem, the stem should straighten out.
Q. How can I get rid of non-blooming and non-fruiting suckers from a raspberry bush? I have tried digging them up, but they continue to return.
–Lois Phelps, Western Springs
A. Raspberry bushes can produce an extensive underground runner system which, if left unchecked, results in suckers that eventually root themselves. This is particularly true with neglected bushes that are not pruned regularly or those in very naturalistic plantings.
It’s essential to get as close to the parent plant as possible and sever runners with a very sharp spade. This often becomes an annual task.
To discourage the sucker, you might want to install an underground barrier of heavy-duty plastic, buried around the plant’s roots so that it extends at least 18 inches down from the soil surface.
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Lee Randhava writes for the Chicago Botanic Garden in Glencoe. She cannot reply individually but will select questions of general interest to answer in this column. Send your concerns to: Gardening Q&A, Home&Garden, Chicago Tribune, 435 N. Michigan Ave., Chicago, IL 60611-4041, or send e-mail to home&garden@tribune.com.
