This is my first year at trying some gardening. I planted in one area some bell peppers (plants), collard greens (plants), roma tomatoes (seeds), cucumber (seeds), cantaloupe (seeds), okra (seeds)....and in my flower bed, marigold seeds and morning glory seeds.
Everything is doing well, right now....but i live in Vermont and just found out tonight will get a frost. Please let me know how to protect my plants tonight, or will I need to. My seeds are beginning to germinate but there is not much to them over an inch.
Also I tried transplanting a tulip. The leaves look terrible on my transplant, just terrible. Should I cut them off and let the bulb remain planted. I think I killed it. There is still some green, but some brown is taking over. Should tulips not be transplanted?
2007-05-21 00:30:16 · 5 answers · asked by ☮ wickey wow wow ♀♀ 7 in Home & Garden ➔ Garden & Landscape
Yes, the tulip had bloomed in the flower bed, giving me three beautiful flowers which I cut and then transplanted the plant....thank you for everyone's help. My 16 yo daughter has been giving me hell about the tulip telling me how pretty it was until I decided to move it. LOL. I thought I had killed it.
2007-05-21 01:28:44 · update #1
To protect your plants from cold/frost here's is what I do. (I live in Northern Illinois).This also works for extending your growing season in the fall.
Before the sun goes down in the evening:
Cover them with a sheet of plastic. You can use a plastic shower curtain if that's all you have, or buy a roll of see through plastic sheeting at WalMart, Menards, or your hardware store. Make sure you use something to keep the plastic off the soil a little bit. You can use flower pots, sticks etc., for this.
In VERY cold weather I place a blanket over the plastic. In the morning when sun comes up, take the plastic and blanket (if you used this extra protection) off of the planting area.
re: Tulips
You didn't say if the tulip had bloomed already in the pot. Doesn't matter really though.
Tulip leaves after blooming always turn brown. Just leave them in the ground. Next spring your tulip should come up and give you a pretty flower. Don't worry. Do not cut off the leaves until they are all dried up looking and totally brown (almost an off white). Unless the dead looking leaves bother you I'd just leave them be, and not even bother with removing them when they're dead. They eventually wither away, and you won't even see them. Enjoy and good luck!
2007-05-21 00:51:43 · answer #1 · answered by fxnut 1 · 2⤊ 0⤋
You didn't kill the tulip. It was time for the tulip to go to sleep.
Cover your sprouts with old sheets or sheet plastic if you have it, just don't let the plastic or the sheets rest on the tops of your new plants, it will break them.
Good luck and happy gardening.
2007-05-21 06:44:59 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
reynwater is right in what she said. Tulips are fine to transplant, but will take some time to adjust & get resettled. As reynwater said, allow the leaves to remain, as they are bringing nourishment to the bulb for next years' bloom.
2007-05-21 00:43:54 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
If you use plastic to cover the plants, do not allow it to touch the leaves. Plastic will transfer the cold to the plants. Use stakes to raise the plastic above the plants (tenting). The heat from the ground should provide enough heat for overnight.
2007-05-21 02:14:08 · answer #4 · answered by sensible_man 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Cover your plants to protect them from the frost. (mulch, news paper, blankets, whatever you have.)
Tulips after blooming need the leaves to nourish the bulb. When they turn completely brown, trim off.
2007-05-21 00:36:07 · answer #5 · answered by reynwater 7 · 3⤊ 0⤋