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How to Rejuvenate Spring-Blooming Bulbs

Plan to dig, separate, store and replant in fall

    Dig with a garden spade, starting at least six inches away from the outer circle of dead leaves.  Assume the bulbs are now deeper than the original planting depth: Bulbs are equipped with contractil roots that pull them deeper in the ground at the end of each growing season. This is a survival feature as bulbs originated in arid regions. Thus when digging bulbs that have been in the ground for a long time, you’ll have to go two to three inches deeper than the original planting depth so the bulbs can be lifted from the ground without damage.  
    After you’ve lifted the bulbs from the ground, shake away loose soil; do not separate the bulbs from each other until after the soil has dried.
    Then separate the clusters of bulbs from each other and thin them, allowing only two or three daughter bulblets to remain attached to each large bulb. Dust the bulbs with a fungicide such as a five-percent solution of Captan. Place them in an onion bag and hang in a cool, dry place to protect them from rodents.  
    In late September or early October, the bulbs will be ready for planting.  To avoid future overcrowding, dig the planting hole at least 10 inches deep and amend the soil in the bottom with compost. The top of the each bulb should be at least eight inches below the surface of the soil. The deeper bulbs are planted, the fewer daughter bulbs they will produce because there is less oxygen available. Less propagating means less crowding.

Stink Bug Report

    A report from the University of Maryland Department of Entomology indicates that research at Virginia Tech found colonies of stink bugs that wintered unprotected outdoors have been killed by severe cold temperatures. 
    If this is true, it will help considerably in reducing the population, but it will not exterminate them. Stink bugs that managed to overwinter in the cracks and crevasses of homes and heated buildings will persist.
    Based on the invasion we are experiencing at Upakrik Farm in Deale, the cold winter has not made a dent in the stink bug population. On warm days, they pour out of their winter hideaways.
    The pheromone traps I tested last fall never attracted a single stink bug.
    The only defense that has been 100 percent reliable in capturing stink bugs is the Bugzooka. This vacuum gun sucks them into the barrel without killing them and smearing their stinking guts on windows or woodwork. It is fun to use and gives you the feeling of sweet revenge. Order at
