In the Pacific Northwest – Now is the time to plan for the very early spring effects from small bulbs. In the garden meadow, the rock garden, along paths and in front of flower beds, these low first-bloomers are of great value. Most of them have been hard to get during the war years, and if those we have are taken care of they will increase and give us rich returns.

Snowdrop, crocus, Scilla sibirica, Nvinter aconite, puschkinia and chionodoxa can be grown with greater success in the Northwest than anywhere on the Pacific Coast. For the most part they are now out of bloom but are still visible. Clean the grass from between the bulbs and work superphosphate into the soil at the rate of one ounce to the square yard. Bonemeal is another good food for bulbs and can be used a little more freely. After doing this, scatter some peatmoss, well rotted manure or perfectly cured compost over the place. If you cover this with a thin layer of good garden loam, you can then sow seed of such low growing annuals as blue nemophila, dainty Gilia dianthoides, or leptosiphon. They have such small root systems that they rob the bulbs very little.

Is There A More Certain Way To Distinguish Between The New Growth And The Old?