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anujag

By Anujag

Berkshire, United Kingdom Gb

Hi, I used to be an active member of GOY six years ago. Lots of changes later (including moving to a new house with a large garden), I am back - to serious gardening and to GOY. And I need advice. I laid medium sized slate chips as mulch without any membrane in my low maintenance front garden . Now I want to plant some hyancinths or tulips there. Do you think the flowers will manage to come up? Thanks in advance!

Update: Thank you everyone, My Hyancinths and tulips came out beautifully through the slate chips. But the tulips did not. Here is a photo of the Hyacinths and the tulips where there were no slate chips



Hya Tulips

Answers

 

Yes. As long as the slates are not too big the stems will push through with no trouble.

6 Oct, 2019

 

I have the same thing in my front garden. Daffodils, snowdrops and even the small species tulips can push their way through the slate chippings. On the minus side, I was stupid enough to plant anemone Blanda and they have reseeded everywhere.

6 Oct, 2019

 

Thank you so much for the replies! I will go ahead and plant the Hyacinths. Funnily enough, I did buy anemone Blanda last year to plant there but ended up planting somewhere else.

6 Oct, 2019

 

Welcome back to GoY! I tend to agree with Jimmy. An inch or two of slate chips shouldn't be an issue or when you plant the bulbs, just give them a clearing so it's not too much in that area. I like your idea of using slate chips. You can really get creative with it. I find those membranes a waste of money. The weeds still come up - I guess that's why they are weeds. It won't stop the the weeds. .

6 Oct, 2019

 

Thank you for your response Bathgate! Yes, slate chips look really good. They have saved me a lot of time. And when it rains, the row of dwarf box looks beautiful against the wet slate.

7 Oct, 2019

 

my brother has slate chips [biggest ones are about 2" long] and all his bulbs come up fine from snowdrops/crocuses to camassia. so hyacinths shouldn't have a problem.

7 Oct, 2019

 

Thank you Seaburngirl, really appreciate your response. If the delicate snowdrops can push their way through, then the hyacinths will surely do! Now, if the rains let up, I will go ahead and plant them :)

8 Oct, 2019

 

Out, I have a HUGE bag of slate, had it the week after I retired, still there, winter job, hehe. So do I gather there's no need to put membrane down guys? I was planning black plastic, membrane and then slate.

11 Oct, 2019

How do I say thanks?

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