Bluebell bulbs

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Bluebell bulbs

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Hairyloon

Joined: 20 Nov 2008
Posts: 15425
Location: Today I are mostly being in Yorkshire.

Posted: Thu Oct 06, 16 5:37 pm Post subject: Bluebell bulbs

Today I have been digging up a lot of bluebell bulbs... at least, I think they are bluebells: obviously at this time of year they don't show much sign, but they have a bluebelly ambience and they don't taste like onions.

My intent was to just spread them out a bit, but there's so many I am moved to wonder if I should keep some back for 'ron or other people, and if so, how best to do it?

Also, I cannot easily plant them back as deep as they have come out from. Are they likely to get upset about that?

Slim

Joined: 05 Mar 2006
Posts: 6612
Location: New England (In the US of A)

Posted: Thu Oct 06, 16 6:02 pm Post subject: Re: Bluebell bulbs

Hairyloon wrote:

Also, I cannot easily plant them back as deep as they have come out from. Are they likely to get upset about that?

They'll need to be deep enough to not freeze harder than they can take that first winter, but over time they will actually move themselves to the depth they want to be at. Cool isn't it? Lots of bulbs have "contractile roots" that help them force their way through the soil

dpack

Joined: 02 Jul 2005
Posts: 46235
Location: yes

Posted: Thu Oct 06, 16 6:13 pm Post subject:
what slim said ,you can of course plant them a shallow as you must and put an extra layer of soil, leaf litter etc over them.

Hairyloon

Joined: 20 Nov 2008
Posts: 15425
Location: Today I are mostly being in Yorkshire.

Posted: Thu Oct 06, 16 6:35 pm Post subject:
That was what I thought, and one of the reasons I was thinking about saving them.

Slim

Joined: 05 Mar 2006
Posts: 6612
Location: New England (In the US of A)

Posted: Thu Oct 06, 16 6:39 pm Post subject:
You were joking about taste, right? https://www.thepoisongarden.co.uk/atoz/hyacinthoides_nonscripta.htm

Hairyloon

Joined: 20 Nov 2008
Posts: 15425
Location: Today I are mostly being in Yorkshire.

Posted: Thu Oct 06, 16 6:41 pm Post subject:

Slim wrote:

You were joking about taste, right?

I was, but I think it a fairly safe assumption.

Mistress Rose

Joined: 21 Jul 2011
Posts: 15984

Posted: Fri Oct 07, 16 6:08 am Post subject:

The only other bulbs I know that could easily be mistaken for the a re wild garlic. They often grow together or at least have the same habitat. It is easy to tell wild garlic by the smell. Agree with Slim; don't eat bluebells. The bulbs were apparently once used as a type of glue, but again, be aware they could be poisonous.

I would just bury them and let them get on with it. If they are in the right place (they like shade and will grow happily under deciduous trees), they will grow on. Given the right conditions they will spread themselves.

Hairyloon

Joined: 20 Nov 2008
Posts: 15425
Location: Today I are mostly being in Yorkshire.

Posted: Fri Oct 07, 16 8:20 am Post subject:

Mistress Rose wrote:

The bulbs were apparently once used as a type of glue, but again, be aware they could be poisonous.

I recall Ray Mears making his birch bark canoe. Pine resin, bear fat and chewed up bluebell bulbs. Apparently there are enzymes in the saliva that activate the necessary in the bluebell.
I've not been able to find out more nor make any logical sense of it, but I would be quite interested to experiment with the glue.
I can't think of why the fat should need to be from a bear, and I don't believe pine resin is substantially different to spruce resin...

Mistress Rose

Joined: 21 Jul 2011
Posts: 15984

Posted: Sat Oct 08, 16 5:38 am Post subject:
I wouldn't chew the bulbs, but pound them. I think the fat is what used to be called 'tallow', which is any sort of hard fat I think. Lamb fat was often used in the UK as we are a bit short of bears here. I would think any sort of tree resin would do.

dpack

Joined: 02 Jul 2005
Posts: 46235
Location: yes

Posted: Sat Oct 08, 16 9:51 am Post subject:
maybe all the bears were made into glue they had almost certainly gone from the wild in england before the norman invasion and possibly by the time the legions stopped getting paid there may have been a few in scotland as late as the 14th c

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