For the aspiring gardener ...

Gardening articles, mags, books, art, ....

Planting Spring Bulbs

Article © 2007 Kathy Burns-Millyard

One of the first harbingers of spring is the crocus, soon followed by daffodils, tulips, hyacinths and other bulb flowers. These flowers can carpet large areas of the landscape with their beauty, as well as bring interest and pretty blossoms to the nooks and crannies of rock gardens, and other small areas.

Bulbs include include corms, tuberous roots, rhizomes, as well as the true bulbs. We'll be learning about planting the true bulbs, more specifically the hardy bulbs, the ones that depend upon a cold season to wake up them up and encourage spring flower growth. These bulbs must be planted in the fall and with the exception of tulips, before the first hard frost.

The first step in planting your bulbs will be to figure out what types and colors of blooms you want and where you want them. If you've ever browsed through bulb catalogs before, then you already know that the array of beautiful colors and shades is ever growing.

When thinking about where to plant these, consider these tips:

• Bulbs look best when they grow in odd numbered groups or mass plantings.
• The daffodils, tulips and other bulbs can enjoyed more frequently if planted within view of home's window or windows.
• Choose locations with full or partial sun for optimal growth and a good comeback the following year. Since spring bulbs complete their cycle before deciduous trees are fully leafed out, it's fine to plant bulbs underneath these trees, and they do look very nice under trees.
• For earlier blooming, choose sites with southern or western exposure and mulch well for even soil temperatures. However, don't encourage too early blooming when cold weather can return and damage them.
• Plant your bulbs where the spring flowers will be sheltered from harsh wind.

When selecting your bulbs, remember that the larger (more mature) the bulb bulb, the larger the flowers. Bulbs should be planted right after purchasing but they can be stored for a few days if in a dry, dark and cool place between 50° and 60°F.

When you are ready to plant your bulbs, free the soil of rocks and other debris. Work in organic materials such as peat moss, fine compost or shredded leaf mulch to a depth of about one foot.

The depth and circumference of the hole will depend on the particular requirements of the bulb, but a good rule of thumb is to plant two and a half times deeper than their diameter, adding an inch or two in sandy soils and taking away an inch or two for heavier clay soils. Smaller bulbs such as crocus and snowdrops are planted around 4 to 6 inches deep.

Set the bulb in ground with the pointed end facing up (or sideways if you're not sure), and then firmly press it into the prepared soil so that the base is resting at the appropriate depth.

Space large bulbs 3 to 6 inches apart and small ones 1 to 2 inches apart in groups of six to 24, depending on your garden size. You can use a bulb planter or if planting in drifts, a spade.

Cover bulbs with half the fill soil, soak the area with water, and then add remaining soil and smooth surface with rake, water again and mulch 2 to 3 inches of mulch to the surface. You won't need to fertilize because the bulbs have been fattened up for the bloom. Unless precipitation is low, the season's rain should be all the watering they need.

The above article is by Kathy Burns-Millyard. Check the Amazon boxes below for additional useful reading.