If you want early spring color in your garden, now is the time to plant your hardy bulbs. Hardy bulbs are those that need the cold winters in order to bloom in the spring, and include hyacinths, tulips, daffodils, snowdrops and grape hyacinths. These hardy bulbs should be planted in early fall and no later than mid-October, with the exception of tulips which can be planted any time before the ground freezes. Plant your bulbs as soon as you get them to allow them time to develop a good root system before the ground freezes.
There are several reasons to plant bulbs in your garden. First, they are easy to grow. When you buy a bulb it has everything it needs to grow and bloom. It contains a flower bud and all the stored energy it needs to produce a flower the first year. Bulbs are actually little storage containers of carbohydrates ready to send up shoots after a cold dormant period. The trick to make sure the bulb flowers in succeeding years is to be sure that the bulb is restocked with plenty of carbohydrates for the next season. The way the plant does this is through photosynthesis — after it has bloomed.
Very often people wonder why their tulips or hyacinths fail to bloom after the first year. Too often is that the plant leaves are cut down after the flower fades, which means the bulb is unable to produce any stored food for next year’s bloom. Once your flower has faded cut the flower stalk only, before it has a chance to go to seed (seed production will also use energy that could go into the bulb for next year’s bloom). Keep the leaves on the plant until they yellow completely. If withering leaves are unsightly, try planting annuals around the bulb leaves. Bulbs are compatible with many annuals.
In addition to providing early color and being easy to grow, bulbs are relatively inexpensive. But remember, as with anything else, you get what you pay for and cheaper is not always better. Large bulbs may cost more but they have more stored energy to produce bigger blossoms. Occasionally, bulbs that are too small may come up but fail to bloom the first year. Avoid nicked or scarred bulbs, they may have poor root growth; and bulbs which are shriveled or moldy may be diseased or rotting. You may want to avoid pre-bagged bulbs because that prevents you from inspecting each bulb. You may save a few dollars by waiting until garden centers have sales on bulbs, but if these sales are near the end of the season the bulbs will have been picked over and your selection may be limited to small/poor quality bulbs. I have had good success ordering bulbs from reputable mail order firms such as Breck’s and Spring Hill Nurseries.
When you choose a site to plant with bulbs, take several things into consideration. Your site should contain well-drained soil, rich in organic matter. If the soil is not well drained you run the risk of your bulbs rotting in the soil. You can add organic material (compost) to improve the soil texture and improve drainage. Also, the site should receive a minimum of six hours of sunlight daily. This is easy to accomplish in the spring before trees have leafed out, but the plants’ foliage must continue to receive sunlight for some time after they have bloomed in order to store up carbohydrates for the next year. So, choose a sight that will not be too shady after the trees fill out.
While tender bulbs need the cold to induce proper growth, they should be planted deep enough to survive the winter. A rule of thumb to follow is to plant bulbs at a depth of 2 ½ times their diameter. The bigger the bulb the deeper it goes. You can easily dig a hole using a hand trowel or invest in a bulb planter which has depth measurements marked on it. Add a small amount of slow-release fertilizer, such as bone meal, in the hole and stir it in. (Use a slow-release fertilizer, so that it will be available to the bulb in the spring.) Place your bulb in the hole with the flat side down – this is the root plate. Or you may be able to identify last year’s shriveled flower stalk which should go upwards. Replace half of the soil on top of the bulb and water; then replace the rest of the soil and water again. If we have a particularly dry fall you must continue to water the bulbs until the ground freezes, so that they can establish a good root system.
One year, a pesky squirrel who had taken up residence in my maple tree, watched me plant several dozen bulbs. I had no sooner gone into the house then he was in the garden digging them up! I found several in the yard with big bites in them. Over the next weeks, I planted bulbs and he would dig them up and eat them or cart them away for winter storage. My husband came to my rescue by cutting up pieces of window screening and laying them over the site where I had planted the bulbs. He then took 10-inch pieces of wire (from coat hangers) and bent them into hairpins and secured the screening in to the ground. I left the screening in place until the ground was frozen in late November. I felt pretty smug; watching from my windows as “our” squirrel tried in vain to dig up my bulbs. But once my initial feeling of triumph passed, I felt a little guilty and went to the Farm and Garden and bought a bag of squirrel food!
Good luck with your spring flowering bulbs.