Plant Bulbs Now For a Spectacular Spring Display

The catalogs are starting to appear in the mailbox, full of beautiful pictures of spring blooming bulbs for fall planting. Each year I vow to limit myself to “only a few” – and each year I order over 1,000 bulbs… The down-side is that I have to plant them. The up-side is that I have bulbs blooming from early March through the end of May.

September is the perfect time to select your spring blooming bulbs. Most bulbs that bloom in the spring (e.g., tulips, daffodils, crocus, snowdrops) need to be chilled in order to bloom well. Here in southern Connecticut, plant bulbs in October and you’ll be rewarded with a colorful display starting in March.

Here are some pointers for selecting and planting your spring bulbs:

• Buy bulbs that grow well in your location—don’t be tempted into buying bulbs that are best suited for the humid south or bone-dry west if you live in the northeast.
• Buy in large quantities. Most bulbs look best when planted in large masses. One or two bulbs here and there won’t have any impact in your landscape.
• Don’t make the common mistake of planting tulips or daffodils in a straight line. Not only does it look un-natural, the flowers are often lost against the background and any bulbs that don’t emerge in spring will make a very noticeable hole in the display.
• Before planting, consider the light requirements of the bulbs and place them accordingly. Keep in mind that some bulbs will bloom before shrubs and trees leaf out.
• Plant small bulbs, such as muscari, squill, chionodoxa, winter aconite, and ipheon, in large drifts and allow them to naturalize.
• Consider some of the less common bulbs, such as the ornamental onions (I love drumstick allium), camassia, and small species tulips. Their flowers always evoke a “Wow, what’s that?!” from passers-by.
• Follow planting instructions that come with the bulbs. Some bulbs need to be planted deeper than others. As a general rule of thumb, the planting depth should be 2 to 3 times the height of the bulb (measured from the bottom of the bulb).
• Bulbs need well draining soil (they will tend to rot in clay). If necessary, amend the soil with compost before planting.
• Fertilize with a soluble 10-10-10 fertilizer (or bulb fertilizer) or incorporate superphosphate into the soil when you plant to encourage root growth.
• Do not add bonemeal or any type of bloodmeal to the planting hole. Those meals can lure animals to dig up the bulbs.
• If squirrels, voles, or other animals insist on digging up your bulbs, plant the bulbs in cages or surround them with chicken wire. The foliage will grow right through it but the animals won’t be able to feast on your tender bulbs.
• Water the bulbs well right after planting. They need to grow roots before the ground freezes solid. But don’t overwater or the bulbs will rot.

Favorite online bulb sources

● Colorblends (www.colorblends.com)

● New Holland Bulb Company (www.newhollandbulb. com)

● White Flower Farm (www.whiteflowerfarm. com)

● Netherland Bulb Company (www.netherlandbulb. com)