Flowering Bulbs Garden

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Bulbs need a small amount of space, so they can be planted in almost any area of the landscape. If you plan correctly and carefully, you can have bulbs blooming from very early spring to late autumn.

Remember bulbs are a permanent plant and will multiply or spread, so take that into account when you lay out that bed.

Bulb Hardiness

Whether the flowering bulbs are tender or hardy will determine whether they can be left in the ground or not.

Tender plants need to be taken in each winter for their protection and then planted again the next spring after all danger of frost has passed.

Or you can begin them indoors and transplant them later.

Hardy bulbs can be left outside year round. However, they commonly don't bloom the first or second year.

Make sure to leave the foliage on the plant while green so the plant can continue to grow and feed the bulb for next year's growth. When the foliage has died then pruning can take place.

Purchasing Bulbs

There are so many places that sell excellent bulbs online and in catalogs. Local stores have them available but only offer a few selections that may not have been maintained properly while in their hands.

Choose big, solid, chubby ones. Stay away from bulbs that are soft, flawed and bruised.

Placement

Put the bulbs in a sunny or partial sunny location that suits the requirements of that particular type. Place them where they'll have good drainage and the soil has been properly prepared.

Typically, blooms look best when put out in an informal format, not in rows. For the best appearance, do a mass planting (50-100 bulbs or more) instead of just a small number.

Preparing the Soil

Drainage is one of the most important needs of flowering bulbs. Try a raised bed of about 2 to 4 inches above the surrounding ground level. Work in sand and organic material for best results.

Have a soil test done and plan your bed from those results. Bulbs lean towards an acid soil so the pH test is crucial.

Optimize the soil's fertility by using a good organic fertilizer. This will give a lasting effect instead of a chemical fertilizer's instant effect and need for continued applications. A good organic additive to use is bonemeal.

With a good organic fertilizer, you should have the nicest flowers in the neighborhood.

Spacing and Planting

Don't place bulbs too close together as this will produce small flowers and leaves, and will keep the plant from developing to its true beauty.

The depth you plant the bulbs is also important. From the top of the soil level to the base of the bulbs.

Here are the approximate depths for several types. These measurements are from the top of the soil to the base (bottom) of the bulb).

As a rule, place the bulb at a depth equal to 2-1/2 to 3 times the bulb's diameter.

Hyacinth = 6"
Iris = 4"
Galanthus = 4"
Scilla = 4"
Crocus = 5"
Allium = 6"
Colchicum = 5"
Lily = 10"
Tulip = 9"
Narcissus and Daffodil = 10"

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