When I ordered my first bulbs years ago, I tore open the package with visions of eye-popping blooms dancing in my head. The papery husked orbs I pulled out of the bag in no way resembled the vibrant flowers I’d seen in the bulb catalog, though. A bit disconcerted at the incongruity, I shrugged off my concerns and planted them, enjoying an incredible bulb display the following spring.
“Bulbs are a leap of faith,” says Christian Curless, horticulturist for Colorblends.com, which provides bulbs to landscape professionals and home gardeners nationwide. “You fantasize over mouthwatering photos and place your order, but what you get appears to be lifeless stones. You close your eyes and try to remember the photos and then you plant. After months of waiting and sometimes forgetting what you planted where, your leap of faith is finally rewarded when sprouts spring from the barren ground. The flowers that eventually open are so incredible that they’re beyond the ability of the camera to capture accurately.”
Coloring and painting your garden with bulbs is much like composing music, says Curless. “The bulbs are like instruments in an orchestra. There are the big, bold tulips, which make up the brass section. Think of the daffodils as the strings. Include hyacinths and you have percussion instruments with their sweet scent. The fun in making a spring composition is in selecting from the broad range of colors and bloom times to make something that brings the garden to life over many weeks while the surrounding landscape is still stretching and rubbing its figurative eyes after winter.”
(colorblends.com)
Plant bulbs now, and you can enjoy your own colorful display next spring. Keep these planting and maintenance tips in mind.
Bulbs are ready to perform. Except for chilling if you’re in a mild climate like Southern California, bulbs don’t require anything of you except for planting. “The flowers are already set in the bulbs (in embryonic form) when you receive them, so they are primed to perform,” says Curless.
Bulbs are adaptable. “Gardeners spend a great deal of time fretting over the correct location for bulbs, but the fact is that they tolerate a wide range of soil types,” says Curless. “One thing they do require is well-draining conditions. Many bulbs will rot in heavy, wet soil.” Amend with compost and/or pumice to improve drainage prior to planting.
Provide full sun. Bulbs require ample spring sunshine, says Curless. “Generally, it’s best to plant them in full sun, although it works to plant early flowering bulbs, like crocus, under deciduous trees, because they are able to get most of the light they require before the trees leaf out,” he says. “Most other bulbs need a place where they receive ample light from the moment they emerge until they close up shop in early to midsummer.”
When to plant. When you plant your bulbs is determined by your geographic area. (Check this Colorblends planting chart to find out when to plant in your area.) In general, you want to plant when the soil has cooled to approximately 55 degrees Fahrenheit and before the ground freezes. Bulbs require cool soil to set down root before winter arrives.
How to plant. Plant bulbs by digging a hole that is a little bigger than the bulb itself and dropping them in and covering with soil. Although it’s a good idea to plant growing tip upwards, it’s not imperative. Bulbs will grow even if you plant them upside down, says Curless.
Maintenance. Water bulbs in the absence of rainfall once you’ve planted them. Don’t water when they bloom, as this can lead to bulb rot. Bulbs need no fertilizer when you first plant them, but if you intend to grow them the following year, feed with a fertilizer designed for bulbs every four weeks once they sprout and until the foliage browns.
Avoid cutting back. In order to get blooms the following year, it is important that you don’t cut the foliage once the blooms fade. Allow the foliage to die back naturally, as during this time the bulbs are photosynthesizing and storing up the energy they need in order to grow and bloom in your garden the following year.
Julie Bawden-Davis is a garden writer and master gardener, who since 1985 has written for publications such as Organic Gardening, Wildflower, Better Homes and Gardens and The Los Angeles Times. She is the author of seven books, including Reader’s Digest Flower Gardening, Fairy Gardening, The Strawberry Story, and Indoor Gardening the Organic Way, and is the founder of HealthyHouseplants.com.
