During the fall of the year, it’s hard to think ahead to the next year, but that’s exactly what you need ot do if you want to have flowers like tulips, daffodils, and hyacinths in the spring. These plants must be planted in the fall, between September and November depending on your location. This is because they require a period of cold weather to trigger their growth and flowering.
Choosing Spring Flowering Bulbs
Choosing w
hat to plant is definitely a matter of personal preferences. Bulbs product plants of many shapes and colors. The best idea is to visit a garden center and check out the selection they provide, or go to one of the many resources online. When selecting bulbs, pay attention to when they bloom and how tall they grow. With a little thought, you can create a spring bulb garden that produces flowers throughout the season. Height is a consideration when planting so that you don’t put short plants where they will be hidden by the taller ones.
Planting The Bulbs
Read and follow the instructions for each bulb type you select for planting depth and distance apart. If you plant to shallow, your bulbs may freeze over the winter and die. If you go too deep, they may never come up. Your planting method depends on the layout of your flower bed. If you are planting just a few bulbs in an area, it is easy enough to just dig individual holes for them and plant them. However, if you are planning a large area with a lot of bulbs, it is best to dig out the entire area to the desired depth, set the bulbs in, and then cover the area with soil.
When planting, make sure you place the bulbs with the “top” up. If you put them upside down, they may still grow, but your results will not be as good. The bulb instructions usually come with a drawing showing you the correct orientation for the bulbs.
To aid in planting, you can purchase a bulb planter. Basically, you push the planter into the soil and when you pull it out, the soil comes with it. This works well if your soil is soft. I found a neat attachment for a power drill that is essentially an auger, allowing you to “drill” holes in the soil. It works pretty well, even is harder soils.
When you plant your bulbs, you should mix some bone meal fertilizer with the soil at the bottom of the hole before placing the bulb. This provides the nutrients the bulbs need to grow well.
With a little planning and work in the fall, you can enjoy aome beautiful flowers in the spring after you are tired of the winter months!
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