Planting Spring Bulbs

Spring flowering bulbs like tulips; daffodils, crocuses and hyacinths are planted in the fall so their roots can become fully established before the frozen soil s of winter and before their flowering time in the spring. If a bulb has not had sufficient time to establish its root system, then at best the plant will produce some foliage and very small flowers.

When bulbs are planted in the fall, roots begin to grow immediately until the plant becomes dormant, or enters a very slow growth stage when the ground freezes around Christmas. In the spring the plant emerges from dormancy, sends up shoots, and then displays its beautiful flowers.

To correctly plant spring bulbs, the soil should be prepared to three or four inches lower than the depth at which the bulb will be planted. Most bulbs are planted at a depth two to three times their width. For example, if a bulb is two inches in diameter, it would be planted four to six inches deep.

Crocuses are generally planted two to three inches deep. Tulips and hyacinths are generally planted six inches deep, and daffodils are usually planted up to eight inches deep to the base of the bulb.

Mixing a fertilizer with a 5-10-10 ratio of nitrogen, phosphorous and potassium will give the newly forming roots sufficient nutrients. Many people also add bone meal to the soil because of its reputation for promoting better root growth and color in spring flowers.

Plant bulbs with the top side facing up in the soil. Generally, the pointed end of the bulb is its top.

A bulb that already has produced some sprouts is still a viable bulb, but try to avoid ones with significant amounts of sprouting. Squishy or soft bulbs should be discarded as it usually indicates a fungus disease or decay organism which could rapidly spread to other bulbs.

In smaller areas, I recommend planting bulbs in clusters of seven or more bulbs. This avoids what I call the "little toy soldier" effect of individual flowers planted in rows. In clusters, the flowers make more of a color statement and are more natural looking.

In the spring, after the flowers are gone, cut the seed pods off and leave the foliage alone to make food to produce new bulbs to replace the bulb that was initially planted. Because a plant will often produce more than one bulb, over time an excess of bulbs in one area will compete with each other for water, nutrients and soil space. These bulbs create smaller plants with shorter stems and smaller flowers.

When these characteristics appear, bulbs should be dug up in the late spring after the foliage matures. Once dug up, those bulbs which are attached need to be separated. Bulbs that appear to be the same size as those initially purchased should be saved and replanted. Smaller bulbs or bulblets should be discarded, or planted in a secondary position while maturing.

If an area will contain more than a dozen bulbs, I recommend excavating the entire bed, planting the bulbs at their recommended depth, and then covering the bulbs back up with soil, being careful not to knock the bulbs over.

Once the bulbs have been planted, the entire area should be mulched over to help keep moisture in the soil and reduce the side effects of rapid soil temperature changes, both freezing and thawing.

Plant spring-flowering bulbs this fall and enjoy beautiful color throughout the coming spring.