how to plant bulbs in spring

Disguise the unsightly leaves with the fresher foliage of perennials by interplanting the latter among your spring bulbs. If you do it, it will help you to make sure that the bulbs stay erect. 6. Place even smaller bulbs on the next layer. If you’re planting only a few bulbs or you’re spot-planting (tucking bulbs in among... Add a fertilizer. By using The Spruce, you accept our, 15 Best Zone 8 Plants to Put In Your Garden, 15 Best Zone 7 Plants to Put In Your Garden, 14 Best Landscape Plants With Purple Flowers, 11 Deer-Resistant Flower Bulbs for Your Garden. Enjoying Bulb Flowers 1. Next, fill the remainder of the hole with a 50/50 mix of soil and compost. If you want to try saving the bulbs, remove the spent flowers and keep the plants growing until the foliage has yellowed. A guide on using spring bulbs in borders Order your bulbs early so you can ensure you get what you want. Height is 6 to 10 inches. Generally, you plant two to three times as deep as the bulb is tall, but check the … The exception being tulip bulbs which need a … We use cookies to make wikiHow great. Height is up to 16 inches. Even with limited gardening space, you can always squeeze in a few pots of hyacinths or daffodils into empty nooks and crannies. For spring bulbs, it is best to plant them in September and October if you live in the U.S. On the other hand, summer-blooming bulbs should be planted in spring after the last frost. Plant spring blooming bulbs in September or October, when temperatures are cool but before the first frost in your region. Cover your second layer of bulbs with more potting soil. The new leaves start to photosynthesize to replenish the food used for early spring growth and to make seeds, another energy intensive process. How To Plant Spring Bulbs. What time of year should you plant bulbs? Healthy, high quality bulbs will be rounded and firm, and not have any cracks or wrinkles on their surface. WATER: Once after planting, moderately in spring… Everyone has heard of the big four spring-flowering bulbs – Tulips, Crocus, Daffodils and Hyacinths. Each fall, we plant thousands of spring-blooming bulbs in our New Jersey trial garden. These flowers will grow to be about 24 inches (61 cm). Phosphorus … Plant crocus bulbs in late autumn or even early winter and come spring you'll get to enjoy lots of sumptuous early colour. Ensure that the water is penetrating down to bulb-level underground. If you find roots, that's the bottom. But they make up for this by being early bloomers. If you find a point, that's the top. Fertilize with compost and bonemeal every fall. It also matters which way you place the bulb into its hole. To determine planting depth, go by bulb height. In your own garden there’s a great way to take advantage of this diversity, and it’s called layer-planting. Plant at the Right Time. It's one of the tallest alliums (46 inches). Plant bulbs — some now, others in January — for a cheerful spring garden. For bigger plants, grow giant snowdrops (Galanthus elwesii), which reach 1 foot tall. If you can't make out a top but do find roots, place the end with those roots at the hole's bottom. The depth of the hole should equal three to four times the bulb height. Snowdrops should not be planted later than early October. Planting spring bulbs, such as daffodils, is best done in the fall, before the first frosts hit and while the ground is still easy to till. The colder your climate, the earlier in fall you should plant them. When to Plant Spring Flowering Fall Bulbs Spring-flowering bulbs get planted sometime in the fall but the timing varies for each type of flowers. Determine the planting depth. Add a layer of compost at the bottom of the pot to a minimum depth of 10cm for roots to grow in. Dig a hole three times deeper than the height of the bulb. Plant 2 or 3 bulbs of different species together for an attractive presentation. If you aren't getting much rainfall, it's up to you to supply water from the time you first spot flower buds until two weeks after flowering. Spring's the time when spring bulbs need the most moisture. If you’re planting only a few bulbs or you’re spot-planting (tucking bulbs in among other plants in a mixed bed), use a trowel. Last Updated: March 29, 2019 Plant the bulbs at the recommended planting depth, which will usually be planting larger bulbs into the ground around 6 to 8 inches deep, medium bulbs above them at 3 to 5 inches deep, and the smallest in the top 1 to 2 in of soil. So we asked Claire Jones, a … This article was co-authored by Maggie Moran. Adding in compost to each planting hole gives the bulbs a head start on absorbing nutrients. After that, give a little push so that they get inside the soil. Hyacinths produce clusters of waxy, fragrant, star-fish-shaped flowers. How and When to Plant Iris Bulbs – pixabay.com. Learn about planting bulbs, including tulips and gladiolus. Planting spring-blooming bulbs: Spring-blooming bulbs require a chilling period. Choose from purples, whites, creams and yellows, in lots of shades, slashed … The general rule of thumb is to plant bulbs at depth equal to four times the height of the bulb. Perennial bulbs, including many daffodils and leucojums, will bloom year after year. Put mulch over your planted bulbs. So, a bulb that is 5cm tall will do best planted at a depth of 10cm. Poisonous plants for pets, they are, happily, also deer-resistant bulbs. They’re dormant when you get them and break dormancy only after the chilling. Depending on the variety, tulips (Tulipa) stand 10 to 30 inches tall. For the best effect, plant them in groups of the same colour for impact. You can naturalize it in a woodland garden or anywhere that you'd like to form an early-spring flower border, as it blooms very early in spring. Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered. Dig individual bulb holes or one wide hole to plant groups of bulbs. In spring, it starts to grow and most of our common spring bulbs produce both flowers and leaves. Before getting started, plan your garden and know when to plant certain types of bulbs. You can plant spring bulbs in autumn, then summer bulbs in spring. Snowdrops (Galanthus nivalis) are short spring bulbs (3 to 6 inches) known for blooming early (thus the "snow" in the name). It differs from one climate zone to the next, but no matter where you live, … A selling point for daffodils is that squirrels tend not to eat them (squirrels may, however, dislodge your bulbs) because they are poisonous plants. As a rule, plant your bulbs at least twice as deep as their height. Get detailed instructions, photos, and a DIY soil recipe in this post on Preparing Fall Bulb Planters for Spring. Bulbs will rot if the soil is too wet. This article has been viewed 2,428 times. Here is a sampling of top-performing bulbs that can be counted upon to perennialize - and, if happy where you plant them, will most likely naturalize, too, to come back to bloom for years. Although they are classified as corms, crocuses such as Crocus vernus are grouped with spring bulbs for practical purposes. You can put them quite close together, up to a bulb’s distance … Glory-of-the-snow (Chionodoxa) gives you another pink option, although it also blooms in blue or white. Finish by tamping the soil lightly and watering the bulb in well through the soil. The flower is mainly a light color (almost white), but a blue stripe runs up the center of each petal. Water the flowers as they bud and start to bloom. Planting Hyacinth Bulbs – Spring Care. Being toxic, it's also deer-resistant. So do the similar spring snowflakes (Leucojum vernum). If this happens, top off the holes with soil and mulch. You can also arrange them by height. The Spruce uses cookies to provide you with a great user experience. The delicacy of the flowers is also valued, but they aren't fragrant. Many species of bulbs grow best when planted in fall, including tulips, hyacinths, and daffodils. For example, look through the online bulb selection at Gurney’s, Park Seed, or FedCo Seeds. People may not think immediately of reticulated irises (Iris reticulata) when mention is made of irises, since the flower is smaller than most. Bulbs need cooler temperatures over a specified time. To find out when the first freeze generally occurs in the region where you live, refer to: While there may be minor variation in the size of bulbs of the same species—e.g., tulips—it’s usually not enough of a difference to justify measuring each individual bulb. So for a bulb 1 inch tall, go 3 inches deep. Zones 4 to 7: In colder climates, spring-flowering bulbs can be planted as soon as the ground is cool, evening temperatures average 40° to 50°F, and it is at least 6 to 8 weeks before the ground freezes. But daffodils come in various sizes, shapes, and colors, including miniatures and those with cups rather than trumpets. Check packaging for specific planting instructions. First, be sure to plant them at the proper depth. Dig deep. You need to cultivate the soil down to a depth of 12 to 14 inches … Bulbs will rot if the soil is too wet. Digging up the whole bed makes bulb spacing, layering, and soil amending easier. If you have an open spot in your rock garden that could use some spring color, plug it with a planting of these glorious spring bulbs. Plant your bulbs about 6 weeks before spring. Spring's the time when spring bulbs need the most moisture. Tulip bulbs are usually quite large, while the bulbs of irises and hyacinths are much smaller. You'll deprive them of nutrition if you rob them of their leaves. Besides yellow, common colors are purple, white, and lavender. Beauty's one thing; timeliness is another. When bulbs peter out, divide them after the leaves turn brown. Hyacinthus orientalis (6 to 12 inches tall) also comes in red, white, blue, pink, lavender, yellow, peach, and salmon, but the deep-purple type may be the most striking. These plants are shorter than most irises (9 inches). and be sure that the soil drains well. Then dig up the bulbs and either replant them in your garden or store them in a cool, dry place until the next fall. To plant bulbs in spring – or rather bulb plants – wait until the crocuses and daffodils are coming up outdoors.. That’s when it’s safe to plant potted bulbs as bedding plants. The most common spring bulb is likely the daffodil, Narcissus, known as butter-cups in these parts. It naturalizes well, making it suitable for woodland gardens. One of the good things about planting daffodils, tulips, and smaller bulbs, like grape hyacinth, crocus and scilla, in spring is that it’s easy to see where you need more spots of color. If you’re planting lots of bulbs, break out the shovel and make a trench. Planting Hyacinth Bulbs – Spring Care The foliage of hyacinth will shoot through the soil in early spring. The perennials, as they grow, mask the declining bulb foliage. Bulbs need a chilling period therefore the importance of planting in the fall. Ideally, bulbs should be planted at least six weeks before hard, ground-freezing frost can be expected in your area. Learn tips for creating your most beautiful (and bountiful) garden ever. Fruit and veggies emit gasses that kill the plant inside the bulbs. Summer bulbs are planted in the spring for flowers in the summer and fall. How and When to Plant Iris Bulbs – pixabay.com. Usually, the leaves don't look very good after blooming. Planting bulbs in containers gives you a movable feast of breathtaking spring color. It's best to plant bulbs with the point up, but regardless of how they are planted, most will find their way to the surface. You can also plant summer bloomers such as dwarf gladioli and dahlias in spring Be sure when planting to plant with the pointed tip of the bulb facing up. In smaller areas, an inch or two of pea gravel may provide a barrier. David Beaulieu is a garden writer with nearly 20 years experience writing about landscaping and over 10 years experience working in nurseries. Store unused bulbs in a dry, dark … Both smell great, but grape hyacinth bears tiny flowers in clusters reminiscent of grape clusters. Waiting until the cooler weather will enable the bulbs to go dormant, preparing them for their springtime bloom. Spring-blooming bulbs are hardy, and can be planted any time in the fall before the ground has frozen. To ensure that bulbs will take to the soil and sprout roots during the winter, plant them prior to the first frost of winter. When planting bulbs in spring, slip off the plastic pot and plant the works ‘as is’ into your garden beds or into a large-sized container, just as you would with store-bought petunias or impatiens in early summer. Depending on where you live, you'll have to pot your bulbs at a different time. Tulip bulbs should be replaced each year. Most types of spring bulbs grow best in well-drained soil in full sun. If you do it, it will help you to make sure that the bulbs stay erect. This article has been viewed 2,428 times. But it's also the most short-lived. If you want to go even deeper, 'Midnight Mystic' produces black flowers. Different bulbs … In milder areas, plant in late October or early November after the soil cools — if you need to store them before planting, keep them in a cool location. Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 2,428 times. [1] Planting In Pot; If you plant iris bulbs in pots, you can directly put them on its surface. Spanish bluebells (Hyacinthoides hispanica) are lavender-blue rather than true blue. This Spring-Planted Bulb Chart covers dahlias, lilies, and gladioli and more summer-flowering bulbs, detailing hardiness zones, sun/shade, planting depth, and spacing. When planting the bulbs, it is important to place them deep enough in the soil. Most bulbs do best when planted two-and-a-half to three times deeper than they are tall. By using our site, you agree to our. The depth of the hole should equal three to four times the bulb … Container-grown spring bulbs are usually treated as annuals. But this is a case where practicality trumps aesthetics. I’m going to show you how it’s done. Add your first layer of bulbs, pointy end up. This method applies to spring-, summer- and autumn-flowering bulbs: Dig a hole wide and deep enough for your bulbs. Freshly-tilled soil will make it much easier to plant your bulbs. 1. Because each bulb must be oriented properly in the ground, they need to be planted individually. How to Plant Bulb Masses. After that, give a little push so that they get inside the soil. If you live in the American South, hard freezes are uncommon. Plant the latest blooming bulbs at the very bottom and the earliest blooming bulbs at the top, and in the spring, you’ll have a colorful container always in bloom, showing off the stunners of the season! If you plant bulbs in the fall, you can forget about them until spring. There are 13 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. daffodil image by Christopher Hall from Fotolia.com As a general rule, plant bulbs two to three times their own depth and around two bulb widths apart. Their flowers, which bloom in various colors, are vibrant enough to breathe life into the drabbest flower border. We know ads can be annoying, but they’re what allow us to make all of wikiHow available for free. Many spring-flowering bulbs reappear just when we most need color: early spring. Watch to make sure that none of the bulbs rise to the surface as you fill the hole with water. The tiny flowers won't make much of a statement on solitary plants, so mass them together to create an impact (good advice for all spring-bulb plantings, but especially for the smaller types). One word of caution: Don’t put your bulbs in the fridge drawer with your fruit or vegetables. Spring-flowering bulbs. Maggie Moran is a Professional Gardener in Pennsylvania. Trench planting is a quick way to plant a lot of bulbs for a big, colorful show in the spring. X If timed right, this should be as soon as possible after purchase. One trick is to plant the bulbs deeply — to six or seven inches — and cover with a little mulch to hide the disturbed soil. You can plant spring bulbs in autumn, then summer bulbs in spring. Learn about planting bulbs, including tulips and gladiolus. Perennial bulbs, including many daffodils and leucojums, will bloom year after year. But we don’t have much experience growing spring bulbs in containers. Its flower head is big (7 inches), perfectly round, and densely packed with tiny. Naturalized bulbs, once planted and established, will return year after year, often multiplying, to provide successive seasons of rewarding spring color. For example, for a bulb measuring 5cm (2in) high, dig a hole 10-15cm (4-6in) deep and sit the bulb in the bottom of it Amid beefier perennials, you will need to plant taller bulbs, such as big daffodils and tulips and alliums, to elevate the show sufficiently. Simple to grow and needing little aftercare your spring bulbs will do well if you follow these simple tips: Ten Tips. Winter conveniently supplies this necessary cold period! PLANTING BULBS WHEN TO PLANT BULBS. Note that the bulbs in each combination are roughly the same size and can be planted at the same depth in the same hole. If you aren't getting much rainfall, it's up to you to supply water from the time you first spot flower buds until two weeks after flowering. Digging up the whole bed makes bulb spacing, layering, and soil amending easier. Other common names for it include "snowdrift" and "early stardrift." Planting several pots in the autumn will really give your patio the wow factor in spring. With its aromatic yellow trumpets, the classic daffodil (Narcissus) is one of the most popular spring bulbs; 'King Alfred' is an example (a medium-sized spring bulb at 1 to 2 feet tall). Flowers come in orange, yellow, red, pink, white, and purple; some are bi-colored. If you really can’t stand to see another ad again, then please consider supporting our work with a contribution to wikiHow. Learn how to plant bulbs for the best results with these steps: Dig an appropriately sized hole. Bulbs are most often planted in drifts or small clumps, but sometimes it’s nice to plant an in-the-ground bouquet. This gives them time for their root system to develop before the ground freezes. They also come in white and pink. By layering bulbs as shown here, you will get colour from lots of different flowers. Growing spring-blooming bulbs in containers is an easy way to decorate your deck, patio, or front entryway with beautiful colors and sweet scents early in the growing season. The bulbs need time to root and establish themselves. It’s a great solution if your time, mobility or outdoor space is limited. “ To achieve a more natural-looking garden, it’s best to plant bulbs … Mix some bone meal or superphosphate into the soil at planting time to encourage strong root growth. Finish by adding a 50/50 mix of soil and compost to fill the hole. Striped squill (Puschkinia scilloides var. Ensure that the water is penetrating down to bulb-level underground. Allium 'Ambassador' (zones 5 to 8; all of the spring bulbs listed here are hardy to at least zone 5) stands out in two ways: Even after flowering, an attractive, dried seed-head remains behind, offering interest in summer. This article was co-authored by Maggie Moran. When it does, fertilize plants with a light dose of 5-10-5 or even 10-10-10 fertilizer to help … To enjoy the treat of seeing them push up through the soil in spring, though, remember to plant them at the right time (and in the right way) in fall, according to your growing zone. This is why some of you may be having a difficult time finding these types of bulbs … You want your potted bulbs to begin to bloom around the same time as bulbs planted outdoors, usually in early spring. A good rule of thumb is that bulbs should be planted three times as deep as … Planting In Pot; If you plant iris bulbs in pots, you can directly put them on its surface. Chooses a site that has good drainage. Even if you already plant bulbs in your garden and … If you can’t find bulb fertilizer, 10-10-10 is a good substitute. A bouquet of spring bulbs. Now that you know when to plant spring bulbs and how to care for them, learn about the best choices available, by color: There are various alliums, which come in many heights and with flower heads of different sizes. For continuous sequence of bloom, you could grow, for example: At 3 to 4 feet tall, crown imperial (Fritillaria imperialis) is the tallest spring bulb. Crocus Planting Guide - WHEN: Plant Crocus bulbs in the fall, they bloom in early spring/late winter. Plant most bulbs at two to three times their depth. In warm-winter climates, you may need to pre-chill hardy bulbs before planting. If you aren't getting much rainfall, it's … Maggie Moran is a Professional Gardener in Pennsylvania. That’s why you put the bulbs … Besides orange, it flowers in yellow or a reddish color. Planting spring bulbs isn’t difficult, but there are some rules of green thumb you should follow when you plant bulbs. A mass planting of flower bulbs provides bold color and an eye-catching display in the garden. In the spring, you’ll plant warm bulbs. Chooses a site that has good drainage. Crocus vernus is one of the earliest spring-bloomers. Learn how to plant bulbs for the best results with these steps: Dig an appropriately sized hole. Your plants are gaining nutrients through photosynthesis during this time. The plants multiply on their own over time. Plant 3 of each in the same hole near a mailbox or on the edge of your garden. Introducing "One Thing": A New Video Series, The Spruce Gardening & Plant Care Review Board, The Spruce Renovations and Repair Review Board, Light Purple: Schubert's and Ambassador Alliums, Blue: Squill, Grape Hyacinths, Spanish Bluebell. Please help us continue to provide you with our trusted how-to guides and videos for free by whitelisting wikiHow on your ad blocker. The plant stands 4 to 6 inches tall. Spring bulbs aren't just ordinary plants. The Dutch say, "bulbs don't like wet feet." It's important to plant bulbs with its top facing upwards. Planting your bulbs 6 weeks before their blooming time gives them enough time to grow. Then cover your smallest bulbs with soil. Save a few bulbs from each of your plantings in … libanotica) is another of the deer-resistant spring-flowering bulbs. Wait for spring. 7. Spring bulbs are so called because they bloom in spring, but you must first plant them in fall. Water well when the flower buds first appear on the plant… Inspect the bulb for either a point or tiny roots. This will allow them to grow and develop a strong root system before they become dormant in winter. References. Planting Multiple Bulbs When you've got lots of bulbs to plant over a large, open area like a new flower bed, use a spading fork or small tiller to loosen the soil first. Plant at the right time. Otherwise, it's a case of planting isolated clumps of spring bulbs in existing beds. At least six bulbs should give a good show. This requires a tremendous amount of food energy which comes from the bulb. Bulbs that bloom in the spring make a bright, beautiful addition to any garden. {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/a\/a3\/Plant-Spring-Bulbs-Step-1.jpg\/v4-460px-Plant-Spring-Bulbs-Step-1.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/a\/a3\/Plant-Spring-Bulbs-Step-1.jpg\/aid9679992-v4-728px-Plant-Spring-Bulbs-Step-1.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":259,"bigWidth":"728","bigHeight":"410","licensing":"