Plan for spring color now
Amy Jordan, Special to The Gazette
Thursday, October 23, 2008
The emergence of the foliage of spring flowering bulbs in late winter is one of the first signs of spring; a welcome sight for gardeners and non-gardeners alike.
The colorful flowers that soon follow make a statement when they are some of the first flowers blooming in the spring.
Unlike most other flowers that bloom the same season they are planted, spring flowering bulbs like daffodils, tulips, crocus, hyacinth, and snowdrops are planted in the fall. They need to establish roots by late fall and then go through an extended chilling period in order to bloom. Halloween is the traditional deadline for planting spring flowering bulbs to give them enough time to establish roots before the ground freezes.
Bulbs need full to partial sun and well drained soil. For heavy soils, amend the planting area with peat moss and till 8 to 12 inches deep. Have a soil test done to determine soil fertility, or use bone meal at a rate of 2 pounds per 100 square feet at planting.
Proper planting depth varies by size of bulb. Depth is determined by the distance from the bottom of the bulb to the top of the soil (surface). As a rule of thumb, you plant bulbs two to three times deeper than the bulbs themselves are wide. Typically that means about 6 inches deep for tulips and hyacinths, but 6 to 8 inches deep for daffodils and perhaps 2 to 3 inches for little crocus corms. The correct spacing between bulbs also varies, but averages 4 to 6 inches apart for large bulbs and 1 to 2 inches for small ones.
When planting bulbs, remember that they look best when planted together in clumps or a mass. It is also best to mass colors together for more of an impact. Bulbs could be planted within a bed of groundcover, or in groups throughout landscape beds. To avoid planting bulbs in rows or a pattern, prepare an area of soil, stand back a few feet and toss bulbs into area. Plant the bulbs where they land for a natural look.
After the bulbs have bloomed, annual flowers can be planted in these areas to mask the deteriorating foliage. The foliage should be left until it dies back completely to generate food reserves to support next years bloom.
Now is a great time to fertilize established plantings of spring flowering bulbs. Blood meal at a rate of 2 pounds per 100 square feet, or a lawn fertilizer containing about 25 percent nitrogen at a rate of 1 pound per 100 square feet could be used.
The size of the bulb correlates to the size of the flower it produces, so be selective when choosing bulbs and buy larger ones when possible.