Plant bulbs now
Amy Jordan, Special to the Gazette
Thursday, October 15, 2009
Flowering bulbs are an indicator that spring will come soon. Snow drops blooming in February are the beginning of many more colorful bulbs that may brighten landscapes throughout the spring.
With the cool weather we have had lately, many gardeners may want to pack up their tools and gardening gloves and sit inside by the fire. But to enjoy these early spring flowers, we need to bundle up and get planting.
Bulbs such as tulips, daffodils, crocus, snow drops and hyacinth need to be planted in the fall in order to develop roots before the ground freezes. They also must go through a chilling period, or vernalization, to initiate flowering.
Bulb packages, catalogs and Web sites typically identify the time of flowering — such as early, mid or late spring — as well as the flowering height. With this information, gardeners can plan for a sequence of blooms throughout the spring with proper placement in the landscape.
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.
Proper planting depth varies by size of bulb. Depth is determined by the distance from the bottom of the bulb to the surface of the soil. 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.
Bulbs need phosphorous to encourage root development. Keep in mind that phosphorous moves very little once applied to the soil. The phosphorus needs to be mixed in the soil below where the bulbs will be located so it can be utilized by the bulb roots. Some soils have adequate levels of phosphorus and do not require more. 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. Mix the bone meal with the soil in the lower part of the planting bed as it is being prepared.
Massing bulbs in groups of 20 or more provides a greater impact and attractive display than would one or two bulbs. 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.