Planting Bulbs

Now is the time to plant bulbs for spring and summer or to plant up pots for forcing.

When buying, make sure the bulbs look firm and plump. You can of course order bulbs from some of the online catalogues but it is best to do that a little earlier than mid September, for we never know when we’ll have a hard frost. Once the ground is hard, it is no fun trying to get a decent depth for those little promises of spring.

Make sure the bulbs you buy are hardy for this cold climate. There are many to choose from but I am afraid many of the more exotic and some varieties of common flowers will not do well.  The package or catalogue should have this information. If it doesn’t check on line or with the in house specialist. Doing your research before you buy is a good idea.

It is important to have a well-drained soil as a soil that is too wet will encourage rotting and soil that never gets wet enough will produce smaller and poorly looking flowers. The bulbs will eventually shrink and die if not maintained with water. They will benefit too, from fertilizer. It is frequently recommended to plant bulbs with bone meal, which is high in phosphorus to encourage strong roots and bloom. However if you have dogs like me, the dogs will often snort out the smell and likely dig up the bulbs. I have found my tulip bulbs scattered on the soil surface on more than one occasion after treating with bone meal. I prefer to plant with a slow release more general granular fertilizer.

Think carefully about where you will plant the bulbs. Take into consideration their height and time of blooming. Read how deep they should be planted. Also consider the aspect of where you are planting and how much sun they will receive and what their needs are. Then take into consideration the ‘look’ you want.

If you want a formal patterned look you will need a good number of bulbs unless you plant in a container. To keep the look in a garden bed you will need to lift and replant them in the fall. I prefer a look that will naturalize – the wild or chaotic look!

The bulbs in these two pictures are not in my garden but in the well known Keukenhof Gardens in the Netherlands.

Bulb foliage is not particularly attractive once the flowers are over but it is a mistake to remove it for those leaves will replenish the food and sugars within the bulb for next year. In show gardens I have seen the foliage painstakingly tied in neat knots! I do that with my potted bulbs but not in the garden. There, I prefer to plant in and around perennials whose foliage will camouflage them once they emerge. The bulbs become an underplanting.

In my own garden I have what I call my Spring Garden, which becomes a shade garden as the foliage of the shrubs emerges. I have underplanted with Hellebores and bulbs. There is a mixture of Scilla siberica which forms a beautiful blue carpet early in the spring. Then Iris and Crocus flower, followed by Daffodils, Hyacinth and Tulips.

Hellebores with Scilla siberica and random Tulips in my garden.

I have also planted Crocus in an area I call my mini meadow. It is an area of uncut grass. The crocus have naturalized and make a lovely welcome to spring showing , usually just as the apple tress above need pruning. It sometimes means a bit of dance around to not flatten them but regardless, they are anticipated each year.

I also have Crocus in my front garden where the deer roam free. The deer so far have not eaten them or the Grape Hyacinth, which I also have in that location. They have not touched the Scilla either but they do love Tulips – usually just the flowers are nipped off. I cannot speak to Daffodils as I don’t have any, where the deer could get at them.

The list of bulbs we can grow is long and remember, when looked after they will multiply and provide joy for many years. This is the time to plant Fall Crocus also. They will emerge in spring with lush fat leaves so remember where you planted them so you don’t mistakenly pull them out. The leaves die back over summer and then magically in late August early September the flowers emerge as if out of nowhere, just when you had forgotten them.

Planting bulbs for forcing is a lot more dignified than crawling around on your hands and knees in your flower beds as you can do the work on a table. There is no special method – use a good potting soil that has been mixed with water,  layer the bulbs, lasagna style if you wish for different blooming times, firm up in their pots and place in a dark cool location. Cover with old carpet or fabric to keep the light out and insulate. Don’t use plastic which will encourage mold. Air needs to circulate. Under a deck or in an unheated garage works well.

Bring the bulbs out when you can see the roots in the hole at the bottom of the pot. Water and place in a sunny location in your home. Then relax and enjoy them as they grow and bloom.

Here are some random photos from my garden, first Iris to summer Allium and Keukenhof , Amsterdam, the mecca of gardening with bulbs. Lastly Allium interest in winter in my garden.

Dream big!