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Planting spring bulbs.
Autumn is the time of year when the weather cools, the leaves turn vibrant colors and we gardeners need to think of the Spring. What? Think of spring in autumn? Why? Well, Autumn is when we must plant the bulbs that will give us those early flowering beauties which herald the growing season.
Before summer is through the garden centers are already bursting with possibilities. There are great displays of Tulips, Daffodils, Crocus, Snowdrops, Grape Hyacinths and Alliums among others. My mailbox is full with mail order catalogues which offer a greater variety of these old-time favorites plus others you might never see in stores. I defy anyone to look through a few and not fall in love with something new and different every Autumn. Those catalogues are a danger to wallets so pace yourself. In general you won’t spend a single cent without it giving you endless payback. Bulbs multiply readily with some naturalizing quite enchantingly.
When wishing to create a dazzling Spring flower display one needs to prepare the planting sight which should get ample sun exposure. Remember that in early Spring there are no leaves on trees to shade out the sun so planting under trees is usually all right. Ridding the intended space of weeds and fortifying the bare soil with compost tilling it in well is the best thing you can do to ensure wonderful productivity. Good rich, well draining soil is a must. This has to be done first because once planted these bulbs need never be disturbed except for dividing.
After the sight is prepared one needs to decide what flowers to plant. The best Spring displays I’ve seen in Botanical gardens (and I’ve seen plenty in my many travels around the US) are those with a long blooming time. To achieve this a good mixture of bulbs is required. This doesn’t mean you have to have Daffodils with Tulips or Hyacinths with Crocus unless you like that look. Combinations look amazing when done with contrasting color and shapes. Experiment and you might surprise yourself. Most people, however, seem to prefer a bed devoted to one flower. The look is stunning I must admit but I find it limited. Once they all flower, mostly all at once, you’re left with bare ground again. How boring it that?
What I see as the good alternative to the sole flower approach for the home garden is layering the bulbs this way you have a continuous display which can last for over three months if properly thought out. When purchasing these bulbs they are usually labeled as early, mid to late blooming. Buy these accordingly and you’ll have a long lasting display of whatever flower you choose. If you want only Tulips, for instance, you should buy early bloomers in your choice of color, mid bloomers either in the same shade or a vastly different one and finally a late bloomer. Plant these intermixed and you’ll have continuous color lasting a good long time.
Make sure you purchase solid bulbs devoid of mold or obvious bruising and they should feel heavy for their size. Light weights mean they are dried out. You don’t want that. The bigger the bulb the better for size of flower but they tend to be more costly. Even the smaller ones if of good quality will eventually give you more than you think and if money is tight you may have to go that way.
The Crocus comes out first in my space in the world usually making a peek-appearance before the Robins. These come in a great variety of sizes, colors and bloom times. Grab a handful of each and you won’t be disappointed. These need to be planted about 2-3 inches deep (depths given are assuming all bulbs are covered with 2-3 inches of the mulch of your choice). If you have a problem with squirrels digging them up or burrowing rodents nibbling them you might consider planting then with a bit of gravel in each planting hole and placing a chicken-wire barrier on top of the planting bed. It’s not fool-proof by any means but it might deter the little critters a bit.
Daffodils are a good alternative to those plagued by hungry creatures. They are toxic to them but oh, are they lovely for us! Huge variety there is in this group of differing shapes, colors, blooming times and height. In general they are to be planted 5-6 inches deep and if placed eight inches apart they need not be divided for several years. They multiply readily giving you more bang for your buck than any other bulb.
Scilla or Squill is also critter-resistant. These adorable 3-6 inch high cuties I like to scatter about. They reproduce easily and give me more every year.
Grape Hyacinths also naturalize with no encouragement. I often have to pluck them out of the walkway and plant them in there proper place. I love it when plants “bother” me this way.
Tulips seem to be everyone’s favorites. Unfortunately, deer tend to love them too. I prefer to plant these in pots and keep then in the greenhouse until they are ready to bloom. Then I put them on the porch steps where I know the deer won’t go. The Tulip can be found in every shade imaginable, all sizes and many shapes, too and should be planted 4-6 inches deep. You won’t be able to choose just one.
My husband would divorce me if I didn’t mention his utter favorite the Dutch Hyacinth. He’ll stop everything just to inhale it’s intoxicating perfume. Of course he often sneezes but that won’t stop him. These are beauties coming in many colors but I don’t like to get down on my belly as my husband does to smell them so I prefer to plant these in pots and I bring them into the house. Who needs air fresheners when you got a few of these growing on a windowsill? Plant these six inches deep in the garden.
Some folks even naturalize bulbs in their lawn. This looks so pretty, like a sophisticated wild flower meadow. All you need to do this is to lift sections of sod, prepare the soil as you would in the flower bed, place the bulbs and cover again with the sod pressing down firmly to ensure contact with the soil. With bigger bulbs dig holes for the bulbs before setting down the sod. You need not worry if the bulbs are not planted as deep as normally required because the sod will act like a protective blanket for them. Come Spring you’ll get a surprising splash of color maybe even before the grass turns green again.
I plant my bulbs willy-nilly. Anywhere I find a bare spot whether in the rock garden, a perennial bed, surrounding shrubs, under trees or next to the Clematis trellis I will plant something just to have an early splash of color where there usually wouldn’t be until much later in the Spring. I love to see green everywhere and the sooner the better. I’m just funny that way. This also serves as camouflage for the ripening foliage. You may cut back the spent flower stalks but the leaves should remain until they dry out. This is how the bulb gets its energy for the next Spring. After they bloom is also when you might consider a little boost of nutrients in the form of additional compost or bonemeal. You could wait until fall to do this but you might completely forget about them by then.
So, now that you know what to do come Autumn run on down to the garden center, grab yourself up some of these darlings and spice up your Spring garden. That’s an order!
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Author Bio Box: Glory Lennon
 For more garden related articles plus short stories, novel excerpts and sundry other topics of discussion come to HELIUM: http://www.helium.com/users/32782
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