Spring Flowering Bulbs

Now it the time to get your spring flowering bulbs at your local garden center while supplies are good. You can still order some from the catalogs and online but the vendors may be out of stock as the best time to place orders is the end of August.

When planning your spring flowering bulbs garden it is important to think about the bloom times. Spring bulbs start blooming as early as Mid March and as late as Mid May. The best way to find out approximate bloom times is to check the package or the catalog description for the bulbs you want to plant. The usual description would include if the bulb is an early, mid, or late Spring bloomer.

Bloom Times For Spring Flowering Bulbs

Spring Flowering Bulbs Planting Suggestions

For a really dramatic display a mass planting of say 100 bulbs will add some pizzazz to your Spring garden. The best way to do a bed like this is to dig up an area of 20 square feet it maybe 10′ x 2′ or maybe 5′ x 4′ it all depends on the shape of your space. Dig to a depth of 7″ for tulip bulbs and remove the soil, this should take about 15 minutes. The soil can be placed on a piece of cardboard or plywood to make to easier to put back. Place all the bulbs in the bed point side up and then cover them with two inches of soil. Next tamp the area lightly with the back of the shovel and then water thoroughly. The water will wash the soil down around the bulbs so they will start growing right away. After you water place the rest of the soil on top and level with a rake, go wash up and wait till you beautiful display emerges in the Spring from start to finish about 30 minutes.

When choosing your bulbs be sure they are all from a group that bloom at the same time. I suggest you chose 2 to 3 colors for the best display. Purple and orange make an eye stopping display and red, white, and pink are another great choice.

One of my favorite ways to plant bulbs are cluster plantings take 10 to 15 bulbs and cluster them in a single hole large enough for the bulbs to set side by side. This burst of color are a great way to liven up a flower bed and spread your blooms over a large area.

Quick Tips

• To find the the right depth to plant your bulbs at measure the distance across the bottom of the bulb and multiply that by 2 then measure the bulb from the bottom to the tip add that to the previous number and that will be your depth to plant at. The bulb is 2″ across and the height is 3″ so 2″ x 2 = 4″ + 3″ = 7″
• Bulbs do not need to be feed the first year they are planted instead top dress with bulb food the following spring before the bulbs bloom and work lightly into the first inch or two of the soil.
• Always check to be sure your bulbs are good before planting. Discard any bulbs which are soft or moldy.
• After blooming trim of the flower stalks and let the leaves die back naturally as they are producing food for next years blooms.
• If squirrels are a real problem digging up your bulbs  try placing chicken wire 2″ to 3″ below the soil then when the squirrels dig they will not be able to get to your bulbs.

Remember for a great Spring Display Plant Your Bulbs in the Fall

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