You've probably seen a lot of advertisements for planting bulbs. You might have thought that planting season was over, but that's not the case. Now is the time to buy bulbs for next year's beautiful flowers.
Before you actually plant the bulbs in the ground, there is some prep work to do. To pre-chill, place the bulbs in their bag in the refrigerator. Don't store them near fruit; ripe fruit gives off ethylene gas, which can damage or kill the flowers inside the bulbs. Once the bulbs have cooled, plant them during the coolest time of the year, after the first frost and before the ground hardens. Check the instructions on your bulb container.
There are some important things to remember: Cheap bulbs are never cheap in the long run. Plant them tip up. Plant perennials above the bulbs. Record where you plant, measure, listen, and observe nature to determine when to plant. If you can't dig, cover them. Deer will stay away from the plants and some of the bulbs will actually do the work for you.
There is no need to soak the bulbs in water
Fall bulbs are usually planted as soon as the ground cools and nighttime temperatures are a steady 40 to 50 degrees. Some gardeners plant as late as January. As a general rule, if you can dig a hole deep enough to plant them in, do so. Some people soak the bulbs in water before planting, but this is not necessary. Some people soak the bulbs because they think it helps the bulbs root faster. It is recommended that you remove the roots and main outer shell, but do not remove the inner shell that protects the bulb.
The easiest bulbs to plant are peonies, tulips, crocuses, daffodils, monkshood, alliums, hyacinths, and snowdrops. Among these bulbs and other plants, daffodils, tulips, muscari, crocuses, hyacinths, and snowdrops are the most popular. These bulbs are known for blooming every year and are often the first signs of spring bringing color and cheer to the garden. They are known for blooming in the first year.
Mulching over the bulbs will help them survive winter.
Bulbs planted in the fall will have a hard time taking root in dry soil, so be sure to water them after planting. If they don't get enough moisture, a hard freeze will kill them. Put down some mulch to keep the bulbs cool.
Should I dig up my bulbs or leave them in the ground? Spring-flowering bulbs such as tulips, daffodils and crocuses can be left in the ground as they will survive the winter, while summer-flowering bulbs such as dahlias, tuberous begonias and calla lilies will not survive the cold winter.
You won't need to buy more bulbs next year, as the ones you already have will multiply naturally. Tulips are an exception, as they take a full year to start multiplying. But if you want more bulbs, order early; bulbs will ship by the end of September and last through November.
What about depth? Plant them two to three times the height of the bulbs. So if your bulbs are 3 inches, plant them 6 to 9 inches deep.
For best results, plant bulbs within six months.
If for some reason you don't have the opportunity to plant the bulbs, they can be stored for up to a year, but they grow best if planted within six months.
You're probably wondering how to keep track of which bulbs you planted where. It's wise to keep track of where you planted your bulbs. Taking a photo is also a good idea, so you know the color of the flowers. Marking the location with a stake or label will come in handy next year.
Fall flowers usually need to be sown in the spring or transplanted by early summer, and most flowers will begin to bloom by mid-summer and continue to bloom until frost.
So what do you do with the bulbs that you didn't plant? Most bulbs will not bloom unless they survive the cold season. If you plant them, they will grow leaves. The leaves will absorb the sunlight and store it for the next year. When the leaves start to wither, cut them off and replant them in the fall.
If you don't already have these beautiful bulb plants, why not plant some this fall and enjoy seeing what happens next spring?
Susan La Fountain is a Master Gardener with the Sandusky and Ottawa County Extension Offices.
