Prepare to Plant Bulbs

By Lisa Kremer
Tacoma News Tribune

Now that you've seen spring's gorgeous daffodils, it's time to make a plan.

Next fall, when you're thinking about digging out the garden to create new flower beds, it'll be tough to recall exactly which flowers romanced you in the springtime.

Was it the Duke of Windsor daffodil that won your heart? Or was it Professor Einstein? Both have white petals with an orange crown.

Use the glorious blooms of spring to plan ahead. Take a notebook along on flower-viewing jaunts and jot down the names of the ones that make you sing.

Write down the color, height and bloom time of each flower you admire, said Marsha Hoyt, retail manager and buyer for Van Lierop Bulb Farm in Puyallup, Wash. Make a note of other things that might be important to you, like the scent, the leaf color and size and other factors.

When planning your garden, think about the color of the fence or the house, the plants your bulbs will grow next to, and how many groupings of bulbs you want.

Plan to bury several bulbs in each spot you dig so you'll have blooms throughout the spring. Crocuses bloom first, as early as January; then daffodils in March, tulips in April, hyacinths in March and April and irises in May.

Other tips:

• Take pictures of blooms you like. But make a note of the flower height and bloom size, since you probably won't be able to tell from a photograph.

• Get a bulb catalog, available from bulb vendors and in book stores. The catalogs note size, color and other information. Some have photos of blooms.

• If you can't find the exact bloom you admire, bulb vendors are often good at helping you find something similar.