Whether you're talking tulips and daffodils or fritillarias and ipheions, few plants offer as much bang for your buck as the spring-flowering bulbs.
Traditional plant nurseries generally offer a good selection of bulbs, but supplies dwindle quickly. If you choose to buy your bulbs from a garden center, be prepared to buy early--before planting time. This means you'll have to store your bulbs until the appropriate time for planting. Bulbs need to be stored in cool, dry areas like a garage, and if they are stored longer than two weeks, the bulb may easily deteriorate.
"I like more choices and I don't like taking the chance of storing bulbs, so I prefer to order mine," says master gardener Paul James. "There are literally dozens of catalogs and online sources for doing just that. Many offer varieties you simply won't find in stores, and they ship the bulbs to you at the ideal planting time for your area so you don't have to bother with storing them."
Once the bulbs arrive, examine them closely. Make sure they are firm and free of any signs of rot or disease. The occasional small patch of blue or green surface mold is nothing to worry about as long as the bulb is firm to the touch.
Plant your mail-order bulbs immediately, if possible, to promote root growth. This is especially important for cold-climate areas. If you can't plant right away, open the bags and boxes to allow air to circulate around the bulbs.
"When it comes to bulbs, the best advice I can give you is plan first, plant second," says James. "And if you don't like what you wind up with, take heart in knowing that you can always replant them just after they've bloomed."
Choose a location that receives at least six hours of sunlight a day. Exceptions to this rule are bulbs such as hyacinthoides or Spanish bluebells that prefer the shade. Some early blooming bulbs such as crocus flourish beneath deciduous trees because they bloom long before the trees fill in with leaves.
Once you've established a plan, James suggests an easy mattock planting technique to get started. Stab the mattock into the ground, and pull back the soil to create a hole for the bulb. If your bulbs didn't come with planting instructions, plant the bulbs three to four times deep as the bulb is tall.
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
