Mastering the Art of Spring Bulb Planting
SPRING BULBS
soo many choices !
If you love spring bulbs (really - who doesn't) and want to enjoy yours' swaying in the cool breeze of a sunny Spring day – you better start planting them soon ! Fall is the time for planting spring bulbs.
But - It gets complicated - the availability, variety and simply overwhelming amount of color choices and shades is sometimes just too much to bear. Grab a bulb catalog (or online version) and you will see what I mean. SOO MANY CHOICES. So much to consider.... color, height, spacing, bloom time, planting zones.
In containers
And if you are a rooftop gardener and have to plant your bulbs in containers - things got even more complicated. You now need to worry about freezing. Or any freeze thaw cycles in spring.
In ground, the soil rarely ever freezes near the roots of bulbs – but in pots !! frozen solid !!! Many bulbs don't survive it.
But some do! And we at Plant Specialists have been using, testing, experimenting, and watching with amazement how some of them actually make it through winter without a hitch. And then bloom like mad come spring planted in a pot!!!
Double potting
Planting in large planters (3’ to 4’ in diameter) requires no additional precautions – unless you are planting right on the edge.
However, when planting in a single pot that is less than 2’ in diameter you need to double pot. One pot holds the soil and bulbs – and this one can be made of plastic or a decomposable material like paper. The second, outer pot hold the inner one with a layer of mulch in between both - on the sides and on the bottom and top. This protects the bulbs from freezing solid.
paper pots make great inner pots to hold soil and bulbs
Terra cotta is a great type of outer pot for spring bulbs
once assembled you can never tell !
Layering
When you buy spring bulbs from the grocery store, market, fruit stand or florist they are usually very pretty but rarely have many flowers in one pot. For us - that just wont do. If you are going to get an overwhelmingly jealous look from your neighbor you need to go big - use lots of bulbs in each pot.
layering bulbs in a container gives you more flowers in spring
How hard is this to do? EASY - all you need to do is layer them. One layer of soil, then bulbs, another layer of soil, bulbs in between the ones below, another layer of soil, and the final row of bulbs on the top.
side view of a layering of bulbs
And you can even mix them up! Use different bulbs that bloom at the same time in the same pot.
Standards that do well in containers
crocus
Crocus and Grape Hyacinth (Muscari armeniacum) – we love them, they are beautiful, and do very well. That said, the blue muscari (old fashion) do better than any of the white ones or bi-color. Well at least for us.
Daffodils ah – knock yourself out. These do fantastic - the mini ones, the tall ones, and even the tubular jonquils. The simple, yellow trumpets with no frill cups do best we find.
Tet e Tet Daffodil
scilla does fantastic !
Species tulips – not the newest kid on the block but certainly beautiful. These tend to be smaller bulbs and smaller flowers, with less choices in color and frill – but are absolutely beautiful.
Usually in simple shades and just lovely!!! We tried many of the species - and all worked well.
BONUS: they are perennial and will come back every year, unlike modern varieties of tulip.
tulipa bakeri
Tulipa clusiana
Hyacinth – Most do well no matter what color we used and the scent YUM!
In Ground
The world is your oyster if you are planting spring bulbs in ground. Your only concern is if they are the right ones for our zone. Other than that consideration you can plant anything!
June to October is the best time to buy these bulbs. Most online bulb providers are first come first serve. Shipping usually holds off until October or so.
Soil preparation:
Hardy spring bulbs need soil with good drainage where there is no danger of water standing on the surface of the ground through winter or spring. To keep the bulbs in vigorous condition and performing well for several years, prepare the soil well before planting.
Fertilizer added at planting will help maintain vigorous growth and large flowers over the years. Bone meal, Blood meal and some other Organic fertilizers should be avoided as they may attract rodents which will dig up bulbs looking for the “buried bones”. Squirrels too!
Planting:
Bulbs may be planted by the dibble method: Make a small hole in the soil with a short, pointed stick; place the bulb in the soil; and after pressing the bulb down into the soil as far as possible, cover it with soil.
I prefer to use a trowel or bulb planter (tube with handle) to dig the hole for each bulb. Prepare rather loose soil underneath the bulb so that roots can easily penetrate the soil.
Depth and spacing
Plant tulips and daffodils with the tops of the bulbs 4 inches below the surface of the soil.
Smaller bulbs such as (Scilla), glory-of-the-snow (Chionodoxa), grape hyacinths, and snowdrops, with their tops about 2 inches below the surface of the soil.
Plant larger bulbs such as tulips about 8 inches apart – less if you want a fuller look. Crocus and grape hyacinths about 2-4 inches apart; and tiny bulbs, such as winter aconite and scilla, 1 - 2 inches apart.
Daffodils may be planted up to 6” or more apart if you are making permanent clumps - as they will get increasingly larger over several years.
Spring care:
For permanent plantings certain practices in the spring after bloom will affect the growth and development of bulbs for the next few years. Remove any seed pods. DO NOT Remove the leaves - wait for them to yellow, or die back. A handful of fertilizer sprinkled around the bulbs after the bloom will help them grow.
colorful spring bulb look in front of brownstone
For a Fabulous Spring Look call Plant Specialists today
- the choices are endless !!
PLANT SPECIALISTS
GREENING NEW YORK FOR OVER 52 YEARS !
Article written by our Staff Horticulturist, Peter B Morris, BSc, MSc, MBA
All photographs used with permission @SHUTTERSTOCK and some Customers too!