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Planting, Growing and Caring
for Spring Flowering Bulbs

Tulips, Hyacinth, Crocus, Snowdrops, Scilla, Grape hyacinth, Daffodil, Narcissus
October 3, 1999

There is nothing quite as beautiful as seeing your spring flowering bulbs burst into color after the long cold winter. You can add beauty and color almost anywhere in your landscape with a little time, planning and effort this fall. As a general rule, the colder your climate, the earlier you plant. In colder northern climates, plant in September or October. In warmer climates you may need to wait to plant bulbs until December (or even later). The only universal rule is that, spring flowering bulbs must be planted before the first hard frost.Spring bulbs need a couple of months of chilling time (below 40 degrees F.) to produce their flower spike, which is why it is necessary to plant them in the fall. By utilizing a mix of early and late flowering bulbs, you will have your own flower show which may last two months or longer.
Whether you prefer your bulbs naturalized into the landscape, clustered in groups or standing in a single line, there are a few things which you should consider and some planning you should do before you begin planting them.

Crocus in the spring

Spring flowering bulbs are available in such a variety of colors and blooming times that you can treat yourself to continuous color and changing color schemes from late winter to early summer. If your intent is only to drop a package of Daffodils into the ground, then your planning will only involve 'where' you are going to set the bulbs. However, if you'd like to create a 'flower show', you will need to do some research into the plant heights and blooming times. Pre-packaged bulbs will normally have all of this information for you, or you may find the information on a tear out sheet next to the bulk bulb bin.

Generally, the earliest flowers which open will be the Crocus and Snowdrops followed by Daffodils and Tulips. Before the spring bulb season is over, the Dutch Iris and Spanish Bluebells will grace your garden. Within each of these groups, and all of the other spring bloomers, you will find a multitude of hybrids which bloom at different times (i.e. early April, mid April, late April). Use these hybrids to spread out the bloom time for each group, and you can enjoy each species for a much longer time.
At this point, you will probably want to draw an actual map to plan out your planting strategy. The 'staging' of the planting area is of vital importance. Check the plant height on the package, and plant low-growing bulbs in front of taller ones, based on where you will be viewing them the most often.
Think about your color scheme as you draw your map. Contrasting colors make a great display, or you may want to use many hues of the same color. Using whites will brighten even the plainest corner of the garden.
The most popular method is that of massed garden plantings, where several groupings (of at least 5 bulbs each) are planted together. Many gardeners consider it a 'no-no' to plant bulbs in a single straight line. Personally, I feel that there are places and situations where this is quite appropriate, but I use a 'modified' straight line (double line), offsetting each second bulb by an inch or two. This gives the 'line' a little more stability against winds.
Many spring flowering bulbs are ideal for naturalizing. Crocus, iris reticulata, grape hyacinth, daffodils and bluebells can be grown right in the lawn. Choose an area where the grass can be left unmowed until the foliage has matured. Hillsides and the perimeter of wooded areas are also excellent areas for naturalizing. You grab a whole bunch of bulbs in your hands and you scatter them. Wherever they land, that's where you plant them. Planting is then done by removing a small section of sod or using a large steel bar to punch a hole in through the sod, and then preparing the hole for the bulb. Loosen the soil within the hole, and then add a mixture of sand and peat moss, along with about a tablespoon of granular bulb fertilizer, mix well, set the bulbs in place at the proper depth and cover the bulbs with soil then replace the piece of sod. Naturalized bulbs can be left undisturbed for many years.

Planting bulbs

Bulbs prefer full sun, a rich, well-draining soil to which compost or other organic matter has been added. The soil should be cultivated and loosened to a depth of at least 6 to 8 inches. Either dig a trench for a bed planting or individual holes for individual bulbs or small clusters. Plant the bulbs by placing them into position. (Never push or force the bulb into the soil).
Check the bulb package to determine the spacing and planting depth for your type of bulb. As a general rule of thumb, bulbs should be planted twice as deep as they are high. (Larger daffodil bulbs should be planted at a depth three times their height) The larger the bulbs are, the more space they will need between them.
Cover the bulbs lightly with soil and then sprinkle a good bulb food on top of the soil, not in the hole. Fertilizer in the hole may burn tender, young roots. Water thoroughly, and then keep the soil moist to allow the roots to form more quickly.

Bulb tips!

      • Many bulbs can be forced into bloom by planting them in pots, and growing them indoors. SEE: Forcing hardy spring bulbs for indoor bloom http://www.thegardenhelper.com/forcing.html
      • Buy top quality, firm, healthy bulbs! Avoid so called bargain bulbs. Inspect for blemishes and bad spots.
      • The sooner you plant your bulbs after purchasing... the better!
      • Spring bulbs require 12 to 14 weeks of temperatures below 50 degrees during the winter. If you live in a climate which doesn't have this cold spell, (lucky you...), you'll need to pre-chill certain bulbs before planting them. This is done by placing them in a refrigerator or cool (below 50 degrees) basement.
        • Tulips need 14 weeks of chilling
        • Hyacinths need 12 weeks of chilling
        • Crocus need 4 weeks of chilling
        • Snowdrops and scilla need 6 weeks of chilling
        • Grape hyacinths need 12 weeks of chilling
      • In colder climates, gardeners should consider covering their planting with a protective layer of leaves or mulch.
      • In severe, cold climates, or in light sandy soil, bulbs may be planted 1" to 2" deeper .
      • Bulbs will supply all the energy they need to produce that gorgeous bloom during the first year. After that, it's important to feed the bulbs annually with a good bulb fertilizer so that they can continue blooming in future seasons. Allow the foliage to continue to grow after the spent flower spike has been removed until it dies back naturally!
      • If space is limited, bulbs may be planted in layers. Dig a hole deep enough to accommodate the largest bulbs (daffodils and hyacinths). Cover them with soil and plant a layer of tulips Cover the tulips and plant a layer crocus or other small bulbs on top.
      • You can protect your bulbs from marauding rodents by lining the planting hole with 1/2 inch (or smaller) mesh chicken wire.

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