Planting Bulbs

General principles:

➢ A bulb is basically an underground stem. The roots grow from its base. You need to give those roots the time and other resources they need to get established in the fall, so the tops can take off next spring.

➢ Most spring bulbs need dry soil during the summer or they rot. Do not, therefore, plant them in a low-lying location that doesn’t drain well, or where you intend to water your perennials a lot.

Plant in clusters:

➢ Nature is full of variation. If you plant your bulbs in a geometric pattern, then every bulb that is missing (rotted, eaten by a squirrel, etc.) will stand out as a gap. If you cluster bulbs in somewhat random patterns, however, then the additional randomness from natural processes will not be discernible.

➢ Remember that roots grow down. If the soil beneath the bulb isn’t great, add some organic bulb food (high in phosphorous, which roots need).

➢ As a rule of thumb, the soil height above the bulb should be three times the height of the bulb.

➢ For tulips and daffodils, dig a nice big hole, scrape in some bulb food if needed, and arrange the bulbs. Fill the hole in half-way, and tamp it down very well. Fill it with water mixed with kelp extract. Let it soak all the way in. Then fill in the rest of the hole.

➢ For crocuses and other small bulbs, just stick your trowel in the ground and pop in the bulbs, then water well when you’re done. But remember that they will look better if clustered.

If you want the bulbs to come back in future years:

➢ Choose bulbs that have a good record of longevity. Daffodils and crocuses are good. Many tulips are not, but gregii and kaufmanniana tulps (which flower early) can last for many years. Darwin hybrids can last 4-5 years. I’ve also had good experiences with triumph and lily tulips.

➢ The best time to plant bulbs in eastern Massachusetts is October, so the roots have plenty of time to spread before it gets really cold. A bulb has stored most of what it needs to bloom, but it’s much more likely to come back if the roots get well established in the fall. If, however, you still have unplanted bulbs in December or January, and the ground is still diggable, go ahead and plant them if you want to. But don’t be surprised if many of them don’t bloom more than one year.

➢ Remove the flowers after the petals drop, before they can put energy into seed development.

➢ Do not cut, tie, or molest the foliage until it begins to go yellow. The bulbs need the energy from the chlorophyll. Once the foliage is yellow it is no longer doing the bulb any good and you can remove it if you want to.

➢ People recommend giving the bulbs an inch of water during the growing season, spreading bulb food both before and after blooming, mulching thickly in the fall (and removing the mulch in the spring). I don’t do any of those things.

To keep out squirrels:

➢ Plant the bulbs deeply – three times the height of the bulb.

➢ Give the squirrels something else to eat. They don’t actually like bulbs, as you can tell from how often they leave them half-eaten. So if your garden is full of tasty flower seeds, acorns, and other squirrel food, your bulbs are more likely to be unmolested.

➢ Some people use chicken wire or rocks (but remember to remove them in the spring!).

Next page: Pruning