Gardening with bulbs

Bulbs have been among the most popular types of flowers for many, many years.  Tulip bulbs were once so popular in Holland that a single bulb was worth more than an entire herd of cows, and Tulip mania as it was popularly called, is widely seen to be the first example of a market bubble.

 

Even if bulbs are not quite so popular these days, bulbs are still among the most popular, beautiful and useful of all plants for the home gardener.  Bulbs are renowned for their hardiness and for their ability to rebloom season after season.  In addition, most bulb flowers are very easy to grow and very inexpensive to buy.  With all these advantages, it is easy to see why bulbs are so popular with all kinds of gardeners.

 

Another advantage of bulbs is that it is usually easy to choose the healthiest bulbs.  The best way to choose healthy bulbs is to choose the firmest, largest bulbs you can find.  Firm bulbs are generally very healthy bulbs, and large bulbs typically produce the largest and best blooming flowers.

 

Unhealthy bulbs are generally very easy to spot as well.  Bulbs that are very light, cracked or soft should be avoided.  Many bulbs are susceptible to rot, and a soft bulb may be showing signs of rot.  In addition, a lightweight or shriveled looking bulb may be unable to bloom.  A good, healthy bulb will be surprisingly heavy for its size, so it is important to handle the bulbs to choose the best ones.

 

Most types of bulbs should be planted in the fall of the year, but it is important to get planting instructions when you buy your bulbs.  Some bulbs bloom in the fall of the year, and they are usually planted in the springtime instead. 

 

When planting bulbs in the fall, they should be planted around early to mid October.  The goal is to have the bulbs in the ground around six weeks prior to the time the ground starts to freeze.  This means that the optimum time for planting bulbs will vary according to your own location.

 

It is important to plant bulbs in a soil that has been properly prepared.  The depth the bulbs should be planted will vary from variety to variety, so again it is important to get planting instructions if you are unfamiliar with the needs of the bulb.  For instance, crocus bulbs should be planted four inches deep, while daffodils and hyacinths need to be planted to a depth of six inches.  Tulips should be planted even deeper, to a depth of about eight inches.

 

One great tool to have on hand when working with bulbs is the bulb planter.  A bulb planter is a great way to dig consistent size holes when planting a row of bulbs, and a bulb planter is also a great way to keep your rows uniform.

 

Gardeners who want a more wild and natural look to their bulb garden often prefer to dig a trench to the appropriate depth and simply lay the bulbs in.  This approach can provide a unique, if somewhat unpredictable, look when the bulbs begin to emerge.

 

When you plant your bulbs, it is a good idea to lay a small amount of fertilizer in the bottom of each hole, then cover that fertilizer with a layer of soil.  The fertilizer provides much needed nutrients for the bulb to start its growth, but it is important that the bulb not make direct contact with the fertilizer, since this could potentially cause the bulb to be burned. 

 

Bulbs should always be planted with the pointed end sticking up and the flat side pointing down, directly on top of the layer of soil covering the fertilizer.  After the bulbs have been planted, they should be covered with more soil and provided with a good, thorough watering