Bulbs are among the most popular of all
flowering plants for the garden. Bulbs
have long been renowned for their beauty, their hardiness and their
variety. This article provides a small
sampling of the many types of bulb plants available to the average gardener.
Muscari Armeniacum
The muscari, or grape hyacinth, is one of the most popular of all bulb
varieties, and it has been for many years.
The grape hyacinth features narrow, grassy leaves that appear in the
fall and can survive through the cold and snow of winter. The leaves of the grape hyacinth are small,
urn shaped and blue in color, and they grow on attractive eight inch tall
spikes. The flowers on the grape
hyacinth bloom in the spring of the year, and these bulbs should be planted in
the fall in order to bloom the spring.
The bulbs of the grape hyacinth should be planted two inches deep and
three inches apart for best results. The
grape hyacinth prefers full sun or light shade, and it benefits from regular
watering during its growth and bloom cycles.
Daffodil
The daffodil may be the most easily recognizable of all bulb plants, and
it rewards its gardener with a generous display of beautiful blooms. Besides the traditional white and yellow varieties,
daffodils also come in shades of orange, apricot, pink and cream. Daffodil bulbs should be planted twice as
deep as they are tall, and they should be spaced between six and eight inches
apart. Daffodils benefit from full sun
and regular watering during their growth and bloom periods.
Tulips may just be the most well known and easily recognized of all bulb
plants. Indeed, in the minds of many
tulips are synonymous with bulb plants.
The tulip has long been prized for its beauty, and tulips continue to be
one of the most popular types of flowers among casual gardeners and
professional growers alike.
In addition, tulips are among the most hybridized of all flowers, with
hybrids available in a staggering array of shapes, sizes, colors and textures. Some of the most popular tulip hybrids
include pastels, spotted tulips, bicolor tulips and tricolor tulips. There are also hybrids in the brightest hues,
and even a variety that is almost black in color. The tulip comes in a variety of shapes as well. In addition to the classic egg shaped bloom,
there are varieties with blossoms resembling the shapes of peonies and lilies.
The blooming season for most varieties of tulips runs from mid to late
spring. Most tulips need a period of
extended cold in order to look and bloom their best. Feeding with a high quality, nitrogen rich
fertilizer will encourage multiple blooming.
The fertilizer should be applied before the first bloom for best
results.
In mild climates, it is best to refrigerate tulip bulbs for six weeks
before they are planted. While it is
possible for tulip bulbs to remain in the ground, most gardeners treat them as
annuals and replant them each year.
Doing so is often the best way to get the best blooms year after year.
Tulips like full sun, and they benefit from a regular watering schedule
during their growing and blooming periods.
It is best to plant tulip bulbs in the fall, and tulip bulbs should be
planted three times as deep as the bulb is wide. Therefore, a 2” wide bulb would be planted 6”
deep. It is important to leave
sufficient space between the planted bulbs as well, from four to eight inches
depending on the size of the bulb.
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