Plan your purchase based on the space you have in the garden and the color that you want in the spring. I try to spread out the blooms from late February (snowdrops) to late May (late blooming tulips) so that I have color throughout.
Plant the bulbs in masses for best effect. I usually dig holes and space about 7-15 bulbs in one area. I like to plant large masses in large beds for best impact.
If you have problems with rodents, you might think twice about what you plant. For instance, squirrels and chipmunks tend to dig up the newly planted shallow bulbs and eat them. Deer and rabbits like the newly emerging plants in the spring, especially tulips and crocus. They don’t, however, like daffodils and hyacinths.
Make sure you plant in an area that is well drained. Bulbs absolutely will not tolerate wet soils.
For best results, prepare the soil to a depth of about 12 inches. This allows for good root development. Of course, when planting small bulbs such as crocus, only dig the hole deep enough to plant the bulb.
Remember this, the better the preparation of the soil, the better the performance of the plant! Ideally, dig up the entire planting area and amend with compost to improve drainage. The depth of the planting hole should be about three times the height of the bulb. For instance, a bulb that is 1-inch high should be planted 3-inches deep.
There are resources online to help you; search for “bulb planting depth.”
When planting, add bone meal to the bottom of the hole and lightly mix in with the soil. Bone meal is phosphorus and is good for root development and growth. However, keep in mind that bone meal does not move easily or quickly through our clay soil.
Therefore, in order for it to be available to the roots, apply it in the hole at the time of planting. It’s a waste of time and effort to apply bone meal to the surface as it won’t move quickly to the roots. Water the bulbs thoroughly to saturate the soil around them in order to initiate root development.
Mulch is generally recommended to help hold soil moisture, keep weeds at a minimum, and prevent soil heaving. I usually don’t mulch around tulips and daffodils as these are planted deep in the soil. Newly planted crocus, however, should be mulched lightly to prevent the freezing and thawing process from pushing them out of the ground.
Pam Corle-Bennett is an Ohio State University Extension horticulture educator and the state Master Gardener volunteer coordinator. She can be contacted at bennett.27@ cfaes.osu.edu.
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