Julia’s Garden Blog

Planting flower bulbs for spring is best done in the fall after frost has killed the annuals. A little work now will pay off in the spring as the daffodils, crocus and tulips begin to emerge in all their glory.

We have a feeling that this winter will be cold and icy since we’ve had so much more rain lately. In September we had over 9 inches alone!

Here’s a tip. It really doesn’t matter which way you plant the bulbs (although it’s best to plant the fattest side down), they will still bloom. It’s just that the bulb stem has to curve up from the bottom if you plant them upside down.

Below is a quick overview of how deep to plant your bulbs.

Daffodils should be planted (5″ deep) and smaller bulbs such as Snowdrops, Scillas and Crocus (2″-3″ deep). Be sure and plant these types of bulbs as soon as possible and experiment with different varieties.  Some daffodils bloom early and some later, by planting drifts of each, you can extend your season dramatically.  Learn more about planting bulbs at our website.

Tulips may be planted as long as the ground is workable at a depth of 6″-8″ deep. But sooner is better than later.

For a fun springtime planter, plant some tulips under your pansies this fall in an outdoor planter. That way, you can enjoy the pansies all winter long and in the spring when the tulips emerge, it’s always a fun surprise.  It’s amazing how  it will cheer your family and guest to see it as they walk into a room.  For a great look, coordinate your tulip colors with the colors of the room inside where the planter will be seen.

With so many new varieties of tulips on the market today, you will easily be able to find one to match your decor.  Check out the many varieties at Holland Bulb Farms.  Angelique Double Tulip (Upstar Tulip), Allegretto Double Tulip and Blue Diamond Double Tulips are some of the fun double tulip flowers they carry.  I know you will love them because they are so unusual.

This week is the best time to order bulbs from Holland Bulb Farms since they are having a great sale on bulbs..50%-80% off on some varieties.  Check out the cheap bulb section specials here.

Happy planting!