Planting Fall Bulbs
This can be a very exciting and creative task. You can plan what flowers you would like to see in the spring, and also how they look when they come up. Clusters of bulbs make a very nice bouquet look when they bloom, and you can also plan to shape the flower around existing gardens or paths.
Spring Flowering bulbs typically require about 6 month of cold weather for good root development and blooming.
Bulbs should be planted approximately 6 weeks before the ground freezes. Now is the ideal time to plant them.
The best location for your bulbs is an area that is well drained and receives about 12 hours of sun daily in the spring time. If you have an area with poor drainage you will need to raise the level of the planting bed to prevent the bulbs from rotting.
Plant the bulb pointy end up. If you are unsure which end is the pointy end, plant it sideways and your flower will fight it's way to the surface. Rule of thumb is 3x bulb height for depth and 3x bulb width for spacing.
For a boost in root production, sprinkle some Espoma Bone Meal or Bulb Tone on your bulbs when you plant them. To deter critters from stealing and eating your bulbs, you can sprinkle Espoma Dried Blood around the bulbs when you have planted them and again after you cover them with soil. Camouflaging the area with leaves or mulch may help also.
Keep the planting site watered but not soggy until the ground freezes.
Enjoy the beautiful color in the spring.
