Spring is an exciting time of year, but no one thinks about a garden in the spring. It is not until the borders in the garden are bare, the time for change is long gone. Spring is the time for the pay off, but it is the autumn that the effort is made.
The good news is, bulbs make it easy. They are all but forgotten over the winter after being dropped in the ground during autumn. During spring, they come up on their own. For the effort that is given, there is no other garden that is so easy for such a big return.
What to plant, and when
Spring bulbs need to be planted in the autumn, but those are not all planted at the same time.
The smaller narcissi and daffodils need to be planted in the warm soil early, in September and early October. If someone has not planted bulbs before, these forgiving and perennial flowers are great for beginners.
However, tulips are to be planned in November. The cold needs to be set in, as planting them in cool soil will lessen the risk of a fungal disease, tulip fire. This will scorch and twist the foliage, and is a helpful tip rather than an old wives’ tale.
The remaining autumn bulbs are the hyacinths and deserve a paragraph of their own.
A word on hyacinths
Nothing scents a garden like a single hyacinth, and nothing scents a patio like a single hyacinth bulb. For quality, look for bulbs that are firm and heavy and free of spots and patches. They also should not be older than one year. The best time to plant is in the fall, and bulbs should not be for sale in the summer. For quality bulbs, it’s best to order hyacinth bulbs from a reputable supplier rather than buying from a garden center, which likely has old stock.
Plant tulips and daffodils about 10cm apart. Bulbs are usually forced to bloom in the winter for the holiday. For this, they need to be placed in a warm location. The bulbs cause a skin irritation, so make sure to be cautious by wearing gloves.
How deep, and how many
In gardening, there exists the saying that a bulb must be planted two to three times its height deep. Crocus bulbs are the smallest and require a depth of about 7 or 8cm while daffodils are about 15cm. The bulbs should be oriented with the pointed end up, and the flat bottom down. If for some reason you are not able to tell which way is which, go ahead and plant it on its side.
Plant bulbs in clusters rather than neat rows. They look nicer, and that’s actually how they would spread if left alone. Try layering bulbs in a pot: tulips at the bottom, then daffodils, then crocuses at the top. That way, the pot offers a spread of flowers over time, rather than all at once.
Where people go wrong
There are three common mistakes. The first is planting too shallow. This lets frost heave them out of the ground. The second is letting them rot over the winter by leaving them in saturated soil. You can fix this by adding grit to the soil, or better yet, plant in pots. Finally, you shouldn’t give up on bulbs before the spring. They just might not be the fastest. The worst thing for a bulb that won’t sprout by March is to be dug up and thrown away. This is when you just have to leave them be for a while. The first tips will always be a nice surprise in March when nothing else has started blooming yet.