Planting Spring Bulbs in the Fall

Spring Bulbs should be planted in the late fall because bulbs need the cold in order to sprout the next season. Spring bulbs include flowers like daffodil, hyacinth, tulips, grape hyacinth, and crocus.

Where and When to Plant

Bulbs need a sunny area in well drained soil in order to produce flowers in the spring. The soil needs to be well drained so that water will not collect around the bulbs and rot them during the winter. Some bulbs will do well in the shade like some daffodils, but make sure tulips are placed in the sun. There are some bulbs that produce woodland flowers that are perfect if you live in a shady area. These would include woodland anemone, Jack-in-the Pulpit, Winter Aconite, Violets, Snowdrops, and Trillium. In fact, these bulbs do not do well in full sun and require the shade.

The best time to plant spring blooming bulbs depends on where you live. They must be planted before the ground gets too hard to dig so in some areas the end of October is fine and in others it can wait until mid November. Interestingly enough some companies sell pre-chilled bulbs that can be planted as soon as the soil becomes pliable in the spring. They usually don’t produce big blooms however.

How to Plant Bulbs

You can plant bulbs in clusters but make sure not to place them too close together because they multiply year after year. If you don’t thin them out once in awhile they will stop producing flowers and just have leaves. The depth at which you plant a bulb depends on its diameter. You should dig three times the diameter of a bulb. It sounds complicated but it isn’t. Daffodils have a diameter of about 2 inches therefore you would multiply it by 3 and plant bulbs 6 inches deep. (2 x 3 = 6) If the bulb is 2 and one half inches or a little larger go to the 3 inches and plant it 9 inches deep (3 x 3 = 9). Bulbs at a one inch diameter or smaller should always be planted at a 3 or 4 inch depth.

Once you dig the hole you can put in things that will help the bulbs grow in the spring. Sprinkle bone meal in the bottom of the hole and a little compost. Mix the soil that came out of the hole with some compost and peat moss, especially if it is a little hard and full of clay. Place the bulbs in the hole with the pointed side up. This is where the leaves will come from in the spring and roots will grow at the large end. You can plant bulbs at 3 to 6 inch intervals in a large trench like hole or you can cluster them. It is best to not let the bulbs touch each other but be close in order to get the cluster effect. Another way to get the cluster effect is to throw the bulbs up in the air over the hole and let them fall. Plant them where they land. Cover the bulbs with the amended soil and pat down.

Protect your Bulbs from Rodents

Rodents like squirrels, mice and rats get hungry in the winter and freshly planted bulbs are one of the delicacies they enjoy. It isn’t unusual for a person to plant a bunch of bulbs in the fall and by spring there isn’t any left because the rodents have feasted. You can sprinkle some red pepper flakes over the bulbs before covering them with soil or spray them with an infusion of 1 cup boiling water to 1 tablespoon red pepper flakes that has steeped until cool. You can also make a cage from chicken wire to keep squirrels out, but most of the time they can get through the cage. Rodents do not like daffodils so you are safe if that is all you plant.

It is always good to mark where you planted your bulbs so come spring, before they start to sprout, you don’t plant something else on top of them. Use a large Popsicle stick (you can either save them and wash them off or get new ones at the craft store) and carefully whittle the wood into a point at one end. Using a waterproof marker write what bulbs you have planted then spray with a waterproof protective spray that you can also find in the craft store. Insert the markers in the ground in the area where the bulbs are planted. If you have clustered your bulbs just make enough markers to go around in a circle of where they are planted.

The first bulbs that will sprout are winter aconite and snowdrops in the end of March. They are followed by the crocus then hyacinths and daffodils. Tulips will be the last to come up in the spring.

It is not a good idea to purchase bulbs before you can see them. Depending on the variety tulip and daffodil bulbs should be around 2 inches in diameter and if they aren’t they are probably first year bulbs. First years grow on the mature bulb and are removed after blooming. Normally these should be planted and have another season because it is rare that they will produce a flower. Most nurseries that sell bulbs will plant first years then dig them up to sell the next year. If the bulb is too small it generally will not flower but produce only leaves. Make sure you don’t end up with all first year bulbs or you’ll have to wait two years to get blooms.

Bulbs are a great way to enhance the landscaping of your yard after a dreary winter. They bring the landscape back to life and breathe a promise of warmer weather to come.