Spring Bulb Planting Tips

In the New England States we are awash with the glorious multi-colored coat that Mother Nature is wearing as Autumn’s peak colors cascade down from the mountain heights to the sea. Alas, the curtain will come down on this annual feast for the eyes all too soon and the colors will fade to the white of snow-covered slopes and the gray of frozen lakes. Enjoy Father Winter when he comes, but now is the time to anticipate the colors of Spring!

Timing is Everything

Six weeks before the ground freezes is a good time to tuck into the ground the bulbs that will burst forth with splashes of color to brighten your yard after a long barren winter.

Sources for Spring Bulbs

Crocus, daffodil, tulip and other spring bulbs are in generous supply from a wide range of sources. If you search for Holland Bulbs on the internet you will find a host of sites offering bulbs from the Netherlands. Most of the websites are for distributors of Holland bulbs in the USA. (www.netherlandbulb.com; www.bulbsdirect.com; www.HollandFlora.com; www.Burpee.com) You can also go to your local garden nursery, a big box building supply outlet or even a discount store to find satisfactory bulbs. Always remember that for the biggest and most appealing blooms — bigger is better. The bulbs you plant should be at least an inch and a half in diameter.

We have always enjoyed seeing the first crocuses poke their heads through the snow on the sunny south side of our home, which is also the front of the house. Soon afterward the nearby daffodils, prodded upward through the snow by the warmth of the sun’s rays on the house foundation, lift their cheery faces to the sun. Gradually the colorful tulips join the chorus of spring blossoms, as the neighborhood is transformed from Winter to Spring.

The Problem with Bulbs

But alas, this extravaganza of color must pass as the blooms fade and die just as the Autumn leaves were destined to fall, leaving only the fading stems and fronds. We know that it is important to retain the foliage attached to the bulbs to feed them in anticipation of the next blooming season. Without their blooms, though, the plants become an eyesore and take up space where annuals wait to be planted.

The simple bulb planting trick we use protects them from rodents of all persuasions and allows us to nurture the spring bulbs for future blooming without detracting from our summer garden.

The Solution to the Problem

When preparing beds of Spring blooms, we gather together the many wide-brimmed plastic pots that we have accumulated through seasons of purchasing plants. After cleaning them with a light solution of bleach water, we layer the bottom of each pot with two inches of garden loam. In each pot we plant 7-8 bulbs to lay the foundation for a spring bouquet. We mark the pots to indicate the color of the expected blooms so that we will be able to create a pleasing and varied display in the front yard.

After placing the pots about our property to maximize their effect when they bloom, we dig holes to accommodate the depth of the pots. We then set them in the holes and top off the pots with loam and a little bone meal on top before watering. In some of the pots we insert a handful of crocus bulbs for added effect.

When we are ready to replace the faded spring blooms with annual plants, we simply lift the pots from the ground and set them in a ditch dug in a secluded part of the garden where the bulbs feed on their stems and grow fat until the Fall.

Always Think Spring!

As the Autumn foliage once again peaks, we turn out the pots and start all over again as we once again Think Spring!