Planting Spring Bulbs in the Fall

Planting spring bulbs in the fall is my only consolation that summer is over. Earlier today I was certain that I would spend the today attacking closet organization. My motivation was weak at best and it totally dissolved when I remembered that I had purchased some daffodil bulbs at the hardware store this past weekend. The day was really too nice to spend inside so i made a token stab at organizing my front hall closet and then I changed into my gardening pants and clogs.

Although my yard is full of dormant bulbs that will surprise and delight me in the spring, each year I add a few more. I don't need to but I love the ritual. It's relaxing and exciting at the same time. It's like planting buried treasure. Every spring I make a few notes about what areas might need a few new bulbs and every fall I plant 1-2 dozen new bulbs.

A few years ago I gave up on tulips. If the tulip bulbs survive the squirrels and deer, they only tend to last a year or two. The beauty of the first year is not worth the funny sight of a lone stubborn tulip coming up year after year. Some people have better luck with tulips and their garden's are lovely. I have had poor luck with tulips and I have given up.

Of all the spring bulbs, my favorite is the daffodil. It is pretty, resilient, unappetizing to squirrels, and it multiplies. I believe daffodils are the bulbs that provide the most value for your dollar. As a result I always tend to add daffodils every fall. Of course, I don't limit myself to daffodils. I also try to plant a small patch of a new type of bulb each year. If the new variety of bulb works well I add to it the following year. I have not yet chosen the "new" bulb for 2009.

The soil in my garden is fairly rich. I compost regularly and try to amend the soil every year. That being said I never plant a bulb without a pinch of blood meal and bone meal. The blood meal keeps animals away and the bone meal gives it an energy kick in subsequent years.

The internet is a wealth of information on planting spring bulbs. Certain bulbs need sun, others will fair ok in the shade. Some spring bulbs can be planted in September while others do better if planted just before the first hard freeze. I am attaching a link to the BBC site on planting bulbs .

Once you start planting spring bulbs you will be hooked. It is a fun and inexpensive hobby and it pays out in beautiful dividends in the springtime. I find that planting bulbs is all about being house proud.

Spring Bulbs

Be house proud by adding some outside colour to your springtime garden. To me not much is as exciting as watching my spring bulbs take on a life of their own. The colourful display starts in the middle of April and continues through until the end of June. During this period my garden changes from small dots of purple to areas of yellow to shades of red and then back to large flashes of purple. And the best thing about spring bulbs is that the beauty tends to multiply.

My first hint of spring are the hundreds of crocuses that poke their pretty heads through the melting snow and ice. Although crocuses are a favorite treat of squirrels I have managed to keep 30 or 40 returning every spring. Of course, this means I need to replenish from time to time.

The crocuses are accompanied by sweet little snow drops and some blue and white sqills. After the smaller bulbs are finishing the first act, the daffodils take over. Daffodils are my favorite of all spring bulbs for many reasons. They are durable and they multiply and spread faster than other types of bulbs which makes them a great investment. After a few years 7 daffodils can easily become a patch of 20 daffodils. Perhaps the feature I like best about daffies is that squirrels do not appear to like them much. This means that all of my hard work will be rewarded year after year.

There are literally hundreds of different types of daffodils. Some are yellow, some are white, some are orange, and some are pink. Others like my favorite variety called Tahiti are yellow with orange centres. Some varietals are miniatures that only reach about 6 inches while others are considered giants and almost reach 2 feet tall. The other wonderful aspect of daffodils is that different types bloom at different times during the spring. These are characterized as early, mid, or late bloomers. If planned properly a single yard can have a succession of different colours blooming at different points of the Spring with just using daffodils.

My other favorites include muscari and hyacinths and tulips and iris. Muscari and Irises are unappetizing to squirrels and multiply wildly which is a double benefit. A bed of combined yellow daffodils and purple muscari is beautiful. Hyacinths are very pretty and have a wonderful and unmistakable aroma. Tulips can be breathtaking but are prone to being squirrel lunch.

You will be rewarded by any bulb you decide to plant. The best time to plant bulbs is in late September to late October. Some types of tulips can be safely planted right up until the first hard frost of November. To give your bulbs a bit of energy for subsequent blooming in years to come add a pinch of bone meal to the planting hole. to give the bulb some protection from deer, squirrels and other bulb eating marauders also add a pinch of blood meal to the planting hole.

Spring bulbs are a wonderful way of showing your neighbors and your community that you care about your environment and are house proud.