When we think about bulbs, we immediately think tulips but there are many varieties of bulbs that you can plant in your garden. Yes, tulips are a much loved flower that most people like and enjoy but if you want an awesome display of gorgeous flowers plant different varieties of bulbs. The beauty of planting bulbs is that once you plant them they will come back every year so it is cost effective and saves you lots of time.

 

If you are new to planting bulbs, here is a list of some of my favorites and some of the most beloved bulbs that you can plant. Fist, watch this quick video, courtesy of youtube:

Gladiolus

This type of bulb you can plant in mid-spring and continue planting more until about mid-July. And yes, you will get flowers all summer long. Bulbs that are planted in the spring require that you lift them up in the fall and store for protection. But you can also get hardy gladiolus and you can plant these in the fall for late spring to early summer blooming. With hardy gladiolus, there is no need to lift them in the fall but you will need to mulch over the winter months for protection.

Crocus

There are many species of crocus so do some research before buying some. These are known for being one of first spring flower to appear in your garden even when snow is still in the ground. Plant crocus in the fall in an area that gets some sun and part shade.

Alliums

These are very easy to grow and adapt well to any type of soil. Alliums are great because they continue giving you color in your garden way after the spring flowering bulbs begin to fade. Keep them in your garden while waiting for summer flowers to appear. By the way, alliums also make great dried flower arrangements.

Iris

This is one of my favorite bulbs and the Dutch iris should be planted in early fall. The bearded iris should be planted from July through September in order to allow enough time for the flowers to become established before the winter months arrive. The Japanese iris likes sunny locations and also high soil moisture so be sure to feed it throughout the growth period.

Hyacinths

Another favorite of mine and it belongs to the lily family. Hyacinths are very fragrant and easy to grow. For an awesome look in your garden, plant hyacinths near tulips, pansies, primroses and daffodils. These are also very easy to grow in pots and you can force them to grow and bloom indoors. Once you get flowers from your hyacinths indoors, be sure to transplant it into your garden.

Daffodils

Love these! Daffodils are known for being easy to grow and blooming for many years with little care and maintenance. These can be planted anywhere like hillsides, near trees, and empty fields. Just throw a whole bunch of daffodil bulbs in an area and wherever they land, plant them. They will come back every year and bloom beautifully.

Tulips

Everyone’s favorite! Perennial tulips are very special because they will come back every year. So when buying tulip bulbs, do look for the perennial ones and not a hybrid so you can have them for years to come. This is another bulb that can be grown in containers indoors. Just follow the instructions that come with your bulb purchase. Many gardeners plant their tulip bulbs in November in full sun but do follow instructions for best results.

Here are some other flower gardening sites that I found for you to browse. Thanks for visiting Best Flower Gardening!

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As I mentioned on my previous article about spring bulbs, you have until the first frost in your area to plant them. If you ordered and received your desired bulbs, it is time to plant them. You will notice that the bulbs you receive will be dormant which is normal but you should plant them right away in your garden. If you cannot plant them as soon as possible, open the package they came in and let them get some air, place them in an area without direct sunlight and make sure the room is cool at all times. Another idea is to place them in the fridge until you are ready to plant them.

Nutrient rich soil is essential for your bulbs to thrive but make sure there is good drainage also. Although bulbs, like any other perennial, need lots of water it is necessary for the soil to drain properly. Take a good look at the soil in your garden and if you see water that just sits there add some more soil to the area. You can also put in a layer of gravel below the surface of the soil to promote good drainage. All of this can be done for your spring flowering bulbs but summer blooming ones are not really fussy about the soil as long as the soil is loose and has enough nutrients to help the bulbs thrive.

One of the questions most people ask when planting bulbs for the first time is which end of the bulb goes up. If the bulbs you ordered have pointed tips, or sprouts on the upper sides, (tulips, daffodils, tubers and rhizomes are included here) be sure to plant them with the tips or sprouts on top facing upward. It is through those tips or sprouts that the plants begin to grow. If you purchased bulbs like anemones or poppy, you will notice that the bulbs are much smaller and don’t really have a tip or sprout. These bulbs can be planted in any direction. Watch this youtube video to see how easy it is to plant bulbs.

Many gardeners believe that planting bulbs in masses is the best method for outstanding results. I do agree with that theory because planting them in masses gives you a gorgeous display of flowers when in full bloom. Survey your garden area and space bulbs according to their size. For example, tulips and daffodils are considered large bulbs and should be spaced at least 3 to 6 inches apart. If you have small bulbs like snowdrops or crocus, space them 1 to 2 inches apart. If you are trying mass planting for an entire bed, you can spade the whole area and then dig out at least 8” of soil from the bed.

Once your bulbs are planted, be sure to water them as this will help the soil to settle and provide moisture. One thing to remember is that bulbs that are planted in the fall must root before cold weather hits your area. It is recommended that you plant your bulbs when the soil temperature is about 60 degrees Fahrenheit at a depth of about 6 inches. Place the bulbs on top of the bed and cover them with soil. You can also plant small groups of bulbs by simply using a garden tool like a trowel and digging a hole a bit larger than the bulb and covering it with soil. For best results, do read the instructions that come with your bulbs!

 

Here are some other flower gardening sites that I found for you to browse. Thanks for visiting Best Flower Gardening!

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It is that time of the year when you need to plant your spring flowering bulbs now in order to have flowers in the spring. Now, you also need to be aware that not all bulbs are made equal. Before ordering or buying bulbs, you need to do some planning in order to figure out how you want your garden to look in the spring. The idea here is to plant bulbs that flower at different times to ensure that you have color at all times.

Keep in mind that although bulbs are considered to be perennials, they also must have a period of dormancy where they die back at the end of each growing season. The end of growing season for spring flowering bulbs is late spring or early summer. The bulbs will go into the dormancy stage but will start to grow again in the fall and flower the following growing season. This is why planting bulbs is a great investment for money spent because you will have gorgeous flowers and color for years to come. Watch this short video courtesy of youtube:

Another thing to remember is that bulbs of all varieties do come in various shapes and heights and a well planned garden area will allow you to have an array of colorful flowers for months. Fall is the time to plant hardy bulbs for spring flowering and most can be planted until the ground starts to freeze. My advice here is to not wait until the real cold weather hits your area to plant the bulbs. Do it now and get over with! As long as you follow the instructions that are included when you receive your order of bulbs, you should be okay.

When planning your bulb garden area, be sure that it is a sunny location and there is no grass or ground cover in the area. The beauty of a bulb flower bed is to plant lots of bulbs. It is not advisable to plant just one straight row of bulbs as this will look sparse and will not give your garden the definition it deserves. So what you want to do is plant lots of them and be sure to not follow a linear design. If you are dealing with a small area, plant them in clumps of five or more. This will give you an attractive garden especially when planting tulips, daffodils or hyacinths.

Stay tuned for my next article where we will talk about the various types of bulbs that flower at different times so you can have color in your garden at all times.

Here are some other flower gardening sites that I found for you to browse. Thanks for visiting Best Flower Gardening!

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Let’s face it, we all have people in our lives that are impossible to buy for. With Christmas right around the corner, if you have someone that you just can’t find that perfect gift for, give them some flowering bulbs. This is a gift that they will have for years to come as bulbs do come back every year and they will always remember you with fond memories.

Christmas is a time for giving and now you can order some bulbs at incredible prices. For example, Breck’s which is a very reputable bulb company is offering 25% discount on selected bulbs for Christmas. They have lots of bulbs to choose from in their Holiday Collection but you have to hurry and order by December 15th to lock in your savings.

These bulbs come from Holland and Breck’s uses the most efficient way to ship them to you via US Parcel Service or United Parcel Service. They guarantee that all of their holiday gift items ordered before December 15th will be delivered by Christmas Eve. So hurry and get your order in for all those special people on your list. Here are a few of the bulbs in their collection.

Twinkle Twinkle Holiday Star Amaryllis
This gorgeous red amaryllis is known as the Star of Holland because of its dramatic white star in the center of each bloom. Amaryllis is truly a traditional symbol of the holiday season and you can expect to get 6-8 flowers that measure 8″ across from 1-bulb planter.

Sleigh Bell Daffodil
Daffodils are an old time favorite of many people and very easy to grow. Sleigh Bell Daffodil produces multiple blooms per stem of beautiful soft yellow flowers that are accented by a darker cup. It has very sturdy stems that grow up to 10″ tall. In this collection, you will get 3 potted bulbs in a 4″ pot that comes wrapped in green foil and produces 18-21 blooms. (photo courtesy: Breck’s)

Christmas Charm Hyacinth
This is another old time favorite and heavenly fragrant. Christmas Charm Hyacinth produces hundreds of tiny florets and one stem is enough to perfume a whole room. It has strong stems and lavender bell flowers with white markings and you can get 3 potted bulbs in a 6″ pot wrapped in green foil. These bulbs are already sprouted so you can have flowers in just a few weeks.

Go ahead and get your order in to arrive just in time for the holidays. You will have peace of mind knowing that you’ve purchased your bulbs from a very reputable company like Breck’s.

Here are some other flower gardening sites that I found for you to browse. Thanks for visiting Best Flower Gardening!

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