hope
eternal
By Melissa Erickson
As the leaves start to turn , people with green thumbs start to think about next year ’ s garden . If you want brightly colored flowers to welcome warmer weather after the cold winter , fall is the time to plant spring bulbs . Some tips from the experts :
Go for quality When buying , look for a bulb that looks healthy : “ No mold , no rot , no shriveling , no mush and should be fairly heavy for the size of the bulb . In other words , if a large bulb is lightweight , it ’ s probably dried out inside and shouldn ’ t be planted ,” said Diane Blazek , executive director , All-America Selections , National Garden Bureau . “ But , if you buy from a reputable source and not a fly-by-night mail order company , you should be OK .” It ’ s also good to find out which bulbs multiply and naturalize versus which don ’ t , she said .
Three times deep “ For planting depth , a good guide is three times the height of the bulb . So if it ’ s a 2-inch-high bulb , you plant it 6 inches deep ,” Blazek said . “ As for watering , common sense can prevail . They are outdoor bulbs so you will likely get enough rainfall , but if you ’ re in a drought , you will need to water .” Remember : Pointy side up . The root side goes down .
When depends on where The time to plant bulbs depends on where you live . “ Further south may not get cold enough for spring flowering bulbs . If that ’ s the case , they will need to buy pre-chilled bulbs and plant them later . For northerners , plant in the fall ( September / October ) after the ground has cooled ,” said Blazek , who knows people who have even waited until November or December to successfully plant bulbs even though the ground was pretty hard .
Avoid soggy soil While bulbs aren ’ t too fussy about what kind of soil they ’ ll grow in , they require welldrained soil . “ Like a potato , bulbs will rot in soggy soil ,” said Kathleen LaLiberte , content manager , Longfield Gardens .
Continuous color For color throughout summer , plant a variety of bulbs that will bloom at different times .
“ For spring-flowering bulbs , choose both early- and late-blooming varieties . For summer bloomers , plant those that say ‘ late season ’ and ‘ summer ,’ then add in fall bloomers for a long bloom time ,” Blazek said .
Make an impact For a big burst of color , “ don ’ t be stingy ,” LaLiberte said . “ Instead of buying 10 of this , 10 of this and 10 of that , plant 25 of one kind , because bulbs look best when planted in bunches ,” she said . “ Plant in bulk ,” Blazek agreed .
Go organic “ Don ’ t plant bulbs one-by-one in a row like soldiers . They look best en masse and clumped ,” Blazek said . “ Plant in organic shapes rather than perfect circles , squares or rows . Natural shapes like a loose oval look like nature planted them , not you ,” LaLiberte said .
Keep away critters “ Be aware that mice , squirrels and other critters do like a tasty bulb . So , look for types that are distasteful ( like daffodils ) or plant the bulbs in a wire mesh ‘ cage ’ to prevent disappointment ,” Blazek said . ❇❇
12 • 2017 Fall Vermont Home , Garden & Car