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You Can’t Beat Bulbs


 

By Paul James

Bulbs are a bargain. The biggest and best bargain in the world of gardening. Okay, so that’s a pretty bold statement. But it’s also pretty easy to back up. 

After all, no other plant on the planet gives you more bang for your buck than a single, solitary, spring-flowering bulb. Think about it: in most cases you shell out a buck or two per bulb and in a few months you wind up with a gorgeous flower that’ll return year after year for decades. And in that time all the plant requires is an occasional drink and maybe a light snack.

Spring-flowering bulbs are, in fact, among the most carefree plants you can grow, and they’re pretty much pest and disease free (unless gophers find them). They’re also a snap to plant with a trowel, mattock, auger bit, or specialty bulb planter. Once you get a rhythm going, you’ll be amazed at how fast you can get them in the ground.

Bulbs typically begin arriving a few weeks before the ideal planting time, and it pays to shop early to make sure you get what you want. Just store them in the garage in a paper bag and they’ll be fine for up to a month. As for planting times, bulbs that flower in spring must be planted in the fall  -- I usually start around the first week of October and finish by early November -- and there’s a reason for that. A very important reason.
 

The Chill Period

Spring-flowering bulbs must be exposed to temperatures of 40 to 45 degrees for 12 to 16 weeks or they won’t bloom. And lucky for us, that’s roughly the temperature range of our soils during winter. Of course, that’s also why folks in the south must store their bulbs in the refrigerator for the same length of time before planting. It’s also how you can “force” bulbs to bloom in pots indoors (although paperwhite narcissus don’t need to be chilled).
 

Daffodils

Daffodils are definitely my favorite of all spring-flowering bulbs. They come in a dizzying array of sizes, colors, and bloom periods, and they’re one of the few bulbs gophers won’t eat. Best of all, they spread, but in a good way, as in slowly but surely. And they rebloom dependably for decades, often outliving the gardener who planted them.
 
Only a few of the “bulbs” we plant are technically bulbs. Instead, they might be corms or tubers or rhizomes. But at the end of the day, names don’t matter much because we treat them all the same.
 

Tulips

And then there are tulips. There was a time when tulips weren’t my thing, largely because with the exception of the Darwin hybrids, they tend to behave as annuals. But I’ve changed my tune in recent years. After all, even if they don’t come back, they’re so spectacularly beautiful that having the opportunity to enjoy them for a few weeks is better than not enjoying them at all. Keep in mind that tulip bulbs are very susceptible to rot in wet soils, and daily watering with an automatic irrigation system can prove deadly.
 

Crocuses

I’m crazy about crocuses, which often flower in late winter, and are especially beautiful planted en masse beneath trees roughly three-inches apart in a random pattern, in either single or mixed colors. Although they’re small -- rarely growing six-inches tall -- their impact is anything but. And if they don’t flower on cloudy or rainy days, don’t panic. That’s just what they do.
 

Alliums

In recent years I’ve grown fond of the alliums for the big, bold, beautiful statements they make, and the pollinators they attract, including bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds. The really big ones produce softball-size flowers on strong, erect stems that are great for cutting. I assure you that if you plant these in your front beds, folks walking by will take notice.
 
Narcissus is the Latin or botanical name for daffodils, but the terms can be used synonymously.
 

Hyacinths

Strikingly colorful flowers and intoxicating fragrance combine to make hyacinths one of the best of all bulbs. And their foliage is especially attractive as well. Hyacinths are perennial -- typically reblooming for three to four years -- but the blooms tend to be smaller in subsequent years, which is why a lot of folks treat them as annuals, planting new bulbs every year.
 

Minor Players, Major Impact

There are also lots of so-called lesser or minor bulbs to consider as well, including Muscari (Grape Hyacinths), Fritillaries, Galanthus (Snowdrops), Leucojum (Summer Snowflake), Scilla (Siberian Squill), Puschkinia (Squill), and, my favorite, Camassia. If you’re planting bulbs anyway, you really should try a few of these not-so-well-known but beautiful bulbs.
 

Planting Depths

As a general rule, you should plant bulbs roughly two or three times their height, which means really large daffodils might need to be planted eight-inches deep, whereas most tulips (and smaller daffs) can be planted roughly six-inches deep, and smaller bulbs three-inches deep. But keep in mind that if you have heavily mulched beds, you should include the depth of the mulch when planting. And don’t forget to plant bulbs “pointy-side” up. If there’s no point, plant them roots down.
 

Soil

Spring-flowering bulbs tolerate a wide range of soil conditions, but whatever the soil type it needs to drain well to prevent the bulbs from rotting. You can improve drainage by prepping beds before planting with any number of different bagged, composted soil amendments.
 

Sun or Shade?

Nearly all bulbs need sun, but here’s the deal: when most bulbs are in bloom, deciduous trees have yet to produce leaves, so the area below them is generally sunny. And all bulbs planted in our area can handle a little afternoon sun.
 

Layering

Layering is a cool way to plant a variety of bulbs in the same space. Just dig an area to a depth of six inches and plant daffodils. Fill with two inches of soil and plant tulips. Then add another inch or so of soil and plant small bulbs such as crocus. And finally, top with an inch of mulch. 
 
Tulip flowers come in an amazing range of colors, from pure white to nearly black. However, there’s no such thing as a blue tulip.
 

Fertilization

Truth is, bulbs don’t need much fertilizer. Everything the plant needs to begin growth is stored in the bulb. However, once the foliage begins to emerge, you might want to use Espoma’s Bulb-tone to give the plants a nutrient boost. Bone meal, which for years has been applied to the soil at planting time, is primarily a source of phosphorus, and our soils already have plenty of that.
 

Watering Needs

Spring-flowering bulbs should be watered well after planting, but beyond that they don’t require regular watering unless we have an especially dry winter, in which case they should be watered every two weeks. During their bloom phase, plan on watering once a week.
 
Tip Of The Week

My favorite way to determine where to plant bulbs to achieve a natural look is to put them in a bag or bucket and toss them on the ground, planting each bulb where it falls.
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