Successfully Planting Beautiful Bulbs

Bulbs have far wider uses than many people realize: you can grow them in borders, flower beds and containers, and also naturalize them in grass and under trees. Unlike any other plant, they are virtually guaranteed to flower, at least in the first year, unless harmed by animals or pests.

The first bulbs to be planted in American gardens was the tulip. Tulip bulbs were first brought to America by Dutch colonists who settled in the northeastern part of the country. The popularity of these flowers in those communities is obvious from the prevalence of the tulip in Pennsylvania Dutch designs from that period. It is also interesting to note that the name "Tulip” is derived from the name for the Turkish hat, the turban.

Planting and Fertilizing Bulbs

Avoid planting bulbs that have cuts, bruises or slimy skin, as they are likely to rot in the soil. This is a common cause of bulbs that seem to 'disappear' after planting. Mice, squirrels and other animals may dig up and eat flower bulbs. You can deter these carnivores by placing prickly leaves (such as holly) into the planting hole above the bulbs to discourage digging. Another method is to cover clumps of bulbs with chicken wire, buried a few inches below the soil. Bulb leaves and flowers will make their way through the wire with no problem, and it should put off predators.

All bulbs need phosphate and potash fertilizers rather than nitrogen, so apply bonemeal before planting, and fork it well into the soil. The correct depth for planting is important - many bulbs are planted too close to the surface. Because of this, they will probably flower the first year, however, it may be several years before they flower again. As a general rule, plant bulbs so they have twice their own depth of soil above them. This means digging a hole three times the depth of the bulb.

Using a bulb planter is useful for planting bulbs. Some bulb planters have depth markings on them, which is a great help. If you have one that does not have this feature, use a permanent marker pen to illustrate the required depth.

After a fall planting, bulbs spend the winter forming roots; the foliage of most species do not appear until spring. During this time, make sure that you don't accidently damage the bulbs by careless hoeing. It makes sense to mark clumps of bulbs when you plant them.

Maintenance of Your Bulb Plants

In the late spring, after they finish flowering, remove deadheads. Around this time, feed with a high phosphate bulb fertilizer which will help build up the size of the bulb next year. Underfed bulbs actually shrink in size from one season to the next, and small bulbs do not have the capacity to produce flowers. Hence, the importance of feeding.

Allow at least six weeks between the end of flowering and the cutting down of foliage - this is when the leaves are manufacturing plant food, which goes into recharging the bulbs and forming next year’s embryo flower buds. Many people tie the foliage of daffodils into knots to tidy up the border, but by doing this it will prevent the leaves from sending down nutrients to the bulb to build it up for the following season.

Some type of bulbs need to be lifted in the fall. Tulips, for example, can rot if left in the ground over winter. Daffodils on the other hand like being left undisturbed.

Bulbs make extremely beautiful showings in your garden, and bring much needed color to announce the spring. Whatever bulb species you decide to plant, with a little maintenance and care they are sure to bring years of vivid color, floral scents and pleasure to your household.

Article courtesy of Goorganicgardening.com, a blog full of natural gardening tips for all seasons. Read about bulbs, flowers, vegetable garden, seeds and composting basics. Also offers a book on organic gardening.