It’s not too late to plant spring-flowering bulbs here in the Northeast. The weather here in the Philadelphia region will climb into the mid-60s over the next few days. That means for busy gardeners who haven’t yet planted their bulbs, you now have a window of opportunity this weekend. Don’t regret it in March 2013 when color blooms all over the neighborhood, except in your garden. You can plant bulbs as long as you can get a hole in the ground; even in December if the soil is thawed. But don’t procrastinate until it’s too late; two or three days or nights with freezing temperatures will seal the soil for the winter.
If you don’t have the space; or you don’t want to plant bulbs in the ground because the animals dine on them; remember, there are deer-resistant bulbs to choose from; which include the deer-resistant and traditional daffodils and tulips. City gardeners can plant bulbs in containers or even a small or large pot by the front step by using method of lasagna layers. Just arrange them according to size; begin by placing the tallest bulbs in the middle, then place smaller bulbs on the outer perimeters of the soil in the pots. Once you’ve arranged the bulbs, carefully push them down into the fertile soil to the depth listed on the package by beginning with the taller bulbs in the middle of the pot and working towards the outer rim until they’re all buried under the soil. Once bulbs are down in the soil, add an inch or two of potting soil to the top of the planter to ensure proper depth and protection from winter. When the bulbs begin to get overcrowded from multiplying, you can transplant the bulbs to the garden or divide and transplant to another container. You can also plant bulbs in groups under trees, or plant masses along the edge of the woods.
Since the weather will only be warm this weekend through Monday, there’s not much time to do research; so stick with the basics. The most popular, traditional, and easy- to-plant bulbs are the spring blooming crocus, tulips, daffodils, and hyacinth. Most of these bulbs are still pretty easy to find your local garden center, and even grocery and hardware stores. Pay attention to the instructions on the bulb package for planting. Height at maturity is important, as well as, basic instructions on how to plant. Bulbs are very easy to plant (roots down). There are also links below with video instructions on how to plant each variety. For the best showing, plant in groups it’s much better to see a group of bulbs (even a group of five), rather than see one single bloom here and one bloom there.
Get out to your local garden nursery this weekend for the best selection of bulbs. Click on each spring-flowering bulb for a quick video on how to plant now for 2013 spring color. Enjoy the weather and happy gardening!
- tulips
- daffodils
- narcissus
- ranunculus
- puschkinia
- scilla
- ornithogalom
- grape hyacinth
- musari
- crocus
- allium
- colchicum,
- anemone
- fritillaria
- hyacinth
- iris
- squill
- amaryllis
- gloriosa lily
- desert candle,
- crown imperial
- crocosmia
- Asiatic
- oriental lilies
- chionodoxa
- aconites - eranthus
- snowdrops - galanthus
- Leucojum
Plant bulbs today for a brighter and more colorful tomorrow.
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