Planting Fall Bulbs for Your Spring Garden
Planting Fall Bulbs for Your Spring Garden
Fall is the time to plant your bulbs. If you put in the work now and you will enjoy a beautiful garden this spring. As an added bonus, gardeners can take advantage of the cooler weather and enjoy planting without boiling in the summer sun. The cooler weather also allows spring blooming bulbs to winter over and helps provides beautiful spring blooms. It’s a win-win all around!
Here are some tips for when, where and how to plant your spring blooming bulbs:
When to Plant Bulbs
Bulbs should be planted as soon as the ground is cool, when evening temperatures are between 40-50 degrees F. If you are in a warmer climate, you can pre-chill your bulbs by placing the bulb pages in the refrigerator for 6-8 weeks, taking care to keep them away from fruits, like apples. Once they are chilled, plant your bulbs at the coldest time of the year.
Where to Plant Bulbs
You can plant bulbs anywhere in your garden that has well drained soil. Avoid areas where water collects, such as the bottom of hills. Bulbs like the sun and since they bloom in the spring, consider areas where you have trees that won’t have a heavy leaf canopy in the spring.
How to Plant Bulbs
- Dig the soil so it’s loose and easy to work in. If you are creating a new bed, be sure to add some organic matter such as compost or peat moss.
- Dig to a depth of at least 8”. Remove any debris, rocks or weeds. You can add in soil amendments if your soil lacks nutrients.
- Plant big bulbs at 8” deep and small bulbs at 5 inch deep. Set the bulb pointy side up, roots down. If you can’t figure out which end is which, plant the bulb on its side so the flower can still find its way above the soil.
- Fill the hole and lightly compact the soil but do not pack it. Water to stimulate root growth but don’t continuously water unless you live in an area with low precipitation in the winter months. Incorporate a small handful of bonemeal into the backfill soil to get the roots off to a good start.
Putting in a little time this fall will ensure you have a beautiful, blooming garden come spring.