While it is best to buy your bulbs now when the selection is best, it is too early to plant them. Wait and plant them when the soil starts to cool down but before the ground freezes, usually around September and October. Spring blooming bulbs, like tulips, must be planted in the fall because they require a long cool period to start rooting and to stimulate the blooming process. Most tulips, and many other bulb varieties, need at least 6 to 8 weeks of cold weather before they will bloom properly.
If you need to store them until you are ready to plant, keep your bulbs cool and dry, out of direct sunlight. Store them in cardboard boxes or in paper bags. Do not store your bulbs in plastic bags because they may rot. You may store your bulbs in a 38 to 40 degree F refrigerator, but do not put them in the freezer.
Prepare the soil before planting. Bulbs will rot in heavy or overly wet soils. Bulbs perform best in a fertile, well-drained soil, rich in organic matter. Till one or two inches of soil pep, compost, or well-rotted manure into the soil 12 inches deep.
When buying bulbs, check for firm, healthy specimens free of rot or soft spots. Larger bulbs produce larger, stronger blossoms the first year. After the first year, the size and number of blossoms depends on how well you fertilize and take care of your bulb gardens.
Plant them according to the accompanying instructions, or plant them in the soil at a depth three times the bulb’s height. All the nutrients the bulbs need to bloom the first year are already stored inside the bulb. Bulbs can be fertilized with commercial fertilizers such as 4-8-4 or 5-10-5.
Water your bulb garden thoroughly soon after planting your bulbs. The first watering is very important to help the bulbs settle properly. Once the bulbs are planted and watered they do not need much more water until spring because of the natural fall and winter moisture. If there is not much natural precipitation in the fall, you may need to water your bulbs occasionally until frost.
Water bulb gardens regularly once the bulbs start to bloom until the leaves start to turn yellow. Don't water bulb gardens very much after the leaves turn yellow and die. If you keep bulbs too wet during the summer many bulbs will start to rot.
Perhaps the most common mistake gardeners make trying to grow bulbs is removing the leaves too soon after blooming. The plants need 6 to 8 weeks of growth after they finish blooming to produce enough food for the bulb to produce a blossom next year. If you cut off the leaves too soon the bulb will not have stored enough food for next year. Your bulbs may produce very small flowers the next spring, or they may not bloom at all. You can cut off the flower stems near the ground as soon as the flowers fade. Do not remove the leaves until the foliage has fully yellowed. When you plant your bulbs, consider planting a few spring blooming perennials as companion plants to your bulbs. Planting companion plants along with the bulbs will help camouflage the fading foliage so they are not as noticeable during this stage.
Enjoy your beautiful bulb garden this upcoming spring and thank you for consulting us at Utah State University Extension.
JoDeane Condrat
Horticulture Assistant
extension.usu.edu
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