Blooming Flower Bulbs
Flower bulbs provide a good investment for money spent and supply years of spring color in the garden. Fall is the prime time for planting of hardy spring flower bulbs. Most bulbs can be planted up till the ground freezes.
Properly preparing the soil for blooming flower bulb planting is important. Good soil drainage is essential in raising flower bulbs. If you have a soil with high clay content, it can be improved by adding compost, peat moss or some other type of organic matter. The organic matter should be worked into the first foot of soil, even deeper if you can.
Both spring and summer blooming flower bulbs need phosphorous to encourage root development. The phosphorous needs to be mixed in the soil that the blooming flower bulbs will be planted on, so it can be utilized by the flower bulb roots. Mix bonemeal or super phosphate with the soil in the lower part of the planting bed as it is being prepared.
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If blooming flower bulbs are going to be left in the planting bed over a year, it is important to supply additional fertilizer. Spring flower bulbs should have mixed into the soil in fall a mix of ten-ten-ten soluble fertilizer plus two cups of bonemeal per ten square feet. As soon as the shoots break through the soil in spring, repeat the above application of fertilizer. Do not fertilize flower bulbs after they start to flower, This tends to encourage the development of bulb rot an shortens the life of the flower.
Summer and fall blooming flower bulbs should be fertilized monthly from shoot emergence until plants are are in full bloom,
Before selecting the location to plant flower bulbs in the landscape, consider the light requirements of the plants. Doe's the blooming flower bulb require full sun, partial shade, or full shade. Since early spring flower bulbs bloom before most trees or shrubs leaf out, they can successfully be planted under trees and shrubs. Many summer blooming flower bulbs require full sun to partial shade.
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The general rule for planting spring blooming flower bulbs, is to plant two to three times as deep as the bulbs are tall. This means most large bulbs like tulips or daffodils will be planted about eight inches deep while smaller flower bulbs will be planted three to four inches deep. This rule doe's not apply to summer blooming flower bulbs that have varied planting requirements.
Tulips, daffodils, and hyacinths should be planted with the nose of the bulb upward and the root downward. The best method of planting is to dig and loosen the entire bed to the proper depth. Press the flower bulbs into the soil in the planting area and cover with soil.
Water the bulbs after planting. This will help settle the soil in the planting bed plus provide needed moisture for the bulbs to start rooting. Fall planted blooming flower bulbs must root before cold weather. Avoid over watering at planting time since this can result in bulb rot.
Blooming flower bulbs that bloom in spring, have foliage that remains after the blooms die off. The foliage can become unsightly if the flower bulbs are planted in a public area of the landscape. Foliage should not be mowed off until it turns yellow and dies back naturally. The plant needs the green leaves to manufacture food that is stored in the bulb for next year's growth.
