Plant Bulbs in fall for a great show in the spring

After a long, cold, grey winter there is nothing better than the bright and sunny display that spring bulbs provide.  This year we are offering a beautiful selection of the most popular tulips, daffodils and allium to help you create a stunning display for your early spring garden.  

TIPS FOR TULIP PLANTING

• Tulips perform best in full sun to partial shade
• Plant tulips when temperatures have cooled in your area in fall. Once your daytime temperatures are in the 60’s or lower consistently, this is a good time to plant your tulips. 
• Tulips require 12-16 weeks of consistent temperatures below 50 degrees in winter in order to produce a flower bud; tulips are best suited to cold climates. 
• Adequate drainage is essential to the health of your tulips. Amend your soil with top soil and organic matter such as compost, manure, leaf mold or peat moss prior to planting. After you have amended your soil, it should be light and easy to work with. 
• Fertilizer and help protect your bulbs from those nasty squirrels with Acti-Sol Hen Manure
• Tulips should be planted at least 6-8” deep with the pointed side of the tulip facing towards the sky. Dig the planting hole 12” deep so you can add fertilizer to the bottom of the hole. After adding fertilizer back fill with 3-4” of soil, plant your bulbs, then back fill with remaining soil. 
• Space tulips 4-6” apart when planting individual bulbs. For mass planting and brilliant bursts of color in the garden, plant the bulbs 2-3” apart in bouquet planting groups, trenches and garden beds. 
• Immediately after planting, water the tulip planting area. This helps to eliminate air pockets in the soil. After the initial planting, it is not necessary to provide any supplemental water to the area. In spring once the tulips have emerged you may water as necessary, although spring rains often make providing additional water unnecessary. 
• Apply a layer a 2” layer of mulch in late fall.

TIPS FOR PLANTING DAFFODILS

WHEN TO PLANT DAFFODILS

• Plant daffodil bulbs in the fall—about 2 to 4 weeks before the ground freezes. See local frost dates and get more tips on planting fall bulbs.

CHOOSING AND PREPARING A PLANTING SITE

• Select a site that offers full sun or partial sun, at the least. Daffodils will bloom best when given adequate exposure to early spring sunshine!
• Most daffodils tolerate a range of soils but grow best in moderately fertile, well-drained soil that is kept moist during the growing season. They are susceptible to rot when kept too wet, so make sure that you plant them in a well-draining spot.
• Many of the popular species prefer neutral to acidic soils, but some prefer slightly alkaline soils, so consult the supplier of your bulbs to see which is best for your daffodil variety.
• Over time, daffodils will produce new, “daughter” bulbs that are attached to the main bulb which you planted originally. This results in nice little clumps of daffodils that stay relatively contained to where you planted them.

HOW TO PLANT DAFFODILS

• Select high-quality daffodil bulbs that have not been dried out. The larger the bulb, the better.
• Plant bulbs 1-½ to 5 times their own depth. Where winters are severe, make sure there are at least 3 inches of soil covering the bulb.
• Daffodils will tolerate some crowding, but they prefer to be spaced about 3 to 6 inches apart.
• It may help to sprinkle a little bulb fertilizer in the hole during planting. Learn more about preparing soil for planting.
• Resist the temptation to uncover spring-flowering plants such as daffodils and tulips. You can loosen mulch, but the shoots will still benefit from protection against cold, drying winds in early spring.
• Daffodils contain something called oxalic acid—a substance that makes them unpalatable to most rodent pests. However, if yours are being bothered, consider adding sharp sharp pieces of shells or a pelleted rodent deterrent into and around each planting hole.