Last night during dinner I excitedly told my husband about an event that I had recently learned about. I thought it would be something fun for us to do together. He looked at me quizzically “What did you say?” I replied “There is a Tulip festival in Spring Grove! We should go on Sunday, it sounds so fun!” Dejectedly he replied “Oh, I thought you said Tool Festival, something I might enjoy.”
Spring blooming bulbs are a passion of mine. They are nothing short of miraculous. They are planted in the fall and then for years, even decades, they reliably bloom adding a kaleidoscope of colors to the landscape. Full disclosure, most of these gardening columns are meant to be informative perhaps even educational. This column, is different, it is meant to be persuasive. Want to add a little joy to your life and the lives of your neighbors? Plant spring blooming bulbs!
Crocuses are one of the very first bulbs to bloom in the spring. It is not unusual for the yellow, white and purple colors of crocus to be highlighted by fresh fallen white snow. They grow about 6” tall so consider planting them near a sidewalk of the front of a planting bed. Because they routinely bloom in March, they are best planted where they will be visible from either the street or from inside the home.
“A house with daffodils in it, is a house lit up whether or no the sun be shining outside” said A. A. Milne. The six petals of daffodils are traditionally yellow or white. They are best when planted in full sun to partial shade. Over time a single daffodil bulb will develop ‘daughter’ bulbs and clumps of flowers will appear. Squirrels usually avoid digging up daffodil bulbs and deer avoid eating them. As A. A. Milne so appropriately said, the daffodil flowers make a wonderful, easy to pick bouquet either to place on your kitchen table or give to a family member.
My own kitchen has been filled with the fragrance of hyacinth bulbs for the past ten days. The thick, short stems on hyacinth support a spike type flower that really packs a punch of color and fragrance. The color range of hyacinth includes white, blue and pink. Although the timing of spring blooms varies from year to year, they are usually flowering for most of the month of April. Only growing about 10” tall, they are best suited at the front of planting borders or near a sidewalk.
Probably the most versatile spring blooming bulb is the tulip. Tulips varieties vary by height, color and bloom time. In order to achieve the most color in your yard consider planting early, mid and late season tulip bulbs. Triumph tulips are one of the largest groups of tulips are prized for the variety of colors available. Fringed tulips certainly live up to their name with their gorgeous petals with finely cut fringes all along the edge. Double tulips tend to have long lasting blooms and resemble peonies.
Snowdrops, grape hyacinth, fritillaria and Siberian squill are three lesser known but beautiful early blooming bulbs. They bulbs themselves are very small and easy to plant.
Planting bulbs is best done in September or October. I tend to plant by the naturalization method. I toss a handful of bulbs in the general area where I want them, and plant them where they land. The general rule of thumb of planting is to dig the hole twice as deep as the bulbs are tall. Ideally the pointed portion of the bulb is planted upward. In reality, though, bulbs have something called geotropism. This allows them to send their shoots up towards the top of the soil and the roots downwards. Bulb booster can be mixed into the soil when planting. Spreading 1-2” of mulch over the bulb planting area will help to minimize the temperature fluctuation and retain moisture in the soil. If you are concerned that squirrels might dig up the bulbs, they can be soaked in a liquid animal repellent product prior to being planted.
The food source for bulbs is their leaves. After the bulb is done blooming, the energy that is contained in the leaves is absorbed back into the bulb to insure a strong bulb for the following growing season. Ideally, let the foliage of the bulb die back before raking or cutting the foliage. This allows the leaves to go through a process of photosynthesis while furnishing the bulbs with enough energy to make it through the growing season and produce flowers the following year.
Want the color and fragrance of bulbs but don’t want to dig in the dirt? Consider forcing bulbs inside your home. Hyacinth bulbs are easily forced in water. First place hyacinth bulbs in a paper bag in your refrigerator. Try to keep them away from any fruit. After 12 weeks, place them in a hyacinth bulb vase filled with water in a bright, but indirect light area. Periodically change the water as necessary. Watch as the roots start to fill the vase and the shoot starts to emerge out of the bulb.
Sometimes bulbs are planted as part of a seasonal display that includes summer blooming annual flowers as well as fall foliage. Bulbs are often available to Sun City residents for free. Make sure to watch your weekly email for more information. If you are able to pick up these free bulbs, store them in a paper or mesh bag(s) until they can be planted this fall. Place the bulbs in a cool, dry, dark place such as a basement or garage.
Although the jury is still out on whether or not Chris will join me at Richardson Farm for the Tulip festival, as it is a dog friendly event, I do know that Lucky, our English springer spaniel is looking forward to attending. For more information about the event check out their website at www.richardsonadventurefarm.com or by calling 815-675-9729.
Kathleen Carr is the owner of The Growing Scene, Inc., a landscaping company. She can be reached by calling 815-923-7322 or emailing her at Kathleen@thegrowingscene.com. Have a gardening question? Please contact her. She may address it in an upcoming column.
