Plan now for your Spring blooming bulbs

It’s not too early to start planning your yard for spring. As a matter of fact, now is exactly the time to start plotting  (and then planting) what bulbs you want blooming in your garden come spring and summer. Some of the most beautiful flowers that bloom each spring—daffodils, tulips, and Dahlias, for example—need to be planted in the fall in order to give them enough time to bloom in the spring. So how can you get the best results from your bulbs to have a stunning yard next year?

• Selecting high quality spring bulbs is very important because the flower bud has already developed before the bulb is offered for sale. Size is important. Look for plump, firm bulbs. Also check the root base to make sure this area is firm and intact.
• Choose your bulbs on the basis of color and flower size for specific purposes. For example, small ones create a natural look and large ones stand out as specimen plants.
• The most reliable tulips are the Darwin hybrids and species tulips such as Linifolia and Tarda. These tulips tend to live much longer and truly perennialize in the garden rather than many of the other cultivars that will live for a few years and then die off.

• Check the temperature. When you’re planting your bulbs, you need to make sure the soil temperature is cool enough. Bulbs are at their happiest when the soil temperature is between 40 and 50 degrees Fahrenheit. A good rule of thumb is to wait for the first frost, which in Maryland is usually in later october or early November.
• Watch for sunlight. Bulbs like the sun, so when you’re planting them, plan in advance for the spring. Make sure your plants will get good sunlight! That mostly means avoiding the shadows of your house and other landscaping features. Since most trees won’t have leaves when your bulbs sprout, you won’t have to worry too much about tree cover being an issue. 
• Check for moisture. Plants like to stay dry! When planting your bulbs, make sure you have soil that drains well. If not, the bulbs could rot and not sprout.

More tips for bulb planting our area: extension.umd.edu/hgic/topics/bulbs

For a listing of Bulb Companies check out:  pegplant.com/bulb-companies/

See examples of naturalizing and perennializing bulbs in the Mid Atantic region:
www.gardenia.net/guide/best-spring-bulbs-for-the-mid-atlantic-coastal-region


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