As long as they’re planned and planted correctly,

spring bulbs will provide a beautiful color show next

year with a minimum of maintenance requirements.

In general, the planting window for spring bulbs is

from mid-September to mid-October, which gives the

bulbs enough time to grow roots before the ground

freezes. The different types of bulbs include tulip, ra-

nunculus, daffodil, iris, ipheion, anemone and ixia.

Choosing a planting site

Warmth and bright light are necessary to trigger

good growth in the spring. Ideally, the planting site

will be sheltered from cold winds, and low-lying areas

that tend to collect frost should be avoided. The

planting site should also receive lots of direct sun-

light, both to encourage spring flowering and to help

the plants manufacture and store food for the follow-

ing year’s growth cycle. Planted in the right spot,

bulbs can be expected to return year after year.

Preparing the soil

Bulbs do best in soil that is rich and well drained. It’s

always a good idea to remove rocks and other debris.

Then, organic matter can be added to the soil. Peat

moss, compost and shredded leaf mulch all work well

as soil amendments, and should be worked in to a

depth of 10’ to 12’. Fertilizer can also be added, and

should be thoroughly mixed in with the soil and or-

ganic matter. A good rule of thumb is to use a hand-

ful of fertilizer for every 10-12 bulbs.

Planting the bulbs

Bulbs look best in odd-numbered groups or in mass

plantings. Plantings depths and spacing vary depend-

ing on the bulbs being planted. Bulbs should be

planted with the pointed end facing up, and the

planting bed should be watered thoroughly once the

soil fill has been added back into the planting holes.

After planting, all that’s left to do is wait for the beau-

tiful spring blooms to arrive.