Fall Bulbs: planted in the Fall (Sept. & Oct.) because they need a cold treatment to bloom. *they bloom mostly in the Spring.
Spring Bulbs: planted in the Spring, not winter hardy, bloom in the Summer.
Indoor Bulbs: plant in Winter/early Spring; Paper White Narcissus, Amaryllis.
PLANTING BULBS TIPS
- Plant with bulb food or bone meal
- Keep away slugs and other humidity loving pests
- Do not water at night
- Use liquid fungicide for fungus
- Use BT or Dipel for caterpillars
- Use dusting sulfur for powdery mildew
Bulb varieties require different planting depths. The typical rule of thumb is to plant the bulb in the soil at a depth of 3 to 4 times the bulb’s height
PLANTING FALL BULBS
Depth: the hole should be 3-4 times the height of the bulb.
Soil: well drained, add peat moss, loosen the soil in the whole area.
Fertilize with bonemeal, phosphate or bulb food; work it into the soil to avoid burning the roots, and water well.
Site: Bulbs prefer sunny locations. Southern exposures will bloom before northern exposures, and may result in early emergence and freezing injury. Put earliest bloomers next to a window, solid colors are best viewed from distances, good drainage is key.
Post bloom care: cut off old blooms so seed pods don’t develop, leave leaves to rejuvenate bulbs, fertilize and water after bulbs finish blooming.
Mulch the bulbs about 3 inches in height and remove in April.
SPRING VS SUMMER BULBS
The first thing to know about bulbs is the difference between spring flowering and summer flowering bulbs.
Spring flowering bulbs are the bulbs you see blooming in the spring, such as tulips, daffodils, crocus, etc. Summer flowering bulbs bloom much later in the season and include such beauties as; lilies, gladiolus, and some iris varieties.
Spring flowering bulbs are winter hardy; they are planted in the fall and after blooming in the spring, lie dormant until the next spring. They do not need to be dug out of the ground or stored, except when they need to be divided.
Some varieties of spring flowering bulbs are not winter hardy. They may need to be dug from the ground and stored in a frost-free area over the winter (this could be a garage or basement, etc.) until they are replanted the following spring. Please ask one of our garden experts if you are unsure which bulbs need to be dug up and stored.
Summer Bulbs must be dug up in the fall before ground freezes if they are to be saved for next season. Or you can treat them like an annual.
You plant summer bulbs in the spring, the best rule in Colorado to plant summer bulbs is: Start bulb inside by April 15th and plant it outside by May 15th.
Here are some varieties of summer bulbs: anemone, begonia, caladium , calla lily, canna, chlindanthus, dahlia, eucomia, freesia, gladiolus, daffodil, ranunculus.