Choose a planting area with good drainage so the bulbs won’t rot.
Plant bulbs 2-3 times as deep as they are tall and space them about 2 times their width.
Whether small or large, it is better to plant the bulbs in groups or wider rows so they can support each other in the wind.
Cover bulbs with soil, then water to give the roots a kick-start.
In the spring they usually do not require any watering as it is typically raining regularly. In the rare case that the weather is quite dry when they are coming into bloom though you can provide them with a weekly watering to help the blooms last longer.
Plant bulbs as soon as Halloween is over, except for daffodils which can be planted as early as possible in the fall so that they can establish strong root systems before the frost sets in.
There is no surefire way to protect the bulbs from marauding creatures, but covering bulbs in the hole with chicken wire or spreading blood or bone meal seems to be some of the more effective solutions. After the bulbs are planted, clean up the area and tamp down the soil so that critters won’t be able to sniff out the bulbs so easily.
Many bulbs, such as Fritillaria and Narcissus, are not tempting to squirrels, rabbits or deer.
After the bulbs have bloomed in the spring, deadhead them but leave the leaves standing until they turn brown (or at least yellow). During this time, the energy from the leaves is being sent back down into the bulb to be used for the next season.
Once the leaves have yellowed or turned brown you can remove them by hand or cut them off. The longer you leave them the easier the leaves will be to pull off.
choosing a selection results in a full page refresh
