Plant Now for Colorful Spring Blooms

  (ARA) - Tracie Andrescik plants up to 200 bulbs every fall. “I guess I’m the bulb queen. I love the waves of color and early spring blooms I get with bulbs,” says Andrescik. “I just keep planting more every year because I love the effect and I like to experiment with new bulbs and colors.” Fall bulb planting involves planning, and digging lots of holes, but many gardeners feel it’s well worth the effort. Using the right tools and following the basic rules of bulb planting help make quick work of this job.

Plan ahead

Bulbs can be planted from September through the first part of November. Choose a site that will be sunny when the bulbs are expected to bloom in the spring. Be sure the site drains well -- bulbs don’t like soggy soil. Raise the level of the planting bed if you have a site with poor drainage. Prepare the site for planting by adding organic matter and fertilizer to the soil.

Buy bulbs that are large and have a good solid feel. If the weather is warm, store bulbs in a cool place, at about 60 degrees, before planting. In mild-winter climates, bulbs need to be chilled for six weeks prior to planting outdoors. The general rule of thumb for planting depth is 2 1/2 to 3 times the height of the bulb. Keep the site watered, but not soggy, until the ground freezes. In cold climates, mulch beds to protect the bulbs from freezing.

Use the right tools

Choosing the right bulb planting tools can make a big difference. One option is the Bulb Hound stand-up bulb planter from Hound Dog Products. The unique coring spades cut through the ground when you step on the footplate. One of this tool’s best features is that the coring spades release the soil core with just a squeeze of the hand lever. “You can use the soil you scooped out with the tool to quickly cover up the bulbs as you drop them in the holes,” says Andrescik. Another bulb planting aid is the Planting Auger. It attaches to a cordless drill and bores through the soil -- making quick work of mass bulb plantings.

Plant like a painter

It’s better to buy a large amount of one variety and color and plant in a large group, or “drift,” instead of buying a few of many different colors or varieties. If you are limited on funds and want more variety, plant no less than five or seven bulbs of a given variety of large bulbs, and no less than 50 of the smaller bulbs. Avoid planting in rows -- bulbs look better in groups or drifts. More planting tips for arranging your bulbs include:

* Always plant low in front of high. For example, plant low-growing bulbs such as hyacinth in front of higher-growing bulbs such as tulips.

* Plan your plantings with the eye of a painter, grouping together pleasing color combinations.

* Plant mass displays of one color set against mass displays of another color. Red and yellow are traditional choices. Other favorites include red and pink, orange and purple and two-tones with a complementary color.

* Use masses of bulbs grouped together by color to create geometric shapes in a bed or even right in the lawn.

It’s also important to consider the blooming times of flowering shrubs and other perennials as well. You might, for example, want pale violet tulips at the base of a pink flowering crab tree. If you are really ambitious, you can even plant with blooming times in mind so that everything happens when you want it to, in sequence.

Plant your spring garden now and enjoy the colorful show after the long drab winter is over. “It gives me something to look forward to,” says Andrescik. “And, best of all it’s a great jump start for my garden.”

Courtesy of ARA Content





About the author:

Courtesy of ARA Content

 ARA

More Articles 

Tuscan Style Decorating - Three Essentials - Michael Holland
If Under the Tuscan Sun left you breathlessly and hopelessly in love with tuscan style decorating you’re certainly not alone. The rolling hills and the call of the earth itself seem to have imparted their presence into the psyche of those who...

An Outdoor Kitchen Can Make Your Barbecue Sizzle - Rae Bennett
Spice up your next barbecue with an outdoor kitchen. Having a custom outdoor kitchen will make you the envy of all that you entertain. Your imagination is the limit on what your outdoor kitchen can be. Do you just want a small...

Home Improvement Windows - Tony Robinson
Windows and doors make the first statement when someone visits your home. When visitors come to your door, they will notice the windows and doors and judge your personality type accordingly. If you have antique doors and windows, your visitors...

Installing A Vinyl Porch Fence - Carlo Morelli
A vinyl porch fence can provide you with privacy while still allowing you to enjoy the scenery and beauty of your home's outdoors. In addition, there are many benefits to a vinyl porch fence, including the fact that it lasts a lifetime, and it...

Chiminea - Buy it for the versatility of enjoying both fireplace and grill! - Nicole Martins
I recently visited friends who served me a dinner of grilled salmon and baked potatoes, done to perfection in their chiminea. The sun was setting and it was cooling down but overall a wonderful summer evening. We wanted to converse and eventually,...

Air Purifier And Cleaners: What’s In It For You? - Max Patel
You are probably getting annoyed. And that’s because there is so much talk about air purifier and cleaners going around you that you just can’t understand what the big deal is all about. Here is just another well marketed home appliance getting more...

Do You Really Need An Air Purifier? - Jason Uvios
As people world over are crusading against air pollution outdoors, only a small percentage is yet aware of how serious air pollution indoors is an issue. As amazing as it may seem but pollution levels inside your home are actually higher than what...

How To Use Biennials & Perennials In Landscaping Your Garden - Paul Curran
Biennials Biennials are generally very beautiful plants, with most attractive flowers. They are somewhat more trouble for the gardener, since they keep growing during their first year and do not bloom until the second. Their great advantage...

Outdoor Teak Furniture - Important Facts When Buying - Jesse Akre
One of the biggest logical considerations for buyers of deck or patio furniture is price. Most of us cannot simply go out and buy the biggest and best outdoor patio furniture without serious financial consequences. Still, while pricing is always a...

Tips For Cutting Roses For Display - Angie Noack
What could possibly smell or look better than a vase of beautiful rose blooms on your table or the table of someone you love? Roses, especially hybrid tea roses, are made to be cut and they can last a very long time in a vase if you follow these...

West Virginia Real Estate – Forget Old Notions - Raynor James
West Virginia is nicknamed the “mountain state” for good reason. Situated in the Appalachians, the West Virginia real estate market has peeks and valleys as well. West Virginia West Virginia is somewhat of a misunderstood state when it comes...

Asthma Friendly Gardens - Thomas Leo Ogren
Asthma Friendly Gardens Tom Ogren Recent studies have shown that babies born to mothers who were exposed to high levels of pollen in their last trimester of pregnancy have a much greater chance of developing asthma. One of the main keys with...