Bulbs
There are many who want to have a beautiful garden with little effort. While the old adage: ' if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is', usually applies; in the case of bulbs, we get a break. You can simply dig a hole, plant a bulb and sit back and wait for the flowers to come. It is the story of the ugly duckling turning into a swan. In a manner of months, these small, non-descript brown things turn into glorious displays of flowers, with minimal effort, and in many cases, they will continue to flower, year after year.
By definition, a true bulb is a modified leaf bud, consisting of a basal plate, short thick stem and fleshy scales. It contains all plant parts and serves as a storage organ. But for now, lets just lump all underground storage organs as bulbs. This will include the corms, rhizomes, tubers and pips. If you plant it in a dried, bulbous state, and wait for the leaves and flowers to appear, we can give it the name "bulb". Do consider that when you buy your bulbs, everything is already contained inside it-the flowers, the leaves and the stems. Therefore, the larger the bulb, the larger the flower will be, and it should bloom its first season in the ground. Whether or not it blooms the next year will be determined by the care it gets while it is growing. Once its seasonal cycle is complete, everything is once again set for the following season.
There are two main classes of bulbs-spring blooming and summer blooming. Summer bulbs are still growing in our gardens and are preparing for their dormant season, while spring bulbs are just being planted. Some of our bulbs are hardy and can stay in the ground year-round, while others do need to be lifted and stored for the winter.
Summer bulbs which can stay in the garden include cannas, lilies, Liatris, elephant ears, peonies, crocosmia, and lycoris (the surprise lilies and Naked Ladies). Summer bulbs with marginal hardiness include gladiolus, dahlias, calla lilies and tuberose. Non-hardy bulbs which should be lifted and stored for the winter if you plan to keep them include caladiums, achimenes, and many of the amaryllis. To store the bulbs, lift before or immediately after a killing frost, let them air dry for a few days. Cut the old foliage off, shake off excess soil, and place in a cool dry place in a cardboard box, onion sack, etc. - not plastic. Replant in the spring after all chances of frost have passed.
For hardy spring bulbs, planting season is upon us. While the more common bulbs include daffodils, tulips, crocus and hyacinths, there are more options. Within the individual bulb groups there are options-sometimes too many to choose from. With careful selection you can start with snowdrops and crocus in January and end with flowering onions in June.
When planting bulbs, grouping them together in clusters will have a stronger impact than a single row of bulbs. Grouping them by season of bloom and color will also help. A mass planting will make a huge impact in the spring, and they can easily be planted under your winter annual plantings of pansies, violas and kale. The bulbs will come up around them and add to the seasonal color display. Unless you are growing the bulbs as annuals, and replanting each season, consider the foliage needs after blooming. All spring blooming bulbs require a minimum period of growth following bloom, which should last at least six to eight weeks. While bone meal is the staple fertilizer at planting-(and remember when we plant we cannot alter flower size, we are simply aiding in root establishment,) bulbs do like a more complete fertilizer during the growing season. They aren't picky and it isn't hard to do. Simply scatter some complete nutrition--13-13-13 or whatever you have on hand will work fine, around the bulbs when the foliage is well established but before they begin to bloom. You can also use a light application as soon as they finish flowering. Allow the foliage to grow healthy for at least six weeks following bloom. While some gardeners do allow the foliage to begin yellowing before removal, that can often take months-in a good growing year. That isn't necessary, but it also won't hurt. Do avoid braiding or twisting the foliage-that can hinder food manufacture and means you need a hobby!
When planting your bulbs, you can dig individual holes for each bulb, but that can be a lot of work in our rocky soils. It is often easier to dig up an area, scatter your bulbs in, and then fill the soil back in. A general rule of planting is to plant two to three times the size of the bulb, deep in the ground. Small bulbs are planted shallow, while big bulbs need a deeper hole. Choose a site with good drainage-especially in the winter. Standing water and bulbs is not a good combination.