Planting bulbs in your garden is easy, and the colorful displays you receive once they bloom are a prominent sign of a job well done. But when should you plant bulbs in your gardens for maximum impact during peak season?
The answer to this depends on the type of bulbs you’re planting and whether they are spring-blooming or summer-blooming bulbs. Here are some tips to use for planting bulbs in the right place and time in your gardens.
Know Your Bulbs
It doesn’t matter if you’re a serious gardener or a beginner; flowers grown from bulbs are a simple way to beautify your landscape design. You want to choose large and firm bulbs, avoiding any that are soft or mushy.
While it’s normal to choose flowers based on colors and presentation, you have to know if they will bloom in spring or summer. When they bloom will determine when you should plant them.
It would be best if you planted Spring-blooming bulbs in the fall after soil temperatures have cooled. Living in the transition zone of the Mid-Atlantic, that could mean as late as October or even November. Evening temperatures should be between 40 to 50 degrees, and the ground should not yet be frozen.
For summer-blooming bulbs, the best time to plant is in the spring after the danger of frost is gone. In Maryland, that could be in April or even late May, depending on how long winter hangs around.
Find the Right Location
Getting the timing right is the most important part of planting bulbs in your garden, but don’t forget about location. It can be discouraging to put in the work of planting and watering and talking nicely to your garden, only for your flowers to fail.
Most bulbs want at least 6 hours of full, direct sun and a place with well-drained soil. Consider the best location for your bulb garden with these factors in mind.
In areas with clay or sandy soil, it would be a good idea to mix compost with soil where your bulbs are planted to give them the best chance to succeed. Mulching over top of the soil will prevent weeds from taking over but will still allow the flowers to push through.
Happy Bulbs Grow the Best
You’ve picked the perfect location, and the timing is just right. Now it’s time to get planting. Though there are exceptions, these tips can help you grow happy and healthy flowers all summer.
When planting your bulbs, dig a hole that’s two to three times deeper than the height of the bulb. Use your digging tool to measure the bulb’s height and then dig down until you’ve reached the correct depth.
Put the bulbs into groups rather than straight rows. The irregular pattern will make the flowers look like they were always meant to be there and provide a more natural look.
Finally, don’t forget to check for the bulb’s root end, so you know which side faces down. Most bulbs have a flat and pointy side, so the pointy end goes up. This is where the flower will emerge once it starts growing.
Calling in the Professionals
If you’re too busy working on your gardens to deal with lawn care and maintenance, give 410LAWNGUY a call at 410-529-6429. We enjoy handling the smaller jobs most lawn care companies are too busy to take care of.
