Growing bulbs in our flower beds are one of my favorite additions that we’ve made to our garden lately. Caring for bulbs is a super easy garden task and a great plant for beginning gardeners. These beauties add a bright pop of color, in early spring that can stand up to cooler weather.
We planted a bunch of these beauties in our flower beds this year and they are so stunning! I’m planning on adding a bunch more this fall for more gorgeous blooms in the spring.
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When To Plant Spring Blooming Bulbs
Spring-blooming bulbs like tulips, daffodils, and hyacinths all need to be planted in the fall when the soil temperatures have cooled but not frozen. Any time before Thanksgiving is great- or in a pinch, we’ve planted them just after Christmas and they did fabulously.
Most spring-blooming bulbs bloom in early spring and then their foliage fades and they go dormant over the summer.
Related article: How To Plant A Flower Bulb
Caring For Bulbs After Blooming
It’s important to allow your bulbs to go completely dormant before attempting to cut them back. Instead of trying to make them look tidy plant something tall and colorful in front of them to hide them from sight. We like to plant things like poppies, zinnias or even foxglove in front of them to take their place once they die back.
It’s just as important to care for your bulbs after they’ve finished blooming. Typically you don’t have to fertilize your spring-blooming bulbs especially if you have average or rich soil. If you do want to fertilize your bulbs do it at planting time, or just as they emerge from the soil. Make sure you read the back of your fertilizer for distribution directions. We like to use this fertilizer for our bulbs.
Deadheading the blooms as they begin to fade is beneficial to the plant and keeps it from using up it’s energy on trying to create seeds.
One of the things that always hits my caring for bulbs to-do lists this time of year is weeding my bulb beds and re-mulching so that everything looks fresh and is ready for spring. Caring for bulbs tip: Many spring-blooming bulbs are native to hot dry places, so they often prefer dry conditions over the summer while they are dormant.
How To Care For Summer-blooming Bulbs
Caring for Spring-blooming bulbs are beautiful but how do you care for summer-blooming bulbs? Caring for Summer-blooming bulbs isn’t all that different then spring-blooming bulbs. Unlike the spring-blooming bulbs, they are best planted in the spring once the last chance of frost has ended. Use this tool to figure out the date of your last frost. If you live in a cold climate these will most likely need to be dug up and stored over the winter in the house in a cool place (50F). In the spring replant them in the garden.
Bulbs do best in a place where they will have well-drained soil so that they don’t rot. If you are going to be planting them in heavy soil like clay it can be helpful to amend the soil of the hole before planting your bulbs.
Caring For Summer-blooming Bulbs
Caring for summer-blooming bulbs is pretty easy. Many sumer-blooming bulbs enjoy rich soil so it’s a good idea to fertilize your bulbs with a general-purpose fertilizer like this one.
Like caring for spring-blooming bulbs, it can be helpful to cut the blooms as they begin to fade, for many types this can encourage them to rebloom. Lillies are the exception to this and will only bloom once a year.
How To Care For Bulbs In Your Garden
Caring for bulbs is a pretty easy garden task, that will add beauty to your garden in early spring. Bulbs are such a beautiful addition to your garden and require little upkeep to keep them looking stunning year after year.
Do you grow bulbs? What’s your top caring for bulbs tip?
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