Do's and Don'ts of Bulb Gardening

by Alden Smith

One of the easiest ways to have a beautiful and prolific flower garden is through the use of bulbs. By doing a bit of research and being aware of planting times, you can have blooms all through the growing season, from early spring until late fall. In early spring, crocus, hyacinth, and daffodils are in bloom. In the summer, Gladiolus, iris,
begonias, dahlias and canna reign supreme. Late into autumn, fall crocus, Amaryllis, and Painted Lily give color to the fall garden.

Although bulb gardening is easy, there are some do's and don'ts to remember to keep your flowering bulbs happy and productive. Follow these simple rules and the bulbs will reward you for many years.

Do prepare the planting bed properly. Although flowering bulbs are generally not high maintenance, they need a well planned planting bed. Good drainage is essential when raising flower bulbs. If your soil has high clay content, add compost and peat moss to aid drainage. It is best to work this material into the soil to a depth of at least twelve inches, and preferably eighteen inches.

Be mindful of planting depth for plants, and bulb orientation. Bulbs should be planted with the pointed end up, and the root base down. Measure the bulb - it should be planted to a depth that is 3 to 4 times the length of the bulb. Doing so insures that the plant does not need to be staked, unless the blooms are prolific. Remember that some rhizomes must be planted very near the surface. Bearded iris are an example of bulbs that are planted at a shallow depth.

Don't plant flowering bulbs in the wrong location. Some flowering bulbs require full sunlight, while others do just as well in partial shade. Planting can also be done on slopes to insure blooms at different times. Planting on a south slope allows bulbs to bloom earlier. On a north facing slope, the bulbs bloom later, and if bulbs are planted in a valley, they will bloom later still.

Do know the PH balance of your soil. Flowering bulbs like a PH balance of 6 to 7 PH. Take the time to check this, and adjust the soil accordingly. a simple litmus test can tell you if your soil is acidic or alkaline.

Don't over-fertilize the planting bed. Flowering bulbs should be fertilized when first planted. Using bonemeal helps encourage bud growth. It should be worked well into the soil. Fertilize during the blooming season on a weekly basis, but don't fertilize when the flowers are past bloom and are beginning to fade. Use a soluble fertilizer such as 10-10-10 with an application of one tablespoon per square foot of bed. Some experts recommend not fertilizing spring flowering bulbs after they begin to bloom, because they feel it encourages bulb rot and shortens the life of the flowers.

Do water on a regular basis. If natural rainfall doesn't nourish the bulbs, then water on a weekly basis to the depth of one inch. Remember that some bulbs are planted to a depth of eight inches, and by not watering enough, the bulb will suffer.

Don't over water the beds. Over watering can cause bulb rot. Limit your watering to a weekly basis during dry summer months, and don't water the beds if natural rainfall has nourished them.

Do wait until the plant becomes dormant before digging up. Digging and separating is beneficial to the plant, as not separating on a regular basis allows overcrowding, and the plant will not bloom well in later seasons. Although this need not be done on a yearly basis, digging and separating the bulbs will allow you to not only increase the size of your bed, but will help to identify rotted or diseased bulbs. If you see that the bulbs are blooming unevenly, are not up to their usual height, and are overall not doing well, it is time to dig and separate.

Do be careful of how you store bulbs that have been dug up and stored for the winter months. The bulbs should be dug up with a garden fork and left to dry on top of the soil. Remove any clumps of dirt from the bulbs and rinse them off. Some bulbs, such as dahlia, canna, and caladium should not be washed at storage time.

Don't separate the bulbs when they have been dug up and prepared for storage. This should only be done at planting time.

Do store properly. Small amounts of bulbs can be stored in a paper bag and hung on the wall for storage. Larger amounts should be stored in an open mesh bag, such as onions and oranges come in, and hung in a cool, dry area. Temperature for storing bulbs should be around 55 degrees. Never allow them to freeze.

Following these simple guidelines will insure that you always have a garden filled with abundant blooms all through the growing season. Bulb gardening is one of the easiest things to do, and the varieties of flowering bulbs is endless. Care for them properly, and they will reward you for years to come.

Alden Smith is an award winning author and regular contributor to DoItYourself.com. He writes on a variety of subjects, and excels in research.