Bulb Basics  Dig Hole, Insert Bulb, Cover with Soil

 Bulb Basics  Dig hole, insert bulb, cover with soil. That’s it.

ELCOME to Bulb W Basics. Bulbs are easy, rewarding and beautiful. In fact, no other plant bright- ens a garden better than bulbs. Many spring bulbs burst forth in the dark days of late winter, when the garden is dormant and summer is just a theoretical possibility.

Which bulbs to choose?

Obviously, the first thing to do is buy bulbs. But which kinds? Generally, bulbs are rated for early, mid-season or late bloom. Around Durango, “early” is March. “Mid- season” is April and “late” is May. (See box at right.) A wave of jewel-tone crocus (above) bloom with large purple C. vernus dwarf petit white and blue snow crosus, C. chrysanthus ‘Lady Killer’ as other species Botanic gardens and nurse- crocus do their spring thing in a Durango garden. Eastern Star tulips (above right) and Orange Comet daffodils join in the vernal chorus. ries will always have the best bulbs. Don’t waste your mon- ey on any bulbs from big box stores. Their bulbs are smaller Timing is everything. How to get 3 months of blooms and poorly stored. With bulbs, Bulbs can provide waves of color from early March through late May. Here is the succes- you always get what you pay sion of bulb bloom times on the early, mid- and late-spring timeline. A sun-drenched gar- for; low price = tiny bloom. den along a south-facing wall could see “early spring” in mid-February while shaded areas may have “early spring” conditions on the first of April. Your garden will have these Planting “micro-climates” influencing bulb growth and progression – which is another reason alto- This is easy. A bulb is a self- gether to plant lots of different bulbs and plant them everywhere. contained flower. Here are a Early spring Squills (scilla) Mid-spring couple of guidelines. Snowdrop (galanthus) Crocus Daffodils (most) Winter aconite (eranthis) Windflower Darwin hybrid tulips  Plant a bulb three times Rock-garden iris Anemone blanda Fritillaria (crown imperi- as deep as its diameter. ( ) Grape hyacinth (muscari) al and others) For species crocus, that’s three inches. For big Dar- Greigii tulips Late spring win Hybrid tulips, that can Fosteriana tulips Spanish bluebell be seven to eight inches. Kaufmanniana tulips (hyacinthoides) An inch or two off is no Species tulips (most) Late tulips (single and biggie. Hyacinths double late) Dutch iris  Bulbs go in the ground Alliums pointy side up. Early blooming Iris reticulata Poeticus daffodils mix ‘Shades of Blue’ provides (Continued ) stunning March color.

 Bulb Basics ~ Page 2 

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 Buy bulbs now at the DBS Online Sale while the se- lection is tops.

 Don’t plant bulbs until mid-October. If your soil is too warm or wet, your bulbs will get soggy and rot. This won’t be an is- sue because Durango Botanic bulbs are ready for pickup on Oct. 17 or 24. Perfect timing!

 You can plant as late as mid-November. Store your bulbs in a cool, dry place – garage, base- ment, etc.

 Big daffodils require a couple weeks longer to root than other bulbs, so get them in the ground sooner.

FERTILIZE? If you have poor soil, mix an organic bulb ferti- Showy bulbs including tulips, daffodils and muscari make an exclamation point as perennials begin to stir . lizer with your backfill or use some Yum-Yum Mix or com- tional value is gone. Organic nites, snowdrops and squills After bloom post. Some gardeners use bone meal will be best. are examples woodland bone meal. “Regular” bone bulbs. This is where some people get meal has been steamed and Whatever you do, never add it all wrong. They cut back the processed, so most of nutri- peat moss to a bulb plant- Other bulbs, particularly spe- bulb foliage after flowering. ing because it retains too cies tulips and alliums, pre- No! Other misguided garden- much water. fer sunny, dry soil. ers fold over the foliage with rubber bands or (seriously) But do water-in your bulbs Daffodils, crocuses and hya- take the time to braid daffodil after planting. Don’t apply cinths will flower in part “leaves.” more water unless it gets shade or full sun. really hot and really dry. Nothing could be worse for Virtually all bulbs hate “wet the plant. Cultural requirements feet” or soggy soil. (Camassia is an exception.) Bulbs need to “recharge” af- When people say “cultural Most plants – and bulbs – ter bloom prior to going requirements,” it doesn’t in Colorado’s urban gardens dormant. Interfering with the mean mandatory ballet. It die from too much water. process will stunt or kill the means conditions bulb need bulbs. to grow and spread. Water when the bulbs first start growing. Sprinkle some Bulb foliage will die back on “Woodland” bulbs prefer mild organic bulb fertilizer its own. When the foliage is shadier locations and leaf- just as they emerge, if you tannish brown, then you can enriched soil like you’d find want; no junky bagged remove it. If dying bulb foliage on a forest floor. Winter aco- “lawn” fertilizer—too much annoys you, plant perennials nitrogen). Ccut the water adjacent to bulbs so their Use lots of bulbs for impact. Be extravagant. Bulbs are cheap, especial- way back in summer when emerging foliage will mask ly small one. Plant small bulbs in drifts of several dozen, like this the bulbs are dormant in bulbs’ waning leaves. clump of Tulipa bakeri ‘Lilac Wonder.’ your soil.