8/28/2014 Bulbs for Fall Planting Bulb - Definition “A rounded, underground storage organ consisting of a short stem surrounded by fleshy, modified leaves that lies dormant over winter” poised and ready Bulb “Benefits” • Beauty • Expand the “bloom window” in your garden • Companion planting potential • Added value to the landscape • Wildlife Bulb “Drawbacks” • Can be expensive • Time-consuming to plant • Rodent/pest issues • Finding space • The commitment to actually plant what you purchase! 1 8/28/2014 Timing for Bulb Planting Planting Depth • October is ideal • Plant the bulb at a depth 3 times the • Before height of the bulb Thanksgiving is ok • This depth is • If you can get a measured from the shovel in the bottom of the bulb ground, go for it! when planted. • The “latest • For example, a 2” window” … ‘Stresa’ tulip bulb (to the right) goes 6” down. 2 8/28/2014 Bulb Spacing • Variety and size dependent • Tight spacing recommended on limited “impact “bulbs • Conservative spacing on Narcissus and other naturalizers • Don’t ever let bulbs touch in the hole Bulb Fertilization • At the time of planting • Again in spring with green shoots emerge • Not once they have started to bloom or throughout the bloom period Some “Tools of the Trade” 3 8/28/2014 Bulb “Lasagna” • This technique involves utilizing your deeply planted hole for 2- 3 layers of bulbs that will maximize the tandem color and/or duration of sequential blooms in that space. 4 8/28/2014 The Bulb Lawn 5 8/28/2014 Eranthis hyemalis Galanthus nivalis Crocus sp. 6 8/28/2014 Scilla siberica Puschkinia libanotica Scilla siberica ‘Alba’ Chionodoxa sp. 7 8/28/2014 Daffodils 13 Divisions Narcissus ‘Brackenhurst’ Narcissus ‘Replete’ Narcissus ‘My Story’ 8 8/28/2014 ‘Rip Van Winkle’ Muscari armeniacum Muscari latifolium 9 8/28/2014 Muscari botryoides ‘Album’ Muscari ‘Mt. Hood’ Muscari ‘Valerie Finnis’ Anemone blanda ‘Blue Shades’ Anemone blanda ‘Alba’ Hyacinthus ‘Delft Blue’ 10 8/28/2014 Camassia leichtlinii ‘Blue Danube’ Tulip Time! Tulip Basics • Roughly 15 different types • Be sure to consider bloom timing (early, mid and late) • Flower form is an important feature • Consider species tulips too! 11 8/28/2014 Tulipa ‘Rai’ Tulipa ‘Foxtrot’ T. fosteriana ‘Juan’ Tulipa ‘Hocus Pocus’ Tulipa tarda T. greigii ‘Corsage’ 12 8/28/2014 Fritillaria imperialis Fritillaria meleagris ‘Rubra Maxima’ ‘Aureo-Marginata’ ‘Lutea Maxima’ Awesome Alliums! Allium ‘Purple Sensation’ 13 8/28/2014 14 8/28/2014 Allium ‘Mt. Everest’ Allium ‘Globemaster’ Allium karataviense 15 8/28/2014 Allium karataviense ‘Ivory Queen’ Allium christophii Allium giganteum Allium azureum 16 8/28/2014 Bulb Lifting 17 8/28/2014 www.rotarygardens.blogspot.com Thank You! 18.