Learn how to plant bulbs – A’s to your Q’s (extra than simply dig a gap, drop ’em in…)

Hey Guys!  

As I’ve been planting plenty of bulbs this yr, lots of you may have been sending your bulb planting questions in DM’s and emails, and asking in my backyard design lessons, and I’ve even had a pair textual content messages (from these close to and expensive sufficient to have that #). 

I believed I’d spherical them up for everybody since you’re asking a bunch of issues I might not have thought to inform you. (I really like a very good query… at all times higher than me guessing what you wish to know…so ask away!). 

So right here they’re: 

Are there totally different planting types for bulbs?  

Oh… that is such a GOOD query…It obtained me actually occupied with types (which I’m at all times blissful to do) and attempting to place my finger on bulb planting types particularly.  

And here’s what I believe: sure – there are types – however I believe you’ll want to consider the choices as a layer that matches on to the framework of no matter general fashion you are attempting to realize in your backyard.  You’ll produce other components that give context to your bulbs planting decisions, however you may definitely use bulbs to make a press release. 

Right here is an instance – in case you are very avant garde and trendy together with your planting – maybe you might need a beautiful garden that you simply underplant with a sculptural snake of bulbs that erupt into an ephemeral and creative design within the spring (you actually must see the cool instance of this in my instagram tales right here).  I additionally assume this might work for a backyard that has a bohemian vibe and even simply to be playful in a household backyard. 

Or perhaps your backyard could be very naturalistic – in that case, I’ll assume you may have plenty of flowing grasses which are offering construction (and that may cover the dying foliage fairly simply).  In that case I believe you may wish to think about spreading clumps of bulbs out amongst the whole lot of a mattress space.  You would additionally think about drifts of colours identical to you may with common perennials.  On this case, I’d focus not solely on shade, but additionally on top so as to obtain a layered look out of your finest vantage level. (Tip: At all times format crops with an eye fixed in direction of serving to them look their finest from the angles the place they’ll most definitely be seen.)  

There may be additionally a extra conventional approach to plant bulbs and that’s to line paths or different backyard components.  On this case, I believe it’s at all times essential to not be too inflexible together with your format.  Bulbs by no means look proper when lined up like little good troopers.  

I at all times assume they appear finest when planted not less than just a few to a gap and relying in your choice and the kind of flower and foliage, I believe you may plant as many as 10 or 12 in a single clump.  Let your holes make a little bit zig zag in your mattress, it can really feel nicer (IMO) than one thing that’s tremendous strict.  Additionally – don’t be afraid to combine and match bulbs of various colours or sort in a single gap.  

If you’re doing this, it’s good to have one thing else planted in that very same space and that serves an analogous function later within the season. So, for instance, a mattress lined with bulbs within the spring, can morph right into a mattress lined with daylilies in the summertime.  It retains the fashion constant and the 2 crops can work collectively to not solely lengthen the season, however the incoming daylilies can masks the dying bulb foliage.  

After which in fact, there are container displayed bulb gardens that are at all times inspiring however require a very good variety of pots and a spot to arrange the show.  Claus Dalby’s instagram is the very best place to get the gist of this fashion. I’ve by no means achieved this myself, however plainly sticking to a decent 2-3 shade general scheme helps and likewise, don’t over complicate it by planting a couple of sort of bulb in a pot. You can too plant bulbs in containers tighter than the advisable spacing on the packet. (I’ll clarify why in a second – learn on…) 

I do know there are different types – block-like lots are one – however you nearly by no means see that in a residential backyard simply due to the sheer quantity it takes to utterly fill even a small space with bulbs.  However in case you are considering of doing this – maybe in a extra up to date backyard – I’d make it simpler to get good protection by digging the entire space out to the bulb planting depth (so that you type of have a shallow bathtub scenario) after which place all of the bulbs in without delay after which cowl with soil.  This manner you can also make positive to actually get the even mass impact. 

What am I lacking? Are you able to consider a mode of bulb planting that I didn’t point out? 

Are you able to plant them beneath perennials?  

That is form of a trick query IMO.  The reply is technically sure… however when would you?  A lot of the perennials I plant are potted.  I dig an entire and put the plant in.  I’d dig a wider gap and likewise put some bulbs in that hole- however it’s unlikely that I might put them beneath the basis ball of the perennial.  That simply looks like pitting one plant towards one other plant in a little bit cage match the place everybody most likely loses a little bit.  That mentioned – they really may each be tremendous in case you did that… it simply looks like a bizarre factor to do.  And I might by no means disrupt a longtime plant to carry it sufficient to slide some bulbs beneath after I might simply as simply dig them in instantly adjoining to the identical perennial and get nearly the very same impact.   

However all that mentioned, you may ask, However what about meadows?  And you’ll be making an excellent level… many meadows (together with my very own) are seed planted and comprise all types of perennials which are rising wherever the seed occurred to land.  And plenty of meadows even have bulbs planted beneath (once more, together with my very own).  Are there perennials planted over the bulbs? – Sure, I’m positive there are, and they’re completely tremendous. 

Are you able to layer bulbs?  What are your suggestions?  

Sure!!  Once I consider layering, I’m typically considering of layering issues which are going to return up in numerous seasons.  So, for instance – you may see a demo in this video: 

I layered late summer season blooming allium (Allium sphaerocephalon) over spring blooming tulips. These are simple to layer – the tulips are planted 2x as deep because the allium (BTW – a fast rule of thumb on the bulb planting depth with out going again to verify the package deal is depth ought to be about 3x the peak of the bulb).  The tulips are large, the actual allium (allium sphaerocephalon) that I used to be planting are comparatively small.  

However perhaps you desire a succession of blooms amongst bulbs of the identical measurement and that bloom a little bit nearer collectively (like early and mid season daffodils for instance).  I’ll be trustworthy – I’m lazy gardener and I’m blessed with area – so I might simply put them collectively in a big container and blend them up after which plant them.  The blending in a field prevents me from getting tedious and valuable about counting a sure variety of every sort of bulb into every of the holes… and ending up with one thing that’s too actual. I combine them collectively and let randomness take management – it’s prettier and extra pure trying that approach.  However in case you are tight for area, you may want to really layer in your bulbs. On this case – the overall steerage is to place the sooner blooming bulbs on high after which the later bloomers on decrease layers.  When I’m layering, I put in my lowest layer, then fill with filth to not less than the peak of the highest of the decrease bulbs earlier than placing my subsequent layer in. 

Do you’ll want to comply with the spacing guides and the depth guides? 

No, and doubtless sure – a little bit. The depth information (as I discussed above) is often based mostly on the dimensions of the bulb and it’s greater than something about getting the bulb deep sufficient to not be broken by freezing temps. I wouldn’t mess with that one an excessive amount of – however in case you are layering, don’t fear in case you fudge it throughout by an inch or two inches.  Sometimes, I’d say go shallower – don’t go deeper.  Deeper will danger the bulb having to place an excessive amount of vitality into getting out of the bottom and it might not bloom as nicely.   

As for the spacing between bulbs – I’m simply going to return proper out and say that I principally ignore these guides.  They’re at all times wider than I would like.  I like tight clumps of bulbs and in case you comply with the spacing – they aren’t going to be that tight. It doesn’t damage them to be nearer – you do it in containers in any case.  I believe the one factor you may wish to think about right here is in case you are hoping for a bulb to naturalize (some will, some gained’t).  If it would naturalize – which is to say – it makes child bulbs after which you may have extra bulbs (and who doesn’t need that?) – then you’ll want to let it have area to do this.  Bulbs planted in containers aren’t anticipated to naturalize in that pot so we don’t fear a lot about area. If they’re naturalizing bulbs, you’ll wish to take them out of the pot after they’ve bloomed and plant them within the floor. Whether it is one thing you’re hoping will unfold (this is applicable primarily to daffodils) then give them some area – however I’d say, you may nonetheless err an inch two nearer than the smallest quantity within the advisable vary. 

What number of bulbs do I would like? 

I actually can’t reply this.  It’s at all times a a number of of what number of sq. ft you may have and the way dense you need your plantings to be.  However what I’ll say – you may by no means have too many.  So no matter quantity you work you want, you might actually double or triple it it and I’d wager cash you’d not assume it too many subsequent spring. 

It’s close to unimaginable to have too many, however loads of individuals want they’d achieved extra when spring comes round… so at all times go large.  

When do you plant bulbs?  What’s the newest I can plant bulbs?

Spring flowering bulbs are planted now… within the fall.  Summer season and fall flowering bulbs are planted within the spring.  How late are you able to plant them? In areas like New England, I might say anytime earlier than the soil will get onerous to work as a result of it freezes.  This normally occurs in December – or typically even January… however don’t procrastinate as a result of additionally they want between 12 and 16 weeks of chilly as a way to bloom correctly.  So, doing the rely backward math – Mid March bulbs (the earliest round right here) imply you higher get them in not less than per week or two earlier than x-mas on the absolute newest.  However is planting bulbs what you actually wish to be doing in December? I’m guessing not – shoot for October or November – and get that achieved now… 

xo - Rochelle
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