How to Care for Your Garden Bulbs

Growing and caring for garden bulbs is relatively easy. Just follow these few simple steps and your bulbs should flower magnificently.

Selection – When choosing bulbs from the nursery look for bigger bulbs as they produce bigger blooms. The bulb should be well-rounded and heavy for its size. Make sure the bulb is firm and even in color. There should not be any soft spots, cracks or scratches on the bulb.

Storage – If you are not planting your bulbs straight away, they must be stored in a cool, dry place away from light. Store them until it’s time to plant again in autumn. When you lift your bulbs from the garden, do so after the foliage has died down. Remove the bulbs by their stems. Dry them first in a cool place (not in direct sun). Clean away excess dirt and dispose of old flower stalks.

Planting - Most bulbs flower in spring so need to be planted in the fall, before the ground freezes over. Bulbs require cool soil and weather for best growth. Planting depth of bulbs will depend on the size of the bulb. Dig down at least twice the height of the bulb, with the pointed end facing upwards. (For anemones and ranunculus the bulb should be facing down.) If planting in pots, keep them away from the edges of the pot. Most bulbs won’t bloom year after year in pots, so rotate them between pot and garden bed if possible. A free-draining soil is best for most bulbs. If the garden bed is too moist, raise the bed for better drainage.

Sun – Good sunlight is required for bulbs. However in warmer climates they will tolerate shade. Bulbs grown in heavily shaded areas will have longer, softer stems.

Water – Water bulbs in late winter and early summer, when the shoots first appear. Keep the soil moist until flowering stops and foliage turns yellow. When the bulb is dormant, it needs to be kept dry so many gardeners dig up their bulbs to avoid rainy summers spoiling them.

Food – You can use a bulb fertilizer and top dress your bulbs in autumn. Water thoroughly. For improved performance, a second dressing can be applied straight after flowering. Continue watering and feeding the leaves after flowering, as this helps the bulb generate energy for next season’s flowering.

Tending your bulbs is not difficult and the result of good care will be beautiful blooms in your garden, year after year.

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