Is it too late to plant tulips & daffodils? 5 tips for cheerful flowers next spring
Are you thinking of planting fall bulbs, but you haven’t taken the plunge yet? You still have time! The perfect time to plant spring-flowering bulbs is about two weeks after the first frost. You can even plant later than that, as long as your ground isn’t frozen! Here are some tips to get you started.
Get your bulbs! 2021 was a terrible year for the Dutch growers who produce so many of our favorite flower bulbs, like tulips and daffodils. That means there have been short supplies of bulbs, and my favorite retail suppliers are mostly sold out. (I actually placed my orders way back in January!) You can still find some bulbs at local retail stores, so call around or take a drive to some stores to see what they have.
If you want to see what’s still available online or just make a note for next year, check out Leo Berbee Bulb Company and Van Engelen. One of the things I LOVE about Leo Berbee is that they’re an Ohio company! They even have a seasonal retail store in Marysville where you can shop in person.
Location, location, location. Choose a well-drained site, because bulbs will rot over winter if the soil is water-logged.
Plant your bulbs in groups. They usually look much better when you plant them in informal bunches rather than in one or two rows like little soldiers.
How to plant. If you have a lot of bulbs, you might want to “trench plant” the bulbs. Rather than planting each bulb in its own hole, dig out an area of soil that will accommodate all the bulbs. You can place each bulb precisely, or you can toss them in the trench for a more casual look.
You’ll need to plant your bulbs about 3 times deeper than the height of the bulb. So if your bulb is 2” tall, you’ll plant it about 6” deep. The packaging usually includes instructions on how deep and how far apart to plant your bulbs. I plant tulips and daffodils 6” deep.
Beware of pests. Daffodils are resistant to most animals that might want to eat them, but tulips are another story. Rodents will dig them up in the fall and deer will eat the leaves and flowers in the spring. To protect them from deer, I lay a sheet of flexible deer fencing on top of the soil, and I pin it down with landscape staples. In the spring when things start growing, I remove the fencing and staples and store them until next fall. If deer are a garden pest in your area, you’ll need to protect the tulips by planting them inside a fence or using a deer-repellant spray once foliage starts growing in the spring.
There are so many great bulbs that make gorgeous cut flowers… these are my favorites:
Daffodils: “Bridal Crown” is one I adore! It has a lovely scent, and the dainty double flowers grow in clusters.
Tulips: I’m in love with double tulips. The round blooms are heavy with so many petals that they resemble peonies. Who doesn’t love peonies? And they come in a huge range of colors.
Alliums: The bell-shaped flowers on “Siculum” nod gracefully. It makes an unexpected and elegant addition to a bouquet.
Do you have a favorite flower bulb?
Happy planting!
