Learn / Ask The Landscape Professional
The warm weather seems to be holding on this year. Do you think it's still too warm to plant my spring bulbs? Kristin
Answer
Bulb planting time is almost here.
The evening temperatures need to be
in the range of 40-50 degrees which is not
quite the case yet. Although the general rule of
thumb is to plant 6 weeks before the first frost
date, which for this area is about October 15,
given the warm weather we've been having I
would say bulbs can go in through the month
of October. Stores are carrying bulbs now.
Check your local garden center or the garden
centers at Lowes or Home Depot. If you're
looking for a specialty bulb or a different mix,
try a company online like Color Blends at
colorblends.com.
The warmth of the soil will promote new root
growth and establishment before the first
hard freeze. You'll definitely want to water
your bulbs this year because the ground is so
dry from the drought we've been having all
summer. Remember the depth at which you
plant the bulbs and make sure the water
soaks all the way down to that level. For spring
flowering bulbs (daffodils, tulips, hyacinths,
etc.) plant them 2-3 times as deep as the bulb
is tall. If you want to fertilize the bed do it
in the spring, as soon as shoots break through
the soil surface. Do not fertilize after they
start flowering, because that boosts bulb rot
and can sometimes shorten the life of the
flower. Bulbs like an acid soil with a pH in the
range of 6-7. If you are not certain of your
soil pH, we'd be happy to do a soil test for you.
If you have a deer problem, avoid tulips, because
deer love them! Good choices for deer
resistant bulbs are Allium, Daffodils,
Chionodoxa, Crocus, Iris, Scilla and Clochicum. Your
planting location will influence when the spring
bulbs come up; if you plant with southern
exposure or on a hill, they will come up earlier
than if planted in a valley where cooler air
will settle.
Bulbs are easy and great fun to plant for kids
of all ages - Enjoy!
View As PDF
To view a PDF of this article, please
click here.
About Linda Lillie
Linda K. Lillie is the President of Sprigs & Twigs, Inc, the premier
landscape design and maintenance, tree care, lawn care, stonework, and carpentry
service provider in southeastern Connecticut since 1997. She is a graduate of
Connecticut College in Botany, a Connecticut Master Gardener and a national
award winning landscape designer for her landscape design and landscape installation work.
