What Are Garden Bulbs – Welcome To Bulbs 101
A garden bulb is a flower that grows from a bulb. Bulbs are an underground storage system that the plant uses to store food and water. When the plant dies back in the fall, the bulb remains dormant until the spring when it begins to grow again. If you want to excel as a gardener, you can impress with much more than just planting tulip bulbs. Of course, there are a few things you need to get your head around such as planting time, different foliage types, and how to tell the difference between a rhizome and a true bulb. This introduction can help get you started and motivated to great flowering heights!
Types Of Bulbs To Grow
There are many different types of garden bulbs, but the most common are tulips, daffodils, crocuses, and lilies.
Easiest To Grow Bulbs
Narcissus – Daffodils and jonquils are the easiest bulbs to grow. They will multiply and come back year after year with little care.
Tulips – While tulips require a little more attention than daffodils, they are still relatively easy to grow. Be sure to plant them in well-drained soil and water regularly during the growing season.
Crocus – These cheerful little spring blooms are some of the easiest bulbs to grow. Plant them in full sun to partial shade and keep the soil moist during the growing season.
Summer-Flowering Bulbs
Summer bulbs are the bulbs we know best as annual bedding plants are in fact small, tender bulbs that need maximum protection from the cold over winter. Plant these bulbs in September in the northern hemisphere: gladioli, lilies, freesias, and dahlias. Store unplanted bulbs in dry sand in a cool place – you’re looking to stop them from drying out and prevent mold growth so try to avoid storing close to central heating sources or hot spots such as next to ovens.
Autumn-Flowering Bulbs
Autumn-flowering bulbs like chrysanthemums and nerines can be planted straight into beds for flowering in autumn. They do not require any pre-planting treatment, just dig a hole and plant! The best time to plant is August/September in the northern hemisphere; if you do miss this window you can still take some cuttings from clumps in your garden and grow on or buy new plants ready grown later on.
Spring Flower Bulbs: Narcissus, Allium, Erythronium, Rhexia and More
Spring bulbs have always been popular garden favorites. They’re relatively easy to grow and cheer up the landscape just when it needs it most—in spring. But some of the best spring-flowering bulbs aren’t the obvious candidates you may think of first. You might like to consider these lesser-known but outstanding bulb performers next spring in your landscape:
- Allium neapolitanum, commonly known as Italian garlic or Naples garlic, is a species of Allium native to Europe. Several subspecies are known, including Allium neapolitanum subsp. neapolitanum and Allium neapolitanum subsp. thermale. A tall cultivar of this species is the classic spring-flowering ornamental allium known as Aztec pearl. Grow up to 30 inches tall. Plant bulbs 6 inches deep in fertile, humus-rich soil that drains well and is neutral to slightly alkaline (pH between 6.5 and 7). A fabulous plant for an informal border, cut flowers or culinary use — just remember to hang it in a well-ventilated location until dry!
- A member of the hyacinth family, Galtonia candida (or summer hyacinth) blooms in early summer with long, white sprays of bell shaped flowers on strong stems. The plants grow 15 to 18 inches tall from small corms or tuber that resemble miniature sweet potatoes and will take full sun or part shade locations. In garden center displays often only one flower blooms at a time but in the garden large clusters can be produced by planting several bulbs
Choosing and Storing Bulbs
When choosing the right bulbs for your garden make sure that bulbs are not damaged and show no sign as storage can have a huge effect on bulbs and in some bulbs such as the snowdrop, it can cause drying and therefore may impair the flower production. There is such a wide variety of bulbs and plants out there for you to choose from in various garden centres, just make sure that when that you plant them as soon as possible because storage can cause many problems unless however, you have to wait for the right weather conditions that are suitable. If this is the case place the bulbs in an appropriate cool, dry, and well-ventilated place where no pests or bacteria can reach the bulbs
When to Plant Bulbs
For best outcomes, bulbs are planted in two seasons – autumn and late winter. Giving them enough time to come up for the summer. Bulbs such as Tulips, Daffodils, and hyacinths are best to plant in autumn as they are better to pull through winter frosts. Since most flower bulbs come from places where the winters are very cold, but summers are dry and hot, bulbs planted in warm, wet soil can rot or be affected by mildew.
How To Plant Your Garden Bulbs
Choosing the right place for your garden bulbs is going to be the hard part because you have to take into consideration where the sun hits certain spots in your garden. Also, try to plant your bulbs at least 5 feet from your house. The heat from your house will damage the bulbs. The planting depth of your bulbs depends really on the size of your bulbs.