Picture from Thompson/ Morgan
When can I plant tulip bulbs? So here is what I found out. NOT too soon as we don't want them to grow at all.
When to Plant Bulbs:
How to Plant Bulbs:
Till next time, this is Becky Litterer, Becky's Greenhouse, Dougherty Iowa
When to Plant Bulbs:
- Plant fall bulbs after the heat of summer has passed, but before the ground freezes. Consult our Frost Dates Calculator to see when the first fall frost will be in your area. In the lower South, where you may not have a hard freeze, early November is a good time to plant.
- Ideally, plant your bulbs soon after you purchase them.
- See the chart, below, for type of bulbs by hardiness zone. In the warmer South, note that some bulbs need to be treated as annuals instead of perennials; they’ll bloom once and then they’re done. For example, you will have to plant tulip bulbs again each year. Still, they are a beautiful sight to behold and well worth the effort! Other fall bulbs, such as daffodils, will act as perennials and come up year after year.
How to Plant Bulbs:
- Select a site with lots of sun and well-drained soil. Work a few inches of compost into the soil before planting.
- Plant bulbs generously in case some do not sprout. And plant them in random order and spacing for a more natural appearance. If you love groves of daffodils and blanketed landscapes of tulips, be prepared to buy and plant a large quantity of bulbs!
- In general, plant bulbs at a depth of three times the width of the bulb.
- After planting, apply fertilizer low in nitrogen, such as a 9-6-6 formulation. If your soil is sandy, plant bulbs slightly deeper; in clay soils, slightly shallower.
- Water well after planting. Apply mulch to keep the weeds down and hold in moisture.
- Do you have voles or squirrels? Consider planting your bulbs in a “cage” fashioned with chicken wire. Also, check out our tips for preventing vole damage and squirrel damage. Or try planting some rodent-proof bulbs
Till next time, this is Becky Litterer, Becky's Greenhouse, Dougherty Iowa
