Planting Bulbs in the Fall

Spring flowering bulbs are the best way of putting early color in your garden. With a good variety of bulbs you can have color from April to July. Spring flowering bulbs must be planted in the fall. They can be planted September through November, even after the first ground frost, provided the soil is not frozen and still can be worked.

Bulbs can be planted in just about any type of soil, provided there is good drainage. There are bulbs to suit any location. They can be planted in sun, shade or part-shade. Before planting bulbs it is a good idea to set them the proper distance apart. You can either plant each bulb in a separate hole, or if you are planting many bulbs you should dig a large hole instead. After digging a hole to the correct depth, place the bulbs in point side up, replace soil and press down lightly. The rule of thumb for planting depth is 2.5 times the height of the bulb (unless specified differently by the grower).

If you choose, you can add a fertilizer high in phosphorous and potash to the soil to help aid the bulbs next season. Bulbs should be watered after planting. Bulbs can be planted in the garden in groups or allowed to naturalize under trees. Once bulbs have finished flowering the flowers should be removed but the leaves should be left to die down naturally. That way the bulb has stored its food and energy for the next year’s blooming.

If they are hardy bulbs, you can choose to leave the bulbs in the ground or lift them. If you choose to lift them they should not be dug up until all the leaves have died back completely. The soil should be removed from them and they should be stored until fall in a dry, well-ventilated place.

If you live in an area where deer are a problem there are a few deer resistant bulbs:
Narcissus
Fritillaria (can repel deer from other bulbs planted nearby to it)
Allium
Dwarf Iris
Snowdrops
Muscari
Scillas

Stay tuned for our next article on planting trees and shrubs in the fall.