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I shouldn’t smile, but I always do at this time of year when spring-flowering bulbs magically appear at our local box stores. Inevitably, I’ll receive questions at a Master Gardener Clinic or after a public lecture about the appropriate time to plant these little bundles of future color and heralds of the next long-awaited springtime. (The short answer to this often-asked question is “Plant ‘em if you got ‘em – the sooner, the better, but, later is OK too, even if you happen to find a spare bag of them in January.” This column may be about ‘bulbs.’ But, included in the term are more than just true bulbs, such as tulips. There are also plants with tuberous roots, tubers, corms, and rhizomes and this information can be applied to all of them.
With summer’s many drifts of color fading and the need to feed, water and deadhead still with us, it may be time to turn gardening energy and thought toward planning of 2025 shows of spring-blooming bulbs for your garden. When it comes to ease of planting and excellent bang-for-your buck, bulbs win hands-down. And, if you include the various possible bloom times, your landscape can showcase of early flowers from February through to April and late-bloomers from May to October. It may be tempting to stay with the tried-and-true combinations of crocus, daffodil, and tulip combinations, but, with a little research and walks around your favorite garden centers, you may discover a wealth of spring-blooming varieties, both new and old, that can do your landscape proud in the Pacific Northwest.
Nothing quite lifts a winter-weary gardener's heart like the sight of spring’s first Snowdrops (Galanthus) and Crocus (Crocus sp.) pushing their way up through the snows (or mud) of late winter. Early daffodils, diminutive species tulips (Tulipa sp. & Greigii), Grape Hyacinths (Muscari armeniacumi), Grecian Windflowers (Anemone blanda), English Bluebells (Hyacinthoides non-scripta), Ornamental Onions (Allium) and dozens of others are readily available and should be considered if you can stretch your gardening budget to do so. The small Species and Greigii Tulips are a great for early spring color and the Alliums round off the spring bulb season with their tall slender stems that bear ball-shaped blooms in shades of white to violet and purples. Quick Tip: When the allium flowers have gone-by and dried, instead of deadheading, think about using a can of spray paint to liven them with a totally unexpected color.
Virtually all of these bulbs can be placed anywhere that has some sunshine. Locations with too much summer shade are usually good because the bulbs will be up-and-blooming before the heavy leaf cover of late spring is in effect. However, try to avoid root congestion from trees and large shrubs and keep them away from moist areas which tend to shorten their normal life spans. The thorniest challenge always is to avoid disturbing the bulbs you have planted in years past in your eagerness to add another perennial or annual to your garden. To avoid this, use your favorite marking system.
Another important consideration is bulb foliage. Try to plant near shrubs or perennials that will help cover the leaves as they turn brown and dried. This is especially true for daffodils whose foliage lingers the longest of all the spring bulbs. Although it is tempting to remove the bulbs' dying foliage, tie it in knots or braid it, don't! The bulb uses those leaves to add food to the bulb for the next year's blooms. Planting your tulips and daffodils behind a plant that will grow taller after the bulbs have bloomed is a practical solution. The dying foliage of smaller bulbs can be obscured with plantings of candytuft, brunnera, hostas, hardy geranium or most medium-height groundcovers.
An equally important aspect of planting is to visualize how bulbs will look in terms of color combinations with nearby plants and shrubs. Plan your bulb placements as you would shrubs and perennials in the yard. I enjoyed ‘Red Apeldoorn’ tulips flowering next to my variegated Pieris japonica, ‘Little Heath’ as well as black ‘Queen of the Night’ tulips planted behind the gray branches of Lavender ‘Grosso’. Also, you will have a more satisfying show if you clump bulbs. Consider planting in groups or drifts. With the smaller, minor bulbs you will need many more to make a color statement. Remember to position the bulbs in the soil to a depth where the top of the bulb is twice as deep as the bulb is tall. Once they are in the ground, fill in the soil above them, water them in and wait, with anticipation, until next springtime arrives.
Although bulbs tend to be rather forgiving of poor soil, increase your odds for optimal flowering by adding compost to our usually heavy clay soil or an overly sandy soil. Fertilize lightly by adding a bit of bonemeal to the soil under the bulbs when planting. Depending on the size of the job and whether you are planting in clumps, drifts or naturally, your best tools can be a trowel, shovel, bulb auger, dibbler (see left) or bulb hole digger. I generally use a small shovel when planting groupings as I can loosen the soil easier and spare experiencing another sore back. This is especially important for tulips and generally your efforts will be rewarded with larger flowers and more years of return blooming. Do remember that tulip bulbs are not long-lived. Unless you are growing the small species tulips, expect the large hybrids to provide you with less than five years’ worth of blooms (and all this time you thought you were doing something wrong – NOT so!).
When you are ready to purchase your bulbs you will no doubt be faced with a large number of choices. Restrain yourself and choose just a few colors that will complement the surrounding plants of your landscape and choose bulbs that have varied blooming times, which will provide a colorful show for several months. Some research in gardening books and catalogues and on the internet will help you to become familiar with the characteristics of each as well as their virtues. Buying wholesale is best for price, but for variety, there are many garden centers and hundreds of catalogue sources out there. If you are within an easy commute to the University of Washington, start by visiting the Elizabeth Miller Library at the UW’s Center for Urban Horticulture. And, although coming at a higher retail price, most nurseries have a wide variety of bulbs available. As I always tell my classes, “Do your research before you buy and plant!” Doing so will save you time, disappointment and money. Until next month, Happy Gardening All!
Contributing columnist, Bruce Bennett, is a WSU Master Gardener, lecturer and garden designer. If you have questions concerning this article, have a gardening question or two to ask concerning your home or simply want to suggest a topic for a future column, contact Bruce at gardenguy4u@gmail.com.