It's time to think about spring bulbs : Rooftop Views

Rooftop Views

It's time to think about spring bulbs

There is nothing quite as beautiful as seeing your spring flowering bulbs burst into color after the long cold winter. This fall start planning for next spring by adding some color to your drab landscape. Below are some planting tips for a beautiful bulb garden sure to impress in the spring!

Planning Tips
First you have to plan what you want your garden to look like. Do you want a variety of color, a mix of matching hues, do you want to cover up or decorate a fence or create a property line with your flowers?

• Research plant heights and blooming times. If you want longer bloom time use a mix of early and late flowering bulbs as well as hybrid bulbs.
• Draw a map to plan out your planting strategy. Check the plant height on the package, and plant low-growing bulbs in front of taller ones and consider where you will be viewing the flowers.
• Naturalizing Planting Method – Hillsides and the perimeter of wooded areas are great for naturalizing. Just plant the bulbs wherever you want a splash of color. Crocus, daffodils and bluebells can be planted right in the lawn.

What to buy? There are thousands of bulbs available so let your imagination run wild! Here are some basic, yet beautiful choices.

• Tall Bloomers for the back and borders of gardens (24 inches or taller)
           Darwin Tulips, Black-eyed Susans, Coneflowers, Lilies
• Mid-Range (12 to 24 inches tall)
       Hyacinth, Daffodils, Anemones
• Short and Ground Covers
          Geranium - Cinereum Ballerina, Crocus, Snowdrops

Planting

• Plant bulbs in September or October – the universal rule is spring flowering bulbs must be planted before the first hard frost. (Spring bulbs need a couple of months of chilling time (below 40 degrees F.) to produce their flower spike.)
• Bulbs prefer full sun and rich well-draining soil. The soil should be cultivated and loosened to a depth of at least 6 to 8 inches.

• Dig a trench for bed planting or individual holes for individual bulbs or small clusters.

• Check the bulb package to determine the spacing and planting depth for your type of bulb.

• Cover the bulbs lightly with soil and then sprinkle a bulb food/fertilizer on top of the soil, not in the hole.
• Water thoroughly and keep the soil moist to allow the roots to form more quickly.
• With colder climates, consider covering your plants with a layer of leaves or mulch to insulate them.

Happy Spring!

Enjoy the fruits of your labor and take pleasure in the colors and scents of your new garden. After the flowers fade, do not pull off the scraggly foliage; it stores the necessary energy for the dormant period. Instead, plant a groundcover around the base of the plant. Plant annuals around the area to continue summer long blooms.

For more gardening tips and design ideas visit:

http://www.touchofnature.com/frequently_asked_questions.htm

www.bbg.org/gar2/topics/design/

www.myidealgarden.com/