It is time to buy fall bulbs like tulips and daffodils. Buy them now while the selection is good. Bulbs should be firm and free from grey or black mold. Always buy the largest bulbs you can find. Small tulip and daffodil bulbs give you small flowers. Some varieties of bulbs are naturally small and should not be overlooked because of size. Check with us if you are in doubt and we will help you find the best for your garden.
Planting Depth and Technique
The planting depth should be 2.5 times the height of the bulb. A 2-inch tall bulb should be planted with the base of the bulb at 5 inches below the soil surface. Do not include any mulch depth in that measurement. You can stagger your blooming time by planting a layer of bulbs above or below bulbs already planted at 5 inches deep. Note that some bulbs will not bloom if planted too deep.
Digging a large hole and loosening the soil is very important, especially with bulbs that multiply rapidly. Avoid adding soil amendments that might hold water. Loosening and replacing the existing soil is really all you need to do. Be careful with bulb fertilizer. Fertilizer should not come in contact with the bulb. Dig the hole several inches deeper than needed, mix your fertilizer with the soil at the bottom, then add a thin layer of plain soil and place your bulb on top.
Many people like to use bone meal when planting bulbs. We also recommend Espoma Bulb Tone as a well-balanced organic fertilizer. When adding soil on top of the bulb, firm it in place but resist the urge to stomp it down.
All of these bulbs prefer full sun, but some will tolerate and bloom in part shade, primarily because the foliage on many comes up before the trees have leafed out and they receive several weeks of full sun before being partially shaded.
Tulips
There is a lot of important information on a package of tulips. Color sells them, but tulips are available in early, mid, and late spring bloomers, and in a variety of heights from 12 inches or less to 30 inches or so tall. All that information can be found on the package. With just a little careful planning, you can have tulip flowers for most of the spring. If there is just one variety you love, plant 3 layers of bulbs, one on top of the other, and nearly triple your season.
Tulips are annuals here, as a matter of fact, they are annuals almost everywhere. Even in Holland they are dug and stored in coolers to prevent them from rotting in the summer heat. If you plant 100 bulbs and get 10 to return, and maybe 2 to bloom, you have been very lucky. Tulips need about 14 weeks of cold to have uniform stem height. You should not plant before Thanksgiving because the ground is warm enough for them to sprout and be damaged.
Often we do not have enough cold weather, so it is best to buy them now and store them in the refrigerator until late November. There should be no ripening fruit in the fridge. Ethylene gas released by ripening fruit will destroy the tulip flower.
Daffodils
Daffodils, also known by their botanical name narcissus, are easy and reliable spring-flowering bulbs. They multiply quickly and return to bloom again each spring, year after year. They are not fussy about soil, will grow in sun or shade, and are not bothered by deer, rabbits, and other critters.
Yellow is by far the most common color for daffodils, but the blossoms also come in other colors such as white, cream, orange, and even pink. There are several different flower types, including trumpets, doubles, split-cups, and large-cups. Planting an assortment of different types of daffodils will give you 4 to 6 weeks of beautiful flowers every spring.
It is not critical to chill daffodils. Unlike tulips, daffodils can be planted without going through a chilling process. However, spring growth and blooming could be sporadic. This should correct to a more normal growth pattern by year two.
Planting Daffodils
Daffodils are in bloom weeks before most perennials. Planting some bulbs in your flower beds will ensure you have flowers as soon as the weather begins to warm up. Miniature daffodils are a good choice for perennial gardens as their foliage matures more quickly than standard types.
Daffodils grow well in containers as well as in the ground. This makes it easy to add instant spring charm to porches, patios, or small urban gardens. In zones 8 and colder, potted bulbs need winter protection to keep the soil from freezing. They come back reliably every year and are not bothered by deer or rodents.
Daffodils should be planted in late November, after soil temperatures have dropped. If planted earlier, warm soil will cause bulbs to germinate prematurely. Dig a hole 6 inches deep. Set the daffodil bulb into the hole with the pointy side up. Cover the bulb with soil and water the area if the soil is dry.
Daffodils look best planted in informal groups rather than straight rows. Clusters of bulbs in a triangular, oval, or rectangular shape will have a fuller, more natural look. Daffodils prefer well-drained soil, though they will grow almost anywhere.
Planning for a Long Season
To enjoy daffodils for as long as possible, select varieties that bloom at different times: early, mid, and late season. An assortment of different varieties will ensure new flowers are opening as others are fading. Daffodil bulbs develop roots in the fall and then go dormant until early spring. Depending on where you live, you can expect leaves to begin emerging from the soil as early as February or as late as May.
Early-blooming varieties will appear sooner than late-blooming varieties. The first thing you will see emerging from the soil is the tips of the leaves. Daffodil foliage is very cold hardy and not harmed by snow or freezing temperatures. When the foliage is several inches tall, the flower buds will begin to emerge from the base of the plant. The stems will gradually get taller, the buds will get larger and begin to show color and start opening. Depending on weather conditions, you can expect this process to take 3 to 6 weeks.
The first spring after planting, most daffodil bulbs will produce one to three flowers. Over time the bulbs will divide and multiply, giving you an ever more impressive show of color. If the clumps become very large, flower production may decrease. The best time to dig, divide, and replant is right after flowering.
Daffodils are very hardy in our Mid-South zones 7 to 8 and do not need to be dug out at the end of the season. Once planted, the bulbs will bloom again every spring, usually in increasing numbers. Follow these simple tips to enjoy your daffodils for many years to come.
- Once the flowers have wilted, you can snap off the spent blooms. This is not essential, but it helps keep the plants looking neat.
- Allow the foliage to continue growing until it dies back naturally. Daffodil bulbs use their foliage to store energy for producing more flowers the following year.
- Once the foliage has withered and lost its green color, it can be cut back to soil level.
Also in Stock
We stock a large variety of packaged and loose bulbs. For the best selection, buy early and store in a cool, dry place. To help bulbs prepare for planting and blooming, store them in the refrigerator until soil temperatures are right for planting.
Along with a wide variety of tulips and daffodils, we also stock:
- Allium
- Crocus
- Spider Lily
- Muscari
- Hyacinth
- Iris
- Snowflakes