Don’t you love the array of color that the early spring bulbs bring to our gardens? Dramatic plantings of glorious tulips that refresh us after the long winter start in fall as we plant flowers that will enrich our lives this spring.
I have to stop right here to give a definition. I use this word all the time so I want to make sure we all know how I use it.
A cultivar: (cultivated: culti) (variety: var) is the named variety of a plant that is usually a cultivated improvement from the species and different from other cultivars. It is usually necessary to propagate cultivars by asexual means which means the plant will not reproduce on its own “true to type”. So a cultivar is a usually a hybrid variety of an old favorite.
In the U.S. we are able to make choices not only from the widest of selection of cultivars but from the finest bulbs ever grown. Buy now! If you wait to the end of the growing season to run to Buchheits they may be picked over or not available at all. I love a sale but bulbs are one of the few things that I buy as soon as they hit the stores. The best selection will ensure lasting success. Check each bulb to be sure it is firm and has no spots or blemishes that might indicate disease. Sometimes you will find a double bulb or a large one with a bulblet attached. Don’t pull them apart, just plant them together along with the rest of the bulbs. Don’t worry if the tunic (brown paper thin covering) is frayed, the tulip inside will grow.
Plan before you plant. You don’t want to hide those dainty grape hyacinths behind a stately giant Darwin tulip so give some thought to your garden design. Whatever you do, plant plenty. I plant in clusters of 2 to 3 dozen matching bulbs instead of single random dots. To prevent the bed from resembling an army of lone marching soldiers, I plant the bulbs in groupings so that the clusters will blend in with one another.
If you have to store the bulbs before planting, don’t leave them in a plastic bag as they need to breathe. I don’t use a bulb planter as I usually like to plant larger amounts so I dig a trench to the depth recommended by the grower and amend the soil with blood meal and compost to the bottom of the trench. I gently throw a handful into the trench to ensure a natural look and plant them, point up, where they land. I cover them with the soil I dug out and tamp down.
I love the surprise that awaits me next spring as I usually forget about the bulbs I planted until they burst into bloom! I hope you will enjoy planting some spring delights now! Be blessed! Anne May
