A. Spring-flowering bulbs such as tulips and daffodils must be planted in the fall or early winter to bloom in spring because they require a long period of cool temperatures to spark the biochemical process that causes them to flower. In fall, it's important to get them into the ground before the ground freezes. They need time to develop strong roots.
A. No! If they are still firm and plump, plant them now. Bulbs are living plants, not seedsthey cannot wait, they will dry out. Either chill them in the refrigerator for use indoors as forced bulbs or somehow get them into the ground outside. Because they are so tough and contain a full storehouse of food, your bulbs will try their best to bloom no matter how late it is in the season. This is a case of "nothing ventured, nothing gained." Chances are you may still get some results, even if you plant them late.
Q. I've been told to plant bulbs in clusters -- why is this important?A. Groups of bulbs make a much nicer show than individual "soldiers marching single file." To create greater color impact in the garden, plant clusters of same-color flowers together in blocks or "bouquets." Visually, you get more "bang for the buck." One trick: try positioning similar bulbs in atriangular planting pattern in the garden, with the point of the triangle towards the front and the long leg towards the back. The result: it will look as if you planted more flowers than you did. Generally, larger bulbs should be planted 3 to 6 inches apart, smaller bulbs 1 to 2 inches apart.
A. Nothing. Tulips and other spring-flowering bulbs are tough. They can usually take what Mother Nature dishes out. When the weather turns, don't dash outside to cover early-sprouting bulbs with extra "weather protection." A short freeze won't do lasting damage to young bulb shoots and buds, though it may "burn" already open blossoms. Many, such as snowdrops, crocuses, and early rock garden narcissi are supposed to come up in very early spring, even peeking through the snow. Mother Nature has provided them with the means to survive. An unseasonably warm spell may cause some bulbs to bloom earlier than anticipated, but in most cases won't result in damage.
Q. How do I keep squirrels from digging up bulbs? A. Squirrels can be terrible pests! They won't bother daffodils and other narcissi bulbs (which taste terrible to them!), but they find tulips and crocus in particular to be worth the effort to sniff out and dig up.
The only sure-fire way to protect tulips and crocuses and other tasty bulb treats from squirrels is to lay wire mesh such as chicken wire on top of the bed. The squirrels can't dig through the mesh and the flowers will grow neatly through the holes.
Bulbs are most vulnerable in fall immediately after planting when the soil is still soft and worked up. Digging then is easy! Squirrels often "chance" upon bulbs when burying their nuts in soft ground. Or they are attracted by "planting debris" such as bits of papery bulb tunics and other bulb-scented bits from the bulb bags. Don't advertise your plantingsclean up and keep those squirrels guessing!
Here's one neat trick that garden writer Judy Glattstein has found to work: after planting new areas, lay old window screens in frames on the ground, covering the newly-worked up soil. The screen weighs enough to foil the squirrel, but allows for air circulation and rainfall. Once the ground has settled, remove the screens and store for future use.
Another remedy that some find successful is to actually feed the squirrels during the fall and winter. The theory is that the local squirrel population, when offered a handy plate of peanuts or other easy-to-get treats will leave your bulbs alone. At the White House, the gardeners put up six peanut-filled feeding boxes to satiate the furry denizens there -- and reduced squirrel damage on bulb beds by 95 percent! Many gardeners claim success with commercial repellents, but these are often sticky and unpleasant to deal with, or wash away in the rain.
Home remedies include sowing cayenne pepper into the soil or on the bulbs before planting and scattering moth ball flakes on the ground. You will find advocates and detractors of both methods. A favorite Dutch remedy is to interplant Fritillaria imperialis. This tall dramatic plant gives off an odor that squirrels (and deer too, reportedly) find repellent. There is a book on the subject, "Outwitting Squirrels," by Bill Adler, Jr. (1988 Chicago Review Press, Chicago, IL). It's aimed at owners of bird feeders, but you may find some helpful hints.
A. After the flower fades, clip it off, leaving the green foliage. Treat the plant like any other houseplant.Water regularly and fertilize either with a slow release NPK fertilizer which lasts several months, or a liquid NPK administered 2-4 times per month.In mid-to-late summer, stop watering and let the plant dry out.
In the early fall, remove the bulb from the pot, taking care not to damage the roots. Store the bulb in a cool (48° F to 55°F), dark place for about 8 to 10 weeks. It is not necessary to let the plant go dormant.At the end of the 8 to 10 week period the bulb is ready to force into flower gain.Repot the bulb in a pot only slightly larger in circumference than the bulb itself. Place it in a sunny spot and start watering. When the plant begins to grow again, start the feeding program again.
A. Actually, black tulips are not rare -- black tulips do not exist! What do exist are some very, very deep purple tulips, some of which appear almost black. The search for the fabled black tulip has been an epic quest for centuries.
In 1850 Alexander Dumasfamed French author of The Count of Monte Cristo, The Three Musketeers and The Man in the Iron Maskcaptured the popular fancy with The Black Tulip (now with Oxford University Press), a romantic tale in which a fictional black tulip figures in a love story laced with murder, torture, greed, dastardly intrigue, and sudden surprises.
Today, the lure of a black tulip still attracts. Dutch hybridizers have achieved some very, very deep purples. 'Queen of Night,' for example, is officially listed as "deep velvety maroon" and is very, very dark in color. But achieving a true black tulip, say the experts, is not possible (yet still worth the try!). For a near-black experience also try: T. 'Burgundy' (deep purple-violet), T. 'Black Parrot' (violet-black) or T. 'Black Diamond' (deep mahogany).
Q. Should I apply mulch? How deep?When?A. Mulch is not required but it is often beneficial. Three inches is plenty. Wait until the ground cools down. Contrary to popular notions, mulching over bulbs is meant to retain soil moisture nd keep the ground temperatures cool and stable, not to serve as a "warm winter blanket" (except in the very coldest climates). Mulch just before the ground freezes. Applying mulch too early in the season, when the ground is still soft and warm, can invite infestations by field mice and other critters who like to burrow in to establish winter quarters (and no doubt dig up tasty tulip treats!).
A. If you're planting bulbs for only one year's bloom, fertilizer is not needed. Bulbs already carry a season's supply of food in the moist tissue surrounding the embryonic flower. For bulbs that you will naturalize or perennialize, you have the following options:
At fall planting time:
- for first year's bloom, no fertilizer is needed.
- for naturalized bulbs after the first season, there are three good options:
- a good organic compost or well-rotted cow manure worked into the soil when planting, and a mulch of this material,
- a slow-release bulb food,
- a combination of bone meal and an 8-8-8 or 10-10-10(NPK), fast-release soluble fertilizer (about one tablespoon per square foot).
In spring:
- again, for first year blooms, no fertilizer is needed.
- for naturalized plantings or perennializing plants, fertilizer considerations are:
- nothing further is needed if last fall you applied well-rotted cow manure or a slow release bulb food
- if you used bone meal and a fast-release fertilizer, you will want to apply a nitrogen-rich fast-release NPK fertilizer in the spring just as the shoots first emerge from the soil (which would be about 6 weeks prior to bloom).
A. It's possible to grow spring-flowering bulbs in climates as warm as Zone 9 and Zone 10. However the blooming season in these zones is much earlier than in cooler zones. Some spring-flowering bulbs recommended for Zone 9 can be planted with no pre-cooling. Others will need a special cold treatment before planting.
No pre-chilling needed:Amaryllis, Allium neapolitanum, Allium rosenbachianum, Anemone de Caen and Anemone St. Brigid, Brodiaea laxa, Crocus chrysanthus (snow crocus), Dutch iris, Freesia, Ixias, lilies, all narcissi/daffodils, Ornithogalum umbellatum, Ranunculus, Scilla campanulata (wood hyacinth), Sparaxis, Triteleia uniflora and Tritoni.
Pre-chilling needed: tulips, hyacinths, crocus and the other spring-flowering bulb favorites.
Here are some warm winter gardening tips:
First, choose cultivars which have proved to do well in warmer climates. Cold-hardy bulbs that need pre-cooling in warm winter regions must be treated as annuals and new bulbs must be planted the following fall. Pre-chill the bulbs for a minimum of six to eight weeks in a refrigerator at a temperature of around 40°F to 45°F (the temperature of most home refrigerators). If you use a refrigerator, be sure not to store any apples or other fruits alongside your bulbs. Ripening fruit naturally gives off ethylene gas which will kill the flower inside the bulbs.
Don't worry if you bought the bulbs early in the season and need to store them for several months before planting. Keep them chilling -- even up to 16 weeks if necessary, until it is time to plant. Optimally, the bulbs should be put in the ground in December or early January. Plant tulips about six to eight inches deep, water well and protect with a layer of mulch to retain moisture and protect from heat. When bulbs do not receive sufficient weeks of cold treatment, they bloom too close to the ground, on too-short stems.
A. After tulip flowers have faded, "dead-head" them by clipping off the faded blooms so that they won't go to seed. Narcissi (daffodils) do not require dead-heading,just leave as is. The main requirement for bulb flowers in the post-bloom period is to leave the leaves alone so the plant can put its energy into "recharging" its bulb for next spring's performance. This "energy charge" is gained through photosynthesis as the plant uses the sun's energy to turn basic elements such as oxygen, nitrogen, phosphorous and potassium into food. This food is stored in the bulb's "scales," the white fleshy part of the bulb, for use next spring.
It is necessary to leave the green foliage exposed to the sun until it turns brown or six weeks have elapsed since blooming. Fight the urge to trim back or constrain the leaves during their die-back phase after looming. Don't bunch, tie, braid or cut bulb plant leaves during this period. Dealing with the fading foliage is basically one of those things that lovers of spring bulbs must deal with. The only management tip is camouflage.
Try interplanting bulbs with annuals or perennials, or planting them strategically nearby so that the latter mask the declining bulb foliage as best as possible. As a planting strategy, plant clumps of bulbs instead of full beds. This way you will have a lovely spring show, and plenty of room to plant camouflaging companions.
Avoid fertilizing the annuals planted in the same bed until the bulbs have died back. Bulbs in spring, if they're fertilized at all, should only get a dose of fast-release nitrogen about six weeks before flowering (normally bulbs want a low nitrogen mix, but in spring it is the green-encouraging nitrogen that is called for). Fertilizing bulbs too close to flowering time, when the bulbs can't metabolize the food, only encourages fusarium and other nasty things.
A. In the auctions in Holland, bulbs are gauged by their caliber, or the measurement of the bulb's circumference. For each particular variety: more mature bulbs are larger and yield bigger flowers. These demand a higher price. For high-profile bed plantings, it's worth the higher price for the more mature, showier bulbs. But younger (smaller caliber) bulbs, which are often sold at lower prices, can offer a great way of adding color to large areas or marginal areas of the yard where they can be left in place to naturalize and mature, thus gaining in size over time.
A note: for quality control reasons, the Dutch do not export bulbs below certain established calibers. For instance, tulips must be 10 cm or larger or the Dutch will not export them. This means that if you see tulip bulbs for sale that are smaller than 10 cm, they are notfrom Holland. In inches, that's about 4 inches around. No exceptions are allowed... except for species tulips, which are naturally sized smaller.
A. Sometimes you will buy bulbs before you are ready to plant in order to get the best selection. While it's always best to plant your bulbs as soon after you receive them as possible, when you have to wait, be sure to store the bulbs in a cool, dry place away from direct sunlight. Some people keep their bulbs in the refrigerator crisper drawer, taking care to avoid storing them with ripening fruit. They should be fine for several weeks even months if properly handled. But don't wait too long. Ideally, you should plant six weeks or so prior to hard ground frosts in your area to allow ample time for fall root development.
A tip: the proper time to plant is when ground temperature is below 60°F at planting depth (while this is not easy for most of us to gauge, it gives you some notion of what's appropriate). If you don't have six weeks lead-time, plant anywayeven if you have to hack your way through hard, chilled surface soil. (As always, be sure to water.) The key: you must plant in fall to have blooms in spring. Even if planted late, bulbs will spring into action and try to start root growth. They are pre-programmed to grow and will do their best no matter how late you plant them.