Autumn is the Time to Plant Spring-Flowering Bulbs

The cooler, sunny days of autumn are the time to begin the process of soil amendments in preparation for planting the bulbs of spring flowers such as daffodils, tulips, crocus, iris, hyacinths, and others. As is true with all plants, soil conditions will go a long way to dictating how successful your outcome will be come spring.

Bulbs, corms, and tubers planted in the fall don't do well with wet feet, so ensuring there is good soil drainage in the planting area is essential. If your soil tends to be more of a clay consistency than a sandy consistency, you will want to work organic material into the soil. Things such as peat moss or compost are ideal for this. The organic material needs to be worked into at least the top twelve inches of the planting area; the top eighteen inches is ideal (http://www.urbanext.uiuc.edu/bulbs/ planting.html).

Fertilization is also an important issue for your spring-blooming posies. Phosphorous is essential for good bulb and plant growth. Knowing in advance how deeply your bulbs will need to be planted will help you to know how deep into the soil the phosphorous should be placed. The idea is to place the phosphorous a few inches lower in the soil than your bulb will be planted so that the emerging roots will reach into the phosphorous.

Bonemeal or superphosphate should also be worked into the lower levels of the planting area. Additionally, work bonemeal into the soil as you are planting the bulbs for best bud development come spring.

If you're planning for these plants to be in place for more than one year (oh my, moving them each year sounds like more work than I want!), then more fertilization will be required. Beginning this fall, use a bulb fertilizer or 10-10-10 fertilizer at the rate of 5 tablespoons and 2 cups of bonemeal for each ten square foot area. Do the same once the plants break through the soil in the spring.

After this initial spring fertilization, plan to fertilize monthly with 7 tablespoons of bulb fertilizer or 10-10-10 fertilizer per ten foot square area. Continue this monthly treatment until the plants begin to flower. Once flowering has occurred, do not apply more fertilizer; to do so can lead to bulb rot.

Yet another consideration is the pH level of the soil. Bulbs do best in soil with a pH of 6 to 7. After determining the pH of your soil, you may find you need to add lime to create the desired pH.

Planting depth of the bulbs will vary; this is information you can find on the packaging for the bulbs, but there is also a general rule of thumb that advises bulbs be planted two to three times the depth of their size. But there is other information the bulb packaging will provide as well, such as which direction to plant the bulb, corm, tuber.

The best method of planting your bulbs, corm, tubers is to do so into a planting bed in which the soil has been prepared as above. While you have the soil down to the level of bulb planting, go ahead and place your bulbs in their positions and cover them with the remaining soil.

If you are planting bulbs whose plants may require staking to help them maintain their upright positions such as gladiolas or dahlias, place the stakes at the time the bulbs are planted. This will prevent you from damaging the bulb come springtime.

Watering should be done after you've completed your planting, but don't over do it. The idea of this watering is to encourage root growth that is essential to the plant's development before winter sets in. Come springtime, begin watering when flower buds form if the soil is dry. This will be the time to ensure you do a thorough watering as the roots will have pushed deeply into the soil.

For information about spring flowers in your area and any significant growing considerations, your state university's extension office is ideal. This preparation on your part will be rewarded in the spring with healthy plants and brilliant blooms-and the feeling of a job well done.