A few tips for success...
Planting and Spacing
For best results, follow the tips below:
Large bulb size: Plant 4 bulbs per square foot.
Small bulb size: Plant 9 bulbs per square foot.
50 Square Feet: 200 large bulbs at 6” apart; 450 small bulbs at 4” apart
100 Square Feet: 400 large bulbs at 6” apart; 900 small bulbs at 4” apart
How Deep?
The general rule of thumb for planting spring bulbs: Plant two to three times as deep as the bulb is tall. Large bulbs like tulips or daffodils will be planted about 6 inches deep while smaller bulbs will be planted 3-4 inches deep.
No deer,
If you share your landscape with deer or smaller animals, choose spring-blooming bulbs that don’t smell or taste good to them. Select from a large variety of onion-y, Allium or icky-tasting Narcissi (Daffodils), Anemone blanda, Camassia, Chionodoxa, Ipheion, Fritillaria or Iris reticulata.
Best tip: Plant in multiples. You’ll impress your neighbors, even yourself, next spring. More spring flowers = more flowers for sharing.
No squirrels,
Are you tired of squirrels nibbling on your freshly planted, tulip bulbs? Try adding a dab of petroleum jelly to each bulb before you plant it. I’m not sure if it is the smell or texture that scares them away—but it seems to work.
Fertilize for better results…
Bulb fertilizers such as Espoma's Bulb-tone or Dr. Earth Organic & Natural Spectacular® Bulb Food will increase the size and number of blooms.
- In fall, when planting the bulbs, (follow directions for depth and amount on bag) mix in the ‘bulb booster’ fertilizer into the soil below the bulbs. Place growing buds upward. Cover soil to the original level. Water thoroughly.
- In spring when you see the first green sprouts appear, apply the same fertilizer on the top of the soil around the plant. Follow directions on bag for the correct amount of application.
- Water thoroughly after the application.
- Never apply fertilizer to frozen soils.
After blooming, don't cut off the foliage. Allow the leaves to dry and turn brown before removing them. You want the energy to go back into the bulb to increase the size of next year’s flowers.
