Are flowerbulbs edible?
NO! Never eat flowerbulbs.
When do I need to plant my bulbs?
Depending on where you live you can start planting when the soil temperature reaches about 55° to 60° F. This is usually after the first or second hard frost.
In the south planting should be done in late November, December or even into early January.
You can plant fall bulbs so long as you can get a shovel in the ground. If the ground is frozen it is too late to plant.
Are your bulbs pre-cooled?
All our tulips are pre-cooled, which means we keep them in our coolers at 40° to 48° F. until the time we ship them. This guarantees you excellent quality and results.
Because of this treatment you can also have excellent results in the Southern U.S. After receipt of your order, we suggest planting within 5 to 7 days.
Remember: if you must store your bulbs for any period of time do so in a cool dry place. Do not put your bulbs in the freezer!
What does bulb size mean?
Bulb size means everything. Bigger is definitely better! A larger bulb will produce a better flower on a sturdier stem. We only offer large size bulbs of excellent quality.
Do I plant in sun, shade or a mixture of both?
Tulips, daffodils, hyacinths and crocus will grow in full sun to partial shade. Still take time to plan your garden before you begin planting. Select an area which has sun at least part of the day. More sunlight allows for a longer flowering period. In Southern gardens, because of the warm spring days, flowers will last longer if planted in areas that receive morning sun only.
Do I need to do anything special to the soil before I plant?
Flowerbulbs are easy to grow, but soil preparation is very important. Work in some organic matter such as leaves or peat moss to loosen up the soil. Clay type soil should be prepared with sand or peat moss. Use leaf compost or peat moss with sandy soil. This will raise the beds which will give the bed drainage during heavy rains.
Remember: flowerbulbs don't like "wet feet".
How should I plant my bulbs: one per hole, several in the same hole or dig a large hole and dump them in?
There is something to be said for each option. It really depends on the look you want to achieve.
After preparing the bed, put the bulbs on top of the soil and plant them one by one with a trowel.
Another way is to dig out a certain area, place the bulbs in it and then cover it up with soil again. You can mix in some flowerbulb fertilizer with the soil for nutrition during the time the bulbs are forming their roots.
In areas where the ground freezes in winter cover the beds with mulch after the ground has frozen. This will help retain ground moisture and prevent bulbs from spiking.
Do I fertilize my bulbs? How often?
We recommend using "Bulb Booster 9-9-6" which is a slow release fertilizer. This means it gives the bulb nutrients all through its growing and flowering time. It's worked into the soil when you plant the bulbs in the fall.
Do my bulbs need mulch?
Cover the beds with mulch, pinestraw or other organic matter to protect from cold in northern climates and from the warm sun in southern climates.
How often should I water?
Water the flowerbulbs after planting on a moderate basis to get the roots started before the winter.
What is naturalizing?
Naturalizing is planting bulbs in a certain area where they can be left undisturbed for years. Daffodils, narcissi and crocus are especially suited for this. For example, plant small beds of daffodils in wooded areas where they will receive filtered light during the day. A word of advice though: plant bulbs under hardy trees with well-developed root systems. Those daffodils will not perform well if they are planted under a shallow-rooted tree as both the tree and the bulb will be competing for the same nutrients and water.
Buy some extra bulbs and experiment!
What do I do when the flowers have finished blooming?
After the bulbs have flowered and the blooms are gone remove the seed pods (dead head). Remove the foliage after it has turned yellow. If you remove the leaves when they are still green you are robbing the bulbs of the nutrients they will need in order to perform the following year.
Do I need to dig up the bulbs, store them and replant them next year?
You can dig you the flowerbulbs and store them during the summer. But this is a lot of extra work and you are likely to lose some. For perennializing and naturalizing, daffodils and crocus are the best. Tulips perennialize in certain parts of the country if the winters are cold enough. In the Southern U.S. we recommend you treat tulips like annuals, discard them after flowering and buy a fresh crop next fall.
Do certain varieties do better in some climate than others?
Unfortunately some bulbs do not do as well in some climates as they do in others. In parts of Florida and the Southwestern U.S. many of our favorite spring flowers don't do as well. In these areas you might consider planting bulbs in containers for the deck or patio.
Can I interplant my bulbs with annuals or perennials? How should I do this? What are some suggested combinations to interplant?
Interplanting is a great way to have color for many months. You can interplant bulbs with annual and perennials in perennial beds. Flowerbulbs are the first to bring color to the garden.
Interplanting with pansies has become very popular in the Southern U.S. Not only does this give you color all winter and spring, it also keeps the soil cool and shaded. Simply allow enough space between the pansies to plant the bulbs at the appropriate time.
One of our favorite looks is planting blue pansies with yellow tulips or what about white pansies with deep purple tulips. The options are limitless. Again, experiment with a few bulbs and annuals, If you like the results you can always do more of it next fall. |
