Building a garden of blooms

Plant bulbs of tulips, daffodils and crocus now for a great show when spring arrives

In the field of horticulture, there is a season for everything. Late November into early December is a prime time to plant tulips, daffodils, hyacinths and crocus. The rewards of planting now will certainly be evident next spring when your landscape is adorned with blooms.

For a fall bulb to develop normally and produce the best flower in the spring, it must begin producing roots from the bulb during the cold winter months. Then as spring comes on and soils warm up, the bulb produces foliage. This foliage is supported by the good root system that developed during the winter. Finally, both the root system and the foliage support good flower development, the purpose of planting bulbs in the first place.

If you plant your bulbs early, say in September, the soils will be warm and the tops will begin to sprout. In this case the bulb has to produce both tops and roots at the same time. This division of energy use usually results in a smaller root system and less foliage. In addition, foliage could freeze back during some of our really cold spells in the winter. The loss of foliage further reduces the ability of the bulb to produce and support a showy bloom in the spring.

If you plant your bulbs in January or February, the bulb doesn't have enough time to produce a good, strong root system before spring. Consequently during the spring, your bulbs will be trying to produce a root system, foliage and a flower all at the same time. Your bulb will not have enough energy to do all three, so the flower will be small, roots will be small and the foliage also will be puny.

When planting your bulbs there are some rules of thumb that you can use to increase the chances of being successful and producing a great show of blooms next spring.

First, plant bulbs at a depth of twice the diameter of the bulb. Second, plant bulbs no farther apart than the diameter of the bulbs. Masses of bulbs in a small area produce large shows of color. If you plant bulbs farther apart, say 6 inches, you will probably get a great flower bloom, with a bulb that has a good root system, but from a distance the show will not be very great. A lot of bulbs in a small area will get you the look that you come to expect from fall bulbs.

Before planting, make sure to work peat moss or other organic material into the soil in the bed. Bulbs do not do well in the tight, clay soils normally found in the region. Mixing peat into the soil will break up the clay and make it more friable.

Make sure to place bone meal under each bulb. Bone meal is very high in phosphorous, a nutrient known to encourage root development. Remember, for a bulb to do well it must establish a good root system before tops and flowers develop.

If you have trouble with critters eating your bulbs in the winter, either dust them with flowers of sulfur or soak them in an animal repellent product. Either will discourage voles and squirrels from digging up your bulbs. Finally after planting, be sure to water the planting bed. Make sure that you deliver enough water to make the soil soggy. This watering will eliminate air pockets in the soil, often formed during the planting process. Better root development will result.

You may also mulch the planting bed if you so desire. Mulch will help the soil hold moisture. As you know, we often have a winter dry spell. It is important to keep the soil around bulbs moist in the winter when roots are developing.

Send your gardening and landscape questions to Paul Schnare at P.O. Box 699; Cape Girardeau, Mo. 63702-0699 or by e-mail to news@semissourian.com.