How to plant bulbs

Learn how to plant bulbs for your garden or landscaping.

Tutorial

Bulbs can be planted outside or planted (forced) inside.

Plant outside bulbs from mid-September until the ground freezes. Make sure the location you select will be compatible with the light and water needs of the plants when they start to grow. Follow the grower's directions on how deep and how far apart to plant the bulbs. Read, understand, and follow the grower's instructions on how to fertilize the plants. Most bulbs respond very well to a Spring fertilizer that is high in the middle number.

Plant bulbs you plan to force in pots and bury the pots outside so they receive at least 12 weeks of cold temperatures. Then, bring the pots indoors into indirect light in a room heated to 65 to 70 degrees Fahrenheit. Water often and bulbs will bloom in two to three weeks.

Bulbs are often planted in rows. Another technique to try is bouquet planting. Dig a hole for the bulbs that is slightly deeper than the grower recommends and put one bulb in it. Put an inch or two of dirt on top of the bulb, then put another bulb in the hole on top of the first bulb. Repeat twice. The last bulb planted will bloom first. Then, by the time it is beginning to fade, the second bulb will bloom, and so on thus extending your bloom time for very little effort.

When the flowers have finished blooming, cut off the flower heads and let the bulbs use the nutrients in the remaining leaves to rebuild. When the leaves degrade naturally and begin to turn yellow, it is safe to trim them to the ground. Or, try burying the leaves under a scoopful of mulch to hide them.