Time to plant bulbs

September is here and the kids head back to school, football season is in full swing, and gardeners browse the store for multi colored spring blooming bulbs.
Now that you have brought your precious package of bulbs home, you know you should plant them right away, but what is the best method to ensure that you have maximum yield next year? And what about the bulbs in your garden that bloomed already? Good questions and I am here to help.
So NEW bulbs: Look them over for rot or soft soft spots. These bulbs are not worth planting and may spread disease in your flower beds. Now you have nice firm bulbs left and are ready to plant, but wait..... you need to do a little prep work in the soil first! The soil bed should be a sunny spot and the soil should be loosened up to 18 inches deep for tulips and daffodils. Mix in some compost to help the soil aeration and add some organic matter. You will plant your bulbs 2-3 times deeper than the bulbs size, ie: your bulb is three inches in length from top to bottom, so plant it six to nine inches below the soil level. Be sure to throw in a handful of bonemeal for phosphorus to add your plant's nutritional needs for growing on first! FoxFarm has a fertilizer mix that is specific for bulbs and you can purchase here at Virtual Seeds. It is a 3-8-8 ratio which feeds more potash and phosphorus for bulb strength and flower blooming and lesser amount nitrogen for leaf growth. After all, we want blooming flowers, not just leaves next spring! Foxfarms product also adds bat guano, kelp meal, and humic acid for added nutrients. So now you have your bulbs planted, covered with soil, patted down so that the soil makes good contact with the bulb. Now water the bed and walk away!
For existing beds over five years old, bulbs need to be dug up and inspected. Save the biggest and firmest bulbs for replanting (see above instructions) and toss the rest. Of course, I encourage you to share your bounty with friends and family! Again, since the soil is certainly depleted of some nutrients, prepare the bed and add back in compost. Don't forget to add bonemeal or other bulb food into your holes before planting.
When should you dig up existing dormant bulbs? Late summer, early fall before the fall rains begin. Your bulbs will begin growing roots again once the rains start. Even though you can't see them, they are busy growing underground. For our northernmost gardeners, this would be in early spring when the ground thaws.
If you dig up your bulbs and store them overwinter, they should be stored in a cool, dry, dark environment such as a dry basement or garage. Some people even store bulbs in a spare or second refrigerator! Do not place in a freezer, please!
Thanks for reading this blog and has always, thank you for visiting Virtual Seeds