Now’s the Time to Plant Spring Flowering Bulbs

 

When you're looking for ways to add color and texture to your spring garden, spring-flowering bulbs are the best place to start.  

Available in a rainbow of colors, these bulbs start showing up in early spring when the crocuses poke their heads up through the snow, followed soon by the daffodils and then a parade of early, mid and late blooming tulips.   

Tulips, daffodils, crocus and hyacinths are known as hardy bulbs. They’re different from tender bulbs such as dahlias and gladiolus. Hardy bulbs stay in the ground year-round. In addition, hardy, spring blooming bulbs require a period of cool temperatures to establish roots before the ground freezes, making fall the right time to plant.  

Start the process by choosing bulbs that are firm and light tan in color. Save the tag or mark the bag so you will remember the variety. Observe the bloom time as noted on the box.   

Bulbs are available loose in individual containers or as pre-packaged assortments. Loose-packed bulbs allow you to mix and match color, height and bloom time. Pre-packed bulbs offer convenience.  The arrangement is ready for you to take home and plant. 

 

If you want a succession of spring colors, choose some from varieties that are marked early, mid and late blooming. Actual bloom time is dependent on where you plant your bulbs and how deep you plant them.  

Bulbs need at least 6 hours of direct sunlight to bloom properly. Bulbs planted near a fence or foundation for example, are going to bloom sooner because the reflected heat warms the soil up.  Hint. If your bulbs are coming up too early or you want to slow the bloom time, add 2" to 3" of organic mulch to the bed.   

 

Planting a succession of early, mid and late blooming bulbs in a dedicated bed makes a stunning sight in the spring.  

 

In addition to an exclusive bed or two, you could plant along borders or in a normally shady spot such as near a shrub or amongst perennials. Crocus and early season tulips will have bloomed before the perennials and shrubs begin to leaf out in the spring. An alternative would be to plant bulbs in pots and move the containers to the sunniest spot in your garden.   

As with anything you plant, better soil equals better results, so take time to add amendments to the ground where your bulbs will be planted.  For the best results, choose soil amendments that are produced locally, such as organic Earth Essentials Sheep, Peat and Compost or Cow and Compost.  You can use a spade or garden fork to prepare the ground.    

This is a good time to add some Dutch Bulb Food, then cover the fertilizer lightly with soil. This allows the bulb to root into the fertilizer. 

Once the site is prepared, place the bulb in the ground with the pointed side up, roots down.  

A good rule of thumb is to plant each bulb pointed side up, at a depth that’s equal to three times the bulb’s height. In other words, a two-inch bulb should be planted six inches deep.  Spacing between bulbs should be about a bulb’s width apart.  

Cover the bulbs and mark the spot where they are planted. Water the site thoroughly. Check on your bulbs through the winter and water as necessary.   

   

In addition to crocus, daffodils, tulips and hyacinths don’t overlook specialty bulbs such as dwarf iris and Dutch iris, allium and muscari. Planted now, these hardy bulbs will bring color to your spring garden for many seasons to come.    

How to Grow Gourmet Garlic

  

   
Garlic (Allium sativum) is a plant in the allium family, which also includes leeks, shallots, and onions. It is generally planted in October, with harvest occurring in late spring to summer of the following year.  

Garlic cloves need six to eight weeks of cold temperatures (below 40° F) to develop properly. This process is called vernalization, and it occurs when cold soil temperatures stress the cloves, prompting them to divide into separate segments, begin growing roots, and then enter dormancy until spring. 

 

Garlic has 11 distinct horticultural groups. Softneck garlic is classified into three groups: Artichoke, Middle Eastern and Silverskin. Hardneck garlic has eight groups: Asiatic, Creole, Glazed Purple Stripe, Marble Purple Stripe, Porcelain, Purple Stripe, Rocambole and Turban. Each group contains a variety of cultivars, each with its own unique characteristics and tastes, much like different varieties of tomatoes.  The diversity of groups provides the opportunity to grow many varieties.  

 

Which brings us to the two major groups: soft neck and hardneck. Softneck garlic is the kind you will generally find in the grocery store. It’s the primary choice for commercial growers. Softneck garlic has a flexible stalk which can be braided. California White is a softneck garlic with a robust flavor.  

 

Hardneck garlic also has a stalk –called a scape- which coils at the top. If left to mature, hardneck garlic will produce a flower which is several small bulbils, or tiny bulbs, which are edible. Hardnecks dry to a hard stem, hence the name. As a group, they have a deep rich flavor such as Spanish Roja.   

 

Which every you choose to grow, it’s important to select high quality seed garlic. Garlic bought in grocery stores is often treated with sprout inhibitors, disrupting the growth cycle.  

   

While garlic can be planted in traditional ground beds or in raised beds, any open space can be utilized.  This includes open, sunny areas around perennials and roses.  

 

Garlic needs full sun to optimize growth, so choose a site that will receive at least 6 hours of direct sun. Garlic does best when planted in well-drained soils, so plan to add an organic soil amendment such as locally produced Earth Essentials Sheep, Peat, and Compost into your planting site. 

This is an important step to take whether this is a new bed or one you have grown in before. 

Once the soil has been amended incorporate some Bone Meal into your garlic bed. This will facilitate root development. 

 

With your site selected and prepared, you’re ready to plant. Start by breaking the bulb into individual cloves. This is referred to as “cracking” the bulb. Plant each clove 3” to 4” deep, pointy end up and spaced 6” apart.  

 

Like other spring flowering bulbs, garlic planted now will set roots and start to grow. As the soil temperature cools down, growth stops. When soil temperatures increase in the spring, the bulb will resume its growth cycle.  

  

Garlic should be mulched in early winter, after the ground freezes. The mulch will hold in moisture and keep the ground stable.  Soil Pep is a good choice for mulch as it can be worked into the ground after harvest. 

 

Come spring when new shoots are about 3” high, top dress each garlic with Blood Meal. This will provide the Nitrogen garlic needs to grow. Softneck garlic planted now will usually be ready for harvest around July 4th. Dig softnecks when the leaves turn brown. Hardneck garlic will mature a little later in the season. They’re ready to harvest when the scapes straighten out.