Making Sure Your Garden Flourishes

Bulbs make it easy to enjoy a rich array of multicolored flowers year after year, and they provide a pleasant anticipation to those watching and waiting for them to bloom. When ordering or buying bulbs, be sure to plant them right away rather than hold on to them for future growing seasons, as this ensures their ability to thrive.

Some things to know about bulbs include the following:

Types of bulbs

A bulb is a dormant state of a plant that resembles a phase of hibernation, protecting the plant during seasons that are too cold or too warm for them to thrive. There are three basic types of bulbs, including true bulbs, such as tulips and daffodils, tubers, like begonias and dahlias, and corms, which include glads and crocuses.

Planting your bulbs

The first thing to know is which side of your bulb should be facing up when planted; depending on the type, tear-drop shaped bulbs should be planted with the tips facing up, and this includes daffodils and hyacinths. Bulbs with a flat side should be planted with this flat side facing up, as is found with irises. If you plant them upside-down accidentally, they will still to grow, but the plant will extend a lot of its energy turning itself around to reach the sun.

Displaying your bulbs

Bulbs are versatile and can be used in borders, beds, and dramatic displays, as well as planted singly with the help of a handy, inexpensive bulb-planting tool. These tools remove the right-sized soil plug so you can easily drop your bulb right in the ground. For more dramatic displays, dig a trench and drop in your bulbs, but don't let them touch, and replace the soil before watering.

Maintaining your bulbs

Bulbs like well-drained soil so you may want to add sand to moist soil when planting bulbs. They should be kept dry when stored, but you can leave planted bulbs in the ground during the off-seasons to bloom again the following year. Add ample fertilizer or compost to help your bulbs along, and they will multiply and spread over time, so plan to dig up your bulbs and thin them out to avoid overcrowding in a couple years. 

Bulbs are a great way to plant now and enjoy your bounty later. The thrill of seeing your bulbs bud and bloom is unlike planting seedlings, and will foster patience and excitement in younger gardeners. Talk with home and garden retailers to determine the best types of bulbs for your growing-zone and region, or for other questions regarding your bulbs. To learn more, contact someone like T And N Inc.