| |
| |
Some Favourite Garden Bulbs
Bulbs are a great addition to any garden
as they will provide color year after
year and can even provide additional
flowers to be divided and planted in
another part of the garden. Unlike,
annuals, bulb flowers do not need to be
planted each year.
Bulbs are hardy in nature and there is a
color, shape or size that should suit any
gardening need. Here’s some favorite
garden bulbs and their planting needs.
Crocus
Crocus bulbs are often the fist blooms we
see in early spring or at the end of
winter. Their tubular shaped flowers
range in size from 1½” to 3”
long. Crocuses are planting in almost
every garden and have a wide range of
colors to suite any taste. Other types of
crocus, such as the saffron crocus, bloom
instead in the fall, and the flowers can
rise from the bare ground weeks, or even
only days, after the bulbs are planted.
Crocus bulbs should be planted in the
fall. Plant the bulbs 2 to 3 inches deep
and space 3 or 4 inches apart. Crocuses
require well drained soil, regular
watering and will grow in full sun or
partial shade.
Dahlia
Dahlias have a long bloom time
from summer through fall and like many
other bulbs come in a large variety of
colors, sizes and shapes. These flowers
are so diverse that there are varieties
with flower sizes ranging from 2 to 12
inches and from under a foot to 7 feet
tall! Plant dahlias in spring after
threat of frost has passed. Plant between
4 and 6 inches deep with spacing of 1
foot for short varieties and 5 feet for
the tall variety's. Dahlias like full sun
unless you are planting them in a very
hot climate where they might do well with
a little shade. As with most flowers,
make sure these are watered regularly.
Galanthus Nivalis
This plant is more commonly called the
snowdrop and is one of the first plants
to bloom after winter. They are short
plants about 6 inches tall and have two
bell shaped flowers. They thrive in
colder climates. Plant snowdrops in fall,
dig down 3 to 4 inches and plant 3 inches
apart. These flowers like full sun but
will tolerate partial shade. Water
regularly during the growing cycle.
Daffodil
The daffodil may be the most easily
recognizable of all bulb plants, and it
rewards its gardener with a generous
display of beautiful blooms. Besides the
traditional white and yellow varieties,
daffodils also come in shades of orange,
apricot, pink and cream. Daffodil bulbs
should be planted twice as deep as they
are tall, and they should be spaced
between six and eight inches apart.
Daffodils benefit from full sun and
regular watering during their growth and
bloom periods.
Tulip
Tulips are a favorite flower around the
world and one of the most easy to
recognize. These are among the most
hybridized of all flowers, with hybrids
available in a staggering array of
shapes, sizes, colors and textures.
Tulips bloom from mid spring to late
spring with different varieties having
different bloom times. Tulips should be
planted in fall and each bulb should be
planted about 3 times deeper than the
size of the bulb.A 2” wide bulb
would be planted 6” deep. It is
important to leave sufficient space
between the planted bulbs as well, from
four to eight inches depending on the
size of the bulb.
Gladiolus
Gladiolas are among the most popular of
all bulb plants, and their distinctive
sword shaped leaves and funnel shaped
flowers are instantly recognizable to
gardeners and non gardeners alike.
Gladiolas are best planted in the spring,
but only after the soil has warmed.
Gladiolas do best in full sunlight and
they should be watered regularly during
their blooming and growth phase. In much
of the country, gladiola bulbs can be
left in the ground over the winter
months, but many gardeners choose to dig
them up and store them during the winter.
If you decide to take this approach, it
is best to dig them after the leaves have
turned yellow. The bulbs should be placed
in a single layer and stored in a cool,
dry and dark place to dry for two or
three weeks. After the bulbs have dried
sufficiently they should be stored in
nylon stockings or onion sacks and kept
in a cool and well ventilated place.
Hemerocallis
Hemerocallis is the scientific name for
the daylily, and it is one of the most
well known types of bulb plants on the
market. Daylily hybrids can grow as tall
as six feet and bloom in the spring and
summer months. The daylily produces
flowers ranging in size from three to
eight inches, and they are available in a
wide variety of colors. The daylily is
actually a tuberous root variety of bulb,
and they are best planted during fall or
early spring. Daylilies should be planted
between ½ inch and 1 inch deep and space
between 2 to 2½ inches apart in the
garden. As with other varieties of bulbs,
it is important to water daylilies on a
regular basis during their growing
season.
Hyacinths (Dutch Hyacinth)
The Dutch hyacinth is one of the most
instantly recognizable, and most popular,
of all the varieties of bulb plants. The
Dutch hyacinth blooms in the spring and
features the well known foot high spires
with their small bell shaped and very
fragrant flowers. Hyacinths come in a
wide varieties of colors, including red,
pink, buff, white, blue and purple. The
Dutch hyacinth grows best in colder
areas, and it can last from year to year.
In these cold water climates, the
hyacinth is best planted in September of
October. It is best to plant hyacinth
bulbs four to five inches deep, and to
space them from four to five inches apart
as well. Hyacinths grow best in full
sunlight, and they benefit from regular
watering, especially during their
blooming and growth periods.
Iris
The most frequently seen variety of
irises are the bearded varieties. Bearded
irises are striking plants, and they
appear in a dazzling array of colors and
combinations of colors. Irises appear in
a variety of sizes as well, with very
small varieties and very large ones as
well. Irises should be planted in July or
August in cold climates and in September
or October in warmer areas. Irises are
actually rhizomes, and they should be
spaced from one to two feet apart, with
the tops placed right below the surface
of the soil. Irises grow best in full
sunlight or light shade, and they benefit
from a regular watering schedule during
their growing season.
|
|
|
| |
|
