[dropcaps type=’normal’ font_size=’65’ color=’#232323′ background_color=” border_color=”]N[/dropcaps] othing announces the arrival of spring like the appearance of that first daffodil. Watching them pop up out of the ground makes you feel — at least for a little while — that all is right with the world. And it is also highly rewarding, considering you took the time to plant the bulbs in the fall. While getting them in the ground takes some time and labor, the result far outweighs the effort. And if you have kids, it is a wonderful tradition to share with them: Dig the holes and let them drop the bulbs in (tip – if they are old enough make them dig the holes, because it is tedious).
Depending on where you live, the time to plant spring-blooming bulbs is usually from September right up until the first frost in November — a general rule of thumb is if you can dig through the top soil and the soil beneath is still soft, you should be in good shape. Considering the top soil will be hard and you will likely be planting many bulbs (you’d be surprised — if you like to cluster them close together you can easily put 100 bulbs in the ground), you will want to buy a bulb planter, which essentially takes the digging out of digging:
There are some things to consider when choosing your bulbs, the first and foremost being deer. While we see pretty flowers, deer see lollipops. While tulips unfortunately are deer-favorites, they won’t look twice at daffodils, crocus, snowdrops, bluebells, alliums, and a few others, so be sure to read the labels as they will always contain that information.
Another essential detail to mind is the size of the flower, which will also be on the label. For example, you likely don’t want to plant mini-daffodil bulbs next to giant alliums, as mini daffs will grow about 4” tall while a giant allium can easily surpass three feet, with flowers as wide as as 8”.
When putting your bulb in its hole be sure the root is pointing down and the pointy side up. With every bag of bulbs comes some duds, so be sure to toss the soft, mushy ones. After the bulb is planted, sprinkle some fertilizer on top of it, put the soil back in and gently pat the ground atop it.
As far as arrangement goes, it completely depends on your personal aesthetic and desired effect. Some like to plant a cluster of the same flowers, while others like to mix them up. You can plant them as close as 2”-3” apart or as far as you want. If you want to plant them in a row it is best-to zig-zag them even just a little a bit to give some depth to their appearance.
And then? Do your best to forget about them for the winter and let them surprise you, as a watched bulb never blooms.
We’ve gathered a list of online sources for bulbs, but be sure to order soon, as planting season is already upon us!
This article contains affiliate links. We may earn a small commission if a reader clicks through and makes a purchase.
