The great thing about perennial flower bulb is to plant them once and you get flowers year after year. There is no real mystery to planting them. We’re going to show you how.
Planting bulbs require us just a few common gardening tools. You will need work gloves, some compost or pit moss, fertilizer, a garden trowel or bulb planter and the garden bulbs of your choice.
Spring is the best time to plant tender bulbs like irises, gladiolas and elephant ears for a great display during the summer. In the fall, you plant hardy bulbs like tulips, daffodils, hyacinths and crocuses that way you’ll have beautiful blooms the following spring.
In general, the blooms will last three to four weeks. Elephant ears and caladiums which are grown manually for foliage will last all summer long. Now for a great looking display, just follow the three P’s; plan, prepare and plant.
First, plan your design. You can make formal displays along pathways or in front of foundation shrubs or you can scatter some bulbs like daffodils or crocuses throughout your landscape for a more natural effect. Also, think about what colors you want to plant.
Next, prepare the soil. Make sure it’s well drained and loose. You might need to add some organic material like compost or pit moss to get the right consistency. Also, you want to add a small amount of fertilizer before you plant. Use fertilizer that is recommended for bulbs like this one.
And finally, plant. It’s critical to plant your bulbs to the proper depth. So their little internal clocks can tell them when to start to grow. The general rule of thumb is to plant the bulb two to three times as deep as the bulb as tall but check the package for specific instructions.
So, we dig our hole and place the bulb nose side up. Then cover it with dirt. In the fall, cover the hardy bulbs with about two inches of mulch. This is especially important with fall plating in cold weather climates because it protects the roots during the winter. Depending on your climate, you may want to dig out and store tender bulbs over the winter months. Water the bulbs after planting to give the roots a good start.
For more ways to enhance the look of your landscaping, watch our other how-to videos at Lowes.com/videos.
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