blooming bulbs

Page 14 April 8, 2021 Berthoud Weekly Surveyor

• InsideOut

Does your green thumb itch? Plant summer-blooming bulbs!

By Charleen Barr

Colorado State University Extension Master Gardener in Larimer County

If you’re “itching” to garden, do not despair. There are spring blooming bulbs planted in the springtime for a summer bloom. Dahlias, canna lilies, calla lilies, Asiatic lilies, allium and gladiolus are bulbs that add great splashes of color to our gardens long into the growing season and most of them make great cut flowers.

Thousands of dahlias are available in a wide array of shapes, sizes and colors. This popular plant produces beautiful, brightly colored flowers and are sold as tubers. They are planted after May frosts, approximately 3-4” below the ground’s surface (depending on the size of the bulb) in partial to full sun areas. They will begin to grow and bloom the first year in late summer and stay in bloom until frost. In our area, they must be dug up in the fall because the tubers won’t survive winters in the ground. ladioli are uite common in formal floral arrangements and are easy to grow summer-blooming plants that are sold as corms. Corms are planted approximately 3-4” deep in full sun. Like dahlias, they must be dug up in the fall and overwintered in a cool, dark place. alla ilies are popular flowers for fresh flower arrangements and are often seen at weddings. Cannas are grown for their great height, colorful flowers, and showy foliage. oth of these flowers add a tropical feel to water features. Both callas and cannas are Gladioli sold as tuberous rhizomes and planted just below the soil surface in partial to full sun. They will grow and bloom the first year. Both are treated as annuals and need to be dug up in the fall. siatic and oriental lilies are colorful additions to any cut flower garden and extremely easy to grow. Sold as a bulb, they should be planted approximately 6 – 8” below the ground’s surface in full sun. They are winter hardy and can be grown in zones 3-9 with no fear of winter weather. Easter lilies can also be planted in Colorado gardens with varied success. Allium is a member of the onion family that are very ornamental and showy. These bulbs make great cut flowers in a ball shape that consist of many tiny florets in hues of white, yellow and blue. They do not need to be dug from the ground after frost. You may also find alliums as fall-planted bulbs that bloom in the spring. When the bulbs have finished flowering and the foliage has died, cut back the flower stalks to the ground but leave the foliage. The plant needs this time to photosynthesize and make food reserves to produce next year’s flowers. f rodents tend to eat your bulbs, sprinkle red pepper into the planting hole to help deter them. A more secure method is to plant your bulbs encased in hardware cloth. The roots and stems will grow through the cloth, but the rodents will Calla Lilies not be able to get to the bulbs.

Dahlias Allium

Purchasing prepackaged bulbs, corms and roots helps eliminate plant mixups. Marking the planting site helps eliminate trying to plant something else in the same spot. You’re just in time to try your green thumb at planting bulbs. Come summertime, you will be glad you did.

For more information, refer to CSU Extension Fact Sheet #7.411 at extension. colostate.edu.