FLOWERpower

If you are looking for fun, fragrance, and color in your garden as early as possible in spring, plant flower bulbs in the fall! Go for a mass effect and plant them everywhere to create a flower-filled bulb garden that you can enjoy to the fullest. While this article addresses springflowering bulbs in particular, the same principles of mass planting apply to all kinds of flower types. Massed flowers can reduce maintenance by grouping like plants together and can also help in weed suppression. Large swaths of blooms flowering at the same time also create drama in the garden. Finally, massed flowers attract pollinators and make it easier for them to gather nectar.

Spring may still be a long way off, but if you want color in your garden in early spring, you should plant flower bulbs in the fall. Buy them as soon as you see them in your local garden centers or order them online as soon as possible; Last fall, flower bulbs were sold out in most places by early September. This year, suppliers expect the same level of demand by garden consumers. Plant lots of bulbs if you want to create a true explosion of color. The perfect bulb planting time in our region is between mid-October and December. When the temperature drops below 50 degrees, that is the time to start.

Make sure, however, that your flower bulbs have been planted before the soil freezes for the first time.

Flower bulbs add color to the garden at times when it is needed most. Insects like bees and butterflies need nectar and pollen to survive, but in early spring, there is not enough nectar and pollen to go around. By planting springflowering bulbous crops en masse, you make sure there are more flowers. Nectar and pollen are released as early as January through the earliest flowering bulbous plants, such as snowdrops and crocus.

Flower bulbs are not too picky about where they are planted, although most do like a bit of sun. Check the packaging to see where in the garden your flower bulbs will thrive. Plant them under trees, between shrubs and perennials, in borders and along fence lines, or even in the grass lawn. The key word is “masses.” The more flower bulbs you plant, the better the effect.

Spring-flowering bulbs offer a broad range of possibilities. With their different shapes, colors, and heights, they can be combined almost without limits. Will you choose peace and unity by working with a single color or variety, or will you go for a color explosion in a colorful mix? Choose the style that makes you happy so you can enjoy your personal mix to the fullest. So Many Choices

The best-known spring-flowering bulbs are tulips, daffodils, and hyacinths. But the list of what can grow in the MidAtlantic is delightfully long; there are so many beautiful varieties to choose from. Think of grape hyacinths (Muscari), alliums, springstar (Ipheion), crown imperial (Fritillaria imperialis), and so on. The “Natural” Look

Once you have chosen your flower bulbs and decided where they will go, it’s time to plant them. If you prefer a natural look, mix the different varieties together in a bucket or basket and scatter them casually. Plant the bulbs wherever they end up landing. If you want to plant your bulbs in clusters, dig a big hole. If you’d rather plant them solo, dig several holes.

Dig one hole for a group of flower bulbs or make individual holes for planting several single flower bulbs. The size of the flower bulb determines how deeply it should be planted. In general, flower bulbs should be planted two to three times as deep as the bulb’s height. Remove weeds and small stones, and then work some garden compost or leaf mulch into the soil to improve drainage. Place the flower bulbs gently into the soil with the pointy end facing up. (If you cannot tell which end is up, place the bulb on its side and it will find its place in the soil.) Be careful not to press down too hard on the flower bulb or you may damage it. Large flower bulbs should be planted 3 to 7 inches apart and small bulbs 2 to 3 inches apart. Cover the flower bulbs with the soil dug from the hole. If the soil is dry, give the flower bulbs some water. You can also layer different bulbs in the same planting hole for a sequence of blooms in the same bed. Fore information about bulb planting and uses in the home landscape, visit www.flowerbulbs.com. o