Plant Now, Smile in Spring: October Is Bulb-Planting Time
What you plant now becomes next spring’s color.
There’s something about planting bulbs that requires a little imagination.
You dig a hole. You put this little brown thing in the ground. You cover it back up.
And then…nothing.
At least not for a while.
But every spring, when those first tulips, daffodils, alliums and little bulbs start pushing through the soil, I remember exactly why I planted them.
October is bulb-planting time here in Zone 5, and this is when I start looking at the garden a little differently. I’m not just looking at what’s there now—I’m picturing what I want to see next April and May.
Where could I use a big pop of color? What will I be able to see from the house? Where will bulbs come up around an existing shrub or perennial? And what will eventually grow up around them after the flowers are finished?
That last part matters.
One thing people sometimes forget about spring bulbs is that the foliage needs to stay after the flowers fade. Those leaves are feeding the bulb for next year, so I don’t want to cut them off while they’re still green. That’s why I like planting bulbs where emerging perennials and other plants can eventually help disguise that fading foliage.
And when I’m planting, I’m usually thinking in groups rather than rows.
I don’t want my tulips standing there like little soldiers.
A cluster or drift of bulbs gives you much more impact and looks more natural in the garden. Even some of the smaller bulbs are much more noticeable when you plant enough of them together to make a statement.
As far as depth goes, the specific bulb matters, so always check the planting information that comes with yours. A good general guideline is to plant bulbs about two to three times as deep as the bulb is tall.
Pointy side up. Root side down.
And yes, I’ve planted enough bulbs over the years to know that nature occasionally figures it out even when we don’t get that part exactly right.
Once they’re planted, water them in well. Then comes the hardest part:
Wait.
If you want to see the whole process, I walk through 10 steps for planting spring-flowering bulbs in this video:
But this year I’m also thinking beyond simply how to plant them.
I’m designing with them.
I’m looking at where I want spring color, how different bulbs will work with the plants already in my garden and what combinations I want to try next year. You’ll see more of that later this month when I take you along as I design my own spring garden with bulbs.
That’s one of my favorite things about fall gardening.
The garden may look like it’s winding down, but underneath the soil, we’re already starting next year.
So if you want tulips, daffodils, alliums or other spring-flowering bulbs greeting you next spring, now is the time to get them in the ground.
Come see us at The Landscape Connection. We can help you choose bulbs, talk through where you want to plant them and help you start picturing what that space could look like next spring.
Plant now, thank yourself later.
— Michelle
The Landscape Connection
4472 S. Mulford Rd., Rockford, IL 61109
(815) 874-8733
