Tulips, lilies, daffodils and dahlias are just a few of the most popular types of bulb flowers that gardeners place in their flower beds every season.

Why are bulbs so popular? For one thing they grow quickly compared to most other seed flowers; and secondly, they are extremely colorful. When April roles around, there is nothing that says spring time more than a flower bed full of bright-colorful flowers. Therefore, many avid gardeners start their growing season off with bulbs.

Water is Important

Water is important to all growing plants, and bulbs need regular watering especially during the growing and blooming periods. Once you put that bulb into the ground, it starts the growing process and with certain types of bulbs, this process can last until fall. So you need a regular watering schedule.

Rainfall is heavy in some areas during spring, and that could mean hand watering the bulbs will be less of a process than in areas where it is drier. Water needs to reach the bulb root, which in most cases is 6 inches under ground. Putting mulch under certain types of bulbs before planting will help them retain and use the water more effectively.

If you are just purchasing new bulbs, there should be some care instructions that come with them. The instructions should state whether or not mulch will help.

***You should never use mulch on Bearded Lilies because it encourages rot.

Fertilizing is a Must

Speaking of mulch, fertilizing is an important step in order to have a successful and beautiful bulb garden. The fertilizer needs to go into the hole before you put the bulb in. Always place a slight layer of regular soil over the fertilizer before putting the bulb on top. Fertilizer should never touch the bulb or else it will die.

High nitrogen fertilizer should be applied to the bulb bed right at the beginning of the season if you want more blooms for your buck!

End of Season Care

If you are growing bulbs that aren’t removed from the ground at the end of the growing season, you should take a few steps to ensure that your flowers will bloom again next year.

As long as the leaves and stalks have green on them, leave the plant alone. Green means that the plant is still being fed. The longer the plant can feed, the better chances you have of growing gorgeous flowers next season.

Apply a fertilizer that is high in potassium and phosphorus when the flowers have begun to disappear for the season. Maybe use a brand that hooks to your hose so you can deep water the nutrients into the ground. If the fertilizer does not go 6 inches or more into the soil, you are not doing your plants any good.

As you can see, water and fertilizer are the key ingredients to grow beautiful full-blooming flower bulbs. Once spring starts approaching (February maybe), you might want to order your bulb supplies so you can jump right in as soon as the weather and growing season permits.

Trowel

A trowel is a small hand-held shovel that is beneficial for planting tulip bulbs in small areas. Since you will probably be on your hands and knees (what we love about gardening!), a trowel will be easier and more efficient for this size of flower bed. You need a trowel that can dig to about six inches. Here is a good one to try: Radius Garden 101 Ergonomic Aluminum Hand Transplanter.

Garden Fork or Spade

A garden fork or a spade will come in handy for tilling the soil, so to speak. You can use these types of tools on small to medium flower beds with ease. Dig up the soil to about 6 inches deep, you could use a Radius Garden 203 PRO Ergonomic Stainless Steel Digging Fork. That should give you plenty of depth to plant your tulip bulbs. Once the soil is loosened, someone can follow behind you with a tool called a Dibber.

Bulb Dibber

The Dibber might be one of the best tools EVER for a bulb gardener to own. Most Dibbers have a T-shaped handle that has a pointed end which pokes holes into the ground so bulbs can be inserted without much effort on your part. The Esschert Design Dibber/Bulb Planter comes highly recommended.

To plant your tulip bulbs using a dibber, you insert the pointed end into the tilled soil, twist back a forth to make a nice hole and remove the tool from the soil. What you now have is a hole the perfect size and shape in which to insert your bulb, pointed side up. Cover the hole with soil and you are done. How cool is that!

Planting tulip bulbs or small bulbs of any kind will be a snap if you have the right tools. Take a look at some or my recommendations. If you can only get one tool, I say go for the dibber. Your tulip garden will look like it took major work, when in fact, using a trowel, spade, garden fork and the dibber made your planting job practically effortless or at least more enjoyable.

Bulb growing season is over and it is now time to store your delicate bulbs for the winter. Storing tulip bulbs, or any bulbs for that matter is not all that hard, but it must be done a certain way so that you have healthy bulbs come spring time. Here are a few tips on storing your flower bulbs for the winter.

Preparing the bulbs for storage

One thing to remember when caring for and storing delicate bulbs is that there should not be any moisture on the bulbs because it causes them to rot. I cannot stress enough that when you remove them from the ground, gently brush off the dirt. Never use water. You may not have a completely moisture-free bulb when you dig it up, but adding any extra liquid is asking for disaster, so take care to gentle brush off the remaining dirt before storing.

Storing your bulbs for winter

Photo Wiki Images

When you store bulbs you must place them in a container that can breathe. If you have bulbs that are in plastic that you haven’t planted yet, you should remove the plastic wrapping before storing.

Once you have your bulbs brushed clean or you have removed new bulbs from their packaging, it is time to store them. There is nothing fancy about storing bulbs. You can use a cardboard box which works really well.

Place one layer of bulbs in the bottom of the cardboard box. It is very important that the bulbs are spaced far enough apart so they cannot touch each other, they need breathing room. Place newspaper over the first layer and then add another layer of bulbs. I would leave the last top layer covered in newspaper as well. You can leave the box open or you can close it up.

Where to store your winter bulbs

You should store your bulbs in a cool dry place. Remember, moisture is a no-no when it comes to storing your bulbs. You can put them in your basement if it is not damp, or you can just put them on the top shelf of a closet in your house. Check on the bulbs at least once a month and remove any bulb that is rotting or feels mushy.

Spring blooming bulbs

You can store spring blooming bulbs in the garage if you have the room. You can also store them in your refrigerator. Bulbs that bloom in the spring, and tulip bulbs are one of those, they need 6 to 8 weeks of cold in order for them to bloom. If you keep them in your fridge, they will be ready to go come spring planting time.

Buying tulip bulbs. Photo by Joe Shlabotnik.

With any project, it’s important to start with good quality materials. If you were going to build a house, for example, you wouldn’t buy substandard lumber. In the same way, it’s important to choose good quality tulip bulbs for your garden. But how can you tell the difference between a good quality bulb and a substandard or even dead bulb? Here are some tips to get you going in the right direction.

• Try to buy bulbs individually. This way you can examine each bulb for defects. Prepackaged bulbs are difficult to inspect and bags can contain many damaged bulbs.
• Bulbs should feel heavy for their size. Remember, there is an entire flower inside that bulb. All the nutrients it needs to grow strong and healthy are there. All you need to add is water.
• Choose bulbs with the papery covering, or tunic, in tact. The tunic protects the delicate scales underneath, and keeps the bulb moist during its dormant period. Never buy bulbs with damaged or missing tunics.
• Bulbs range in color from pale tan to dark brown or even reddish brown. The color of each bulb should be uniform, and not blotchy or stained.
• Check carefully for any scratches or cuts that could allow a dangerous fungus like botrytis blight, or tulip fire, to infect your garden. Unchecked, this fungus can spread to other tulips, and may live for years in the soil. Damaged bulbs are more likely to be infected than firm, unblemished bulbs.
• A little blue or green mold on the bulb is probably okay, but you might want to dust it with a fungicide before planting. A lot of mold indicates improper storage and is likely not a viable bulb.
• It’s normal for tulip bulbs to have a bit of pale bud showing at the tip, but too much may mean the bulbs have been kept too warm. Tulip bulbs need six to eight weeks cold (below 50 degrees Fahrenheit) to bloom properly. Excessive root growth can also indicate improper storage temperatures.
• Generally speaking, the larger the bulb, the larger the bloom will be. Remember, all the energy the tulip needs is stored in that one bulb, and the more energy the tulip has to draw from, the larger and healthier it is likely to be.
• When ordering over the internet, be sure to find out what the site’s return policy is. There are many sites on line which offer a 100% guarantee.
• Store your bulbs in a cool, dry place away from sunlight until you are ready to plant.

A little careful inspection before purchase and again before planting will help ensure you have the best and brightest possible tulip beds this spring.