Nothing beats flowers that come along in the early saltation . For many people , it ’s not formally springtime until the daffodil have check through the undercoat and their greenish stems are dilute towards the sky . Yet these intrepid spring - flowering bulbs can be delicate if not handled correctly during the rest period of the year . deal for them is easy , though , so long as you understand the clip billet relating to their need .
Timeline for Care for Spring Flowering Bulbs
Planting Spring Bulbs – Most outpouring electric-light bulb are of similar species and have similar needs . Planting is best done in the capitulation about 6 workweek before the first deep rime . When , on the dot , bet on yourplant hardiness zone , but the bulbs should have a calendar month or more in the ground to spread their root before the frost arrive and pushes them into wintertime quiescence . And to dispel the rumor , yes , it can help if the stem side ( pointy end ) is point up when you constitute , but this is not imperative . Dig a hole large than the bulb by at least four time , place the bulb in the trap and fill the kettle of fish back in with a smorgasbord of dirt and compost .
feed – Include a rich compost or aged manure with your bulbs you plant them to provide nourishment during their rooting and sleeping . In the saltation , you may add up more plant food , but it ’s beneficial to wait until the foliage has sprouted and is two or three inches high-pitched – most gardeners wait all the agency until the flush are blooming , which is not a bad idea . Fertilize with a dilute liquid intermixture ( or compost Camellia sinensis ) or with slow - passing powder or pellet . Be careful not to over - do it . fecundate again in the dip when the foliage begins to turn yellow .
Trimming and Cutting – you could , of course , cut back the flowers anytime you ’d care , but the foliage should be forget alone as much as possible . In the spring , it can be trimmed to give it a more pleasant shape or to keep it from fanning out to interfere with other plants in the garden . It should not , however , be write out back too severely .
Daffodils – CC flickr photo courtesy of rovingl
Once the leaves begin to yellow , the plant life is in a very vital sentence . Do not tie back , cut , or otherwise damage the folio during this period or you could threaten the wellness of the flora . Leaving the leaves in place allows the plant to soak up up sunshine and arouse the lightbulb for the winter . Once all the folio have altogether faded ( gone yellow ) , wait at least another week before write out down to ground grade .
Winter Mulching – It ’s a secure idea to mulch after the first punishing , abstruse freeze . unremarkably , of course , gardener mulch to keep the ground warm and more moist , but in this case , you ’re doing it to keep it cold so that it does n’t thaw and then re - freeze ( the heave ground could squelch or push out the bulbs ) .
Transplanting / Moving Bulbs – Once the bulbs have gone hibernating , it ’s possible to move them . This is not loosely an easy task and the chances of success can be blue , but it ’s the best time to do it . excavate down around the bulb three or four inches from where the plant ’s edge were . Go down about six inches lower than where you trust the bulb is located , then cautiously moil inward to make a pail shape . It ’s likely that the electric-light bulb has act down about half an in or more per year of growth , so do n’t expect it to be where you left it when it was embed .
Once it ’s dug up , cautiously clean away the dirt without disturbing the fore or roots close to the bulb . Do not break the fore or you will likely kill the electric light . Now you have a choice to make as there are two schools of thought on replant . One says to put the electric light in the refrigerator for the wintertime and plant life in early springtime , while the other says to set it now . Both have valid compass point and seem to have about the same success rate , so it ’s up to you .
For Further Reading on Spring-Flowering Bulbs:
Clemson University – Spring - Flowering light bulb
The International Bulb Society – Flower Bulb Basics and FAQs
