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There is a local garden where 9,500 new bulbs were planted last fall in the formal areas and along the walkways, where more than 1,200 bulb varieties coexist to burst forth April through September and where their glorious appearance is unfailingly perennial. This is no willy-nilly affair, no random coming together of everything from the ordinary to the unusual in the flowering bulb kingdom. This is the Missouri Botanical Garden, and heralding spring, it offers the biggest show of bulbs featuring the area’s largest diversity in bulbdom.
Shake hands with MoBot’s senior outdoor horticulturist Jason A. Delaney, who has cultured the bulb count at the garden for more than nine years. Countering any shy notions that beginners might have about raising bulbs, Delaney is here to say that a splendid bulb garden is both possible and doable, whether it fills three square feet or stretches across a wide spanse of land.
To begin, Delaney suggests a little research, a little design planning and a little bulb shopping. Ranging anywhere from 30 cents to $300 each or more, bulbs are easily procured, and garden centers are perfect for their immediacy and affordability. A small bag of bulbs such as daffodils can cost about $10, and a short- term investment of $20 to $30 in bulbs can produce a “nice little garden” over the long term, cost of spade not included. Remember that all tulips are not red, all daffodils are not yellow. Get familiar with the all the hues in the bulb rainbow.
Spring-blooming bulbs include tulips, daffodils, crocus and hyacinths. These are planted the preceding fall, typically October. Although home centers will put their bulbs out in August, “that’s a little early,” Delaney says.
Summer-blooming bulbs, including the amaryllis, gladiolas and lilies, are best planted in May, after the threat of frost is over. Because they want warm soil and more moisture than their spring counterparts, consider them “tropical.”
When planting, follow these tips:
Bottom line: Bulbs need a well-drained location. If the perfect showplace in the yard is too moist, use a spade and go as deep as possible, then add sand, gravel or grit to alleviate compaction. Clay is problematic in the Midwest and using peat does not break it up. “Whatever you add, add it liberally beneath the bulbs,” Delaney says. “Do not plant the bulb at the same level as the sand. … It’s a one-time thing. Get under the soil once, and you’re set.”
Go deep: Plant a bulb at a depth that is three times its height (length) and at that same distance apart to avoid crowding. If the bulb is two inches, plant it six inches deep and six inches from each of its neighbors. Feed me … or not: An annual fertilizer is fine though not required, but choose one with very low nitrogen, mid- level phosphorous and high potash. Nitrogen forces excessive foliage, but does not harden off the bulb, which will rot and die. Look for a 6-24-24 fertilizer. Organic potato and tomato fertilizers are just as good.
Bulbs just wanna have sun: While some bulbs will tolerate shade, and there are woodland species that will do well with it, sunlight is key. For year-after-year success, choose a sunny location. Bulbs planted in complete shade will likely come up just once. Blooms for all seasons: Most bulbs perennialize. Leave them alone, and they will be back. Delaney is likely to plant new tulip and hyacinth bulbs annually because left to their own, hyacinths grow big spikes and tulips offer up small leaves. Most other bulbs, however, are in for the long haul.
Other tips to consider
Good neighbors: Bulbs bloom and fade within six weeks. Some exceptions have perpetual foliage production and stay green until a hard frost. But when they’re not blooming (and don’t tie off or braid the remaining greenery or the plant’s system is damaged), the garden needs other “interest.” So, plant annuals among the bulbs for successive waves of blooming color, but avoid the heavy-drinkers, such as impatiens. Think salvias, Delaney suggests. They are “hot” and hardy.
Bad neighbors: While most bulb varieties can coexist in the same bed, bulbs and certain creatures may not get along. Moles, mice and herbivorous animals love tulips and lilies. Other bulbs, certainly daffodils, are naturally toxic; critters avoid them. The mole reigns as the tulip’s number one enemy and will chew through the bulb’s plant system in his frantic pursuit of grubs. The bottom line: There will be bulb loss.
Tired? Faded? Dig out tired or damaged bulbs (not blooming, looking yellow) and bag them. Rest is restorative. After many months, they will recover and can be replanted, and the healthiest will bloom again.
Cold shoulder: Avoid dumping mulch or any other “cover” on top of the bulb plant to protect it from a hard freeze, which will ruin its next seasonal display. If a plant freezes off, give it a good dose of liquid fertilizer, which may save it for the next year. Remember: some bulb varieties are hardier than others.
Read labels: “Deer resistant” on the bulb packaging gives a heads-up on which ones are particularly impervious to critters. “Naturalizing” on the label alludes to the bulb’s ability to multiply and spread independently.
