In early November I picked up a sack of bulbs at The Home Depot for 50% off {yahoo!} and was totally planning on getting those bulbs into the ground in a timely manner. Then life happened, and well I totally forgot about those tulip bulbs until yesterday. 😉 Ooops! 😉
Ahhh but there’s something so awesome about planting now, knowing that there are beautiful things in store come spring. It helps me get through the dreary winter months! So if you’re like me and have totally forgotten to get your bulbs in the ground…. it’s not too late!
Here are a few tips to get you started:
Ideally, you want to plant tulips about 6 weeks before the first hard ground freeze {heavy frost}. You can find that date HERE. But if not, it will be okay. First things first: picking out bulbs. Make sure to pick plump healthy bulbs. Soft, shriveled bulbs are a crap shoot–potentially rotten inside with no promise of flowering.
Second, dig a hole that is approximately 2-3 times the height of the bulb. Put the bulb in the hole pointed side up, root side down and cover it with dirt.
You do not need to water the bulbs, in fact, you shouldn’t. If they sit in water, they could rot before they have a chance to bloom. Over the winter, they will receive all of the water they need naturally from the elements.
Basically, they are a super hardy and forgiving plant. They require planting and then sheer neglect. Ah, if only all relationships could be so simple!
How about you? Did you plant any new bulbs this year? If so, what kind? I’d love to know.
~Mavis
Mel says
So glad you’re back here! We planted Snow Drops since they are supposed to be early bloomers. We got a bee hive this year, so we wanted to add some early blooming flowers to support them. We also planted Saffron Crocuses. They bloom in fall, so we already got some saffron from them.
Emily says
I planted some bargain bulbs this year too. Hoping they come up in the spring. One of the spots I wanted was too frozen, so I have a few left to force this winter.