As the weather cools and the leaves start to turn, gardeners everywhere begin preparing for one of the most rewarding gardening tasks—planting fall bulbs. These tiny powerhouses hold the promise of vibrant spring gardens, bursting with color after the long winter months. But planting bulbs in the fall comes with its own set of questions. Below, we answer some common fall bulb planting FAQs to help you ensure a spectacular floral display next spring!

What Are Fall Planting Bulbs?

Fall planting bulbs are those that require the cool temperatures of winter to stimulate their growth. These include popular varieties like tulips, daffodils, hyacinths, narcissus, iris, allium, fritillaria, and scilla. These bulbs need to be planted in the fall—before the first hard frost—so they can establish roots and take advantage of the winter chill. When the warmer days of spring arrive, these bulbs will bloom, rewarding your effort with stunning flowers.

How to Choose the Best Fall Planting Bulbs

When purchasing fall bulbs, it’s crucial to pick ones that are firm to the touch. Soft, mushy bulbs have likely been exposed to moisture or improperly stored, making them susceptible to rot. Additionally, understanding bulb sizing can help you make informed decisions. For instance:

• Top-size tulip bulbs (with a circumference of 12 cm or more) produce large, impressive blooms and are ideal for creating focal points in your garden.
• Smaller tulip bulbs (10 cm circumference) work well for mass plantings or cut flower gardens.

The general rule of thumb is: the bigger the bulb, the larger and more abundant the blooms will be. Planting large bulbs for a few statement flowers or smaller ones for a dense carpet of color will depend on your garden goals.

What Is a Hardiness Zone, and Why Does It Matter?

A hardiness zone is a geographic area defined by climate conditions that affect plant growth. The USDA Hardiness Zone Map categorizes regions based on winter temperatures, helping gardeners select plants suited to their climate. Most fall bulbs are hardy across a range of zones. For example, tulips, daffodils, and hyacinths are known for surviving even the harshest winters (Zones 3-8).

However, if you live in colder regions, such as Zones 1-4, or areas prone to severe freezing (below -20°F), applying additional mulch after planting can protect bulbs from extreme temperatures. Check the USDA Hardiness Zone Map for specific recommendations for your location.

What Fertilizer Should I Use When Planting Bulbs?

While bulbs don’t require fertilizer to bloom, a small application of a bulb-specific fertilizer, such as Bulb Booster or bone meal, can give them an extra boost. It’s also essential to ensure that the soil’s pH level is optimal, as this will help enhance flower color and health.

What’s the Ideal pH for Fall Bulbs?

The ideal pH level for most fall-planted bulbs is between 6 and 7. To check the pH of your soil, bring a sample to your local garden center for testing or use an at-home pH test kit. Adjusting the pH, if needed, can make a noticeable difference in your bulbs’ growth and bloom quality.

What Should I Do After My Bulbs Bloom in Spring?

After your bulbs have finished blooming, resist the urge to cut back the leaves right away. Allow the foliage to naturally yellow and die down on its own. This process allows the bulbs to gather and store nutrients for next year’s blooms. Only after the leaves have fully wilted should you cut them back. This ensures your bulbs will return strong for another beautiful season.

Can I Grow Bulbs Indoors? How Do I Force Them?

Yes! Many bulbs, including tulips, daffodils, and crocuses, can be “forced” to bloom indoors during the winter months. Forcing simply means mimicking the cold conditions these bulbs need to grow, making it possible to enjoy fresh flowers inside when the garden is dormant.

Forcing Bulbs Indoors: Step-by-Step

1. Choose a shallow pot (6 inches deep) and fill the bottom with an inch of gravel or broken pottery for drainage.
2. Fill the pot with moist potting soil and plant your bulbs so that the tips are just exposed.
3. For a 6-inch pot, plant around 15 crocuses, 6 tulips, 6 daffodils, or 3 hyacinths.
4. Refrigerate the pot for about 6 weeks, keeping the bulbs in a cool, dark place (like a fridge) to replicate winter dormancy.
5. Move to a sunny location once cooling is complete. Place the pot in a warm, sunny spot, and keep the soil moist (but not soggy).
6. Watch your bulbs bloom! Within weeks, the bulbs should begin to grow, filling your home with color and fragrance.

How to Grow Hyacinths Indoors

Forcing hyacinths indoors is a little different. After chilling the bulbs for six weeks, they can be placed in specialized hyacinth vases. Fill the vase with water, ensuring the water level is just below the bulb to prevent rot. Roots will start growing down toward the water, and in a few weeks, your hyacinth will bloom.

How Do I Plant Amaryllis Bulbs?

Amaryllis bulbs are another favorite for indoor growing, and their enormous blooms add drama and beauty to any space.

Potting Instructions

1. Plant your bulb with 1/3 of the bulb sitting above the soil line. Use a pot with a tight fit (about an inch of space between the bulb and the pot’s edge).
2. Water sparingly at first, just enough to moisten the soil. Once the sprout has emerged, water regularly to encourage growth.
3. Enjoy stunning blooms, typically producing 4-6 flowers per stalk and up to 3 stalks per bulb, depending on the size.

Aftercare Tips

Once the blooms fade, cut the flower stem close to the top of the bulb, but keep the foliage. Continue watering and fertilizing every four weeks to encourage new growth. After the frost passes, you can move the amaryllis outside to enjoy the summer sun, then bring it back indoors in the fall for the next round of forcing.

How Do I Grow Paperwhite Narcissus?

Paperwhite bulbs are one of the easiest bulbs to grow indoors because they don’t require a cold period. Simply plant the bulbs in soil, water thoroughly, and place them in a sunny spot. In a few weeks, you’ll have fragrant, elegant blooms to brighten up your home!

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Get a Jump on Spring with Fall Planting: Why It’s the Perfect Time to Grow

As the weather cools down and the days become shorter, it might feel like your gardening season is winding down. However, fall is actually one of the best times to get your hands dirty and plant for the upcoming year. The crisp autumn air provides ideal working conditions for gardeners, and it’s also an excellent time for planting trees, shrubs, perennials, and bulbs. Fall planting offers a unique advantage that spring doesn’t—plants can focus on root development, rather than battling heat, pests, and weeds. Let’s explore why fall is an ideal time for planting and how you can use this season to set your garden up for success next year.

Why Fall is the Best Time to Plant

Unlike spring, where plants must juggle the demands of root, leaf, and flower growth all at once, fall gives them a chance to concentrate on establishing strong root systems. With cooler air temperatures, plants experience less stress, making it easier for them to thrive. Additionally, the warm soil temperatures that linger into the fall months help roots grow vigorously until the ground freezes.

This extended period of root growth sets fall-planted perennials, shrubs, and trees up for success in the spring. When warm weather returns, these plants will have already developed a strong underground foundation, allowing them to burst forth with lush growth, often appearing as if they’ve been in the ground for a full year. In contrast, spring-planted varieties must juggle leaf and root growth at the same time, leading to slower establishment.

Advantages of Fall Planting

1. Cooler Temperatures: Reduced heat stress on plants and gardeners alike.
2. Fewer Pests: Cooler weather means fewer insects and weeds to manage.
3. Extended Root Growth: Plants continue to develop roots until the ground freezes, ensuring a strong start for the spring.
4. Water Efficiency: Plants require less water in fall due to reduced evaporation.
5. Year-Round Landscape Appeal: Plant now to enjoy color, texture, and structure through every season.

What to Plant in Fall: Perennials, Shrubs, and Trees

Perennials to Plant Now

Many gardeners think of fall as the time when the garden goes to sleep, but it’s actually the perfect time to plant perennials. Fall-blooming varieties like asters, Joe-Pye weed, sedum, caryopteris, heleniums, and goldenrods provide late-season interest and attract pollinators preparing for winter. Even if you’re planting non-blooming perennials, fall gives them a head start for next year’s growing season.

Trees and Shrubs

For year-round visual appeal, consider planting trees and shrubs that offer more than just spring and summer interest. Evergreens like holly, rhododendron, spruce, yew, cypress, and boxwood are great for maintaining structure and color in the winter landscape. Another excellent option is camellias, which bloom in fall and winter, adding color during the cooler months. Their glossy, evergreen leaves provide texture and contrast year-round.

Deciduous trees are also great for fall planting. Fruit trees like apple, pear, and cherry are ideal if you’re dreaming of a home orchard. For shade, consider hardy varieties like maple, linden, sycamore, or elm. For spring blossoms, plant ornamental trees such as crabapple, dogwood, or redbud. Shrubs like forsythia, hydrangea, and butterfly bush can also be planted in fall, and they’ll reward you with beautiful flowers next summer.

Plant Spring-Blooming Bulbs in Fall

Fall is the time to plant spring-blooming bulbs like daffodils, tulips, crocuses, hyacinths, and alliums. These bulbs need time to establish themselves before the ground freezes in order to bloom next spring. Planting bulbs before the first hard frost ensures they’ll have time to settle in and produce the vibrant blooms you’re looking forward to when winter ends.

A quick tip: when planting bulbs, make sure they’re placed at the proper depth—typically three times the height of the bulb—and in well-draining soil. Adding a little bulb fertilizer at planting can also help with root establishment before winter arrives.

How Late is Too Late to Plant?

Timing is key when planting in the fall. Aim to have all of your plants in the ground at least two to three weeks before the average first freeze. For many gardeners in Maryland, this means finishing your planting by early November. Keep an eye on weather forecasts and soil temperatures to ensure your plants have enough time to settle before winter.

Caring for Fall-Planted Trees, Shrubs, and Perennials

Even though fall brings cooler temperatures, your newly planted additions still need proper care to ensure they survive the winter and thrive in the spring.

Watering

Continue to water your plants regularly until the ground freezes. Even though cooler weather reduces evaporation, new plants need consistent moisture to establish their roots. A good rule of thumb is to water two to three times per week, depending on rainfall and soil conditions.

Mulching

Adding a thick layer of mulch around your plants is essential for protecting roots during winter. Mulch helps retain soil moisture and insulates plants against fluctuating temperatures. When applying mulch, make sure to keep it at least two inches away from the stems of trees, shrubs, and perennials to avoid moisture-related rot.

Avoid Fertilizing

Unlike in spring, fall is not the time to apply fertilizer. Fertilizing in the fall can stimulate top growth rather than root growth, which is not beneficial as plants prepare to go dormant. Excessive new growth is vulnerable to winter damage, so it’s best to wait until spring to feed your plants.

Get Ahead on Next Year’s Garden with Fall Planting

Fall planting is a simple way to ensure your garden bursts to life with vigor come spring. Whether you’re adding perennials, planting shrubs and trees for structure, or laying the groundwork for spring bulbs, fall provides the perfect conditions for plants to establish themselves. By taking advantage of the fall planting season, you’re not only beautifying your landscape today but also setting your garden up for a vibrant, healthy start next year. So grab your gardening gloves, and take advantage of the cool temperatures to give your plants a head start.

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There’s something so charming about having amaryllis and paperwhites bloom during the holiday season. They add a fun breath of life to the room at a time of year when the view outside your window is primarily gray and green. Growing your own bright and cheery flowers from bulbs is simple, rewarding, and a great project to do with kids. Forced bulbs also make wonderful gifts during the holiday season.

Supplies for Forcing Bulbs

Purchase high-quality bulbs to ensure success. Bulbs should be firm with no sign of mold. If they’ve already started sprouting a bit, that’s fine, but you don’t want to see too much growth. Bulbs are sold by circumference size, and larger bulbs will produce more flower stalks and blooms.
For forcing amaryllis, you’ll need potting soil and a container with a drainage hole. If you have a special container without a hole that you’d like to display your amaryllis in, you can always select a plastic pot with a drainage hole to fit inside of it. Put a little gravel between the pot with a drainage hole and the outside pot. This will ensure that the interior pot does not sit in water. The container holding the bulb should be about six inches deep, and wide enough to leave at least one inch of soil around the bulb.
For forcing paperwhites, you have two options. To grow them without soil, you’ll need gravel or small pebbles, as well as a container without a drainage hole. Containers for paperwhites only need to be a few inches deep, so you can get creative with your selection. Another option is to use a tall vase, which can prevent the stems from falling over. Many people choose clear containers so that they can see the water level inside. Alternatively, you can grow them in a pot with a drainage hole using potting soil and gravel.

When to Plant Bulbs for Forcing

It may seem too early to be thinking about the winter holidays, but amaryllis bulbs take approximately six to eight weeks from potting to bloom. Paperwhites take almost as long, at four to six weeks. If you want to grow forced bulbs for the holidays, it’s important to plant early.

How to Plant Bulbs for Forcing

To plant amaryllis, cover about two-thirds of the bulb with potting mix. Water it lightly and place it somewhere out of direct sunlight. It will grow best when kept somewhere warm, between 65° and 70°F. When it starts growing, water it again and move it to a place where it will get sunlight. Once the bulb is growing, you should water it whenever the soil begins to dry out. When the buds begin to develop color, move the pot out of direct sunlight. This will help the flowers last longer.
To plant paperwhites in gravel, fill your container with gravel to within about one inch from the top. Add your bulbs, and then add a layer of gravel around the bulbs to hold them in place. The bulb tips should show above the gravel. Fill your container with water to the base of the bulbs. Always keep the water up to the base of the bulbs (the roots should be in the water but not the bulb itself). A clear container can be helpful for this reason.
Paperwhites can also be grown in regular planters with potting soil. Select a container with drainage holes and fill it up to about one inch from the top with potting soil. Add your bulbs, followed by a layer of gravel to anchor them. Keep the soil lightly moist at all times.
Place your container somewhere dark and cool until you see new growth. When the shoots are about two inches tall, you can move your plant into the light. The flower stalks develop in about two to three weeks. They may need support to stay upright. The brighter the light they receive, the more compact they’ll be, and the less likely they’ll be to tip over. Once the plant begins to flower, keep it in a cool place to maximize bloom time.

What to Do After Forced Bulbs Finish Blooming

Unfortunately, paperwhites will only bloom once, so they should be composted after flowering. Amaryllis, on the other hand, can be kept as a houseplant and will bloom again the following year. After flowering, cut the flower stalk (not the foliage) down to about four inches above the bulb. Place it in a sunny window and care for it like a houseplant. Keep the soil moist, but not wet, and provide water-soluble fertilizer once a month. You will see new leaves begin to grow. At that point, you can cut the rest of the flower stalk.
In late summer or early fall, move your plant somewhere cool (55°F), dark, and dry. A garage or basement is ideal. Stop watering the bulb. The leaves will wither and the plant will go dormant. Cut off the dead leaves. After two to five months, re-pot it the same way you potted it the first time, and move it into a sunny room. Water sparingly until it begins to grow. Then you can water it normally.

Bring life and color to your holiday decor with forced bulbs this season. They’re an excellent choice for gardeners who want to keep growing. Plus, growing them together can be an excellent family activity. Use them to decorate your own home or give them away as Christmas or housewarming gifts.

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One of the easiest ways to have a gorgeous spring garden is to plant fall bulbs. They’re easy to plant, low-maintenance, and are some of the first plants to bloom in the spring, giving you a colorful garden as early as possible. Plus, fall is a wonderful time to enjoy working in the garden. The weather is cool and your garden to-do list isn’t as big as it is during spring planting season.

It may seem a bit odd, but spring-blooming bulbs must be planted in the fall. They need to go through a “chilling period” to bloom. You can plant bulbs throughout the fall, but make sure you get them in before the ground freezes.

How to Plant Efficiently

The first step is to select a spot for your bulbs. Most bulbs do best when planted in well-drained soil where they’ll receive full sun during the summer. There are shade-tolerant varieties that are an exception.

It’s generally more efficient to dig trenches and larger holes for multiple bulbs, rather than small holes for individual bulbs. This also helps to loosen and prepare the soil, and you can take this opportunity to add organic fertilizer, such as Espoma Bulb Tone, a long-lasting, slow-release feeding with no fillers or sludges. Bulbs will do best in well-drained soil that’s rich in organic matter.

Keep in mind that most bulbs should be planted in holes two to three times deeper than the height of the bulb. Specific planting depths for each variety should be listed on the packaging. Try layering bulbs to create a fuller garden. Plant larger bulbs at the bottom, add some soil, then plant smaller bulbs closer to the surface. You can also use layering to achieve a longer bloom period. Opt for varieties that bloom at different times throughout the spring to keep your garden looking full and colorful. Consider layering in containers using a method called “lasagna planting.” This creates a bulb container garden that will be full and beautiful in spring.

Maintenance

Beyond proper planting, you can help your bulbs thrive with a little care. After planting, give them a thorough watering and keep their bed weed-free. Adequate watering encourages bulbs to send out roots. Use mulch to help prevent weeds and keep the soil moist.

Favorite Fall Bulbs

Some fall bulbs don’t perform well for very long and should be treated as annuals. Replant these bulbs each fall:

• Tulips
• Anemones
• Ranunculuses

Others last much longer and can be treated as perennials. These include:

• Alliums
• Crocuses
• Hyacinths
• Daffodils
• Snowdrops

How to Protect from Critters

Small animals, such as squirrels, often like to dig up freshly-planted bulbs. Use a cheap piece of chicken wire to prevent this. Just lay the wire down over your planted bulbs and weigh it down so that critters can not get under it to dig. It should be safe to remove it in the spring when you see your bulbs starting to sprout. You can also try planting resistant varieties. Alliums, frittilaria, hyacinths and daffodils are our favorite choices.

Spend some time out in the garden enjoying the autumn weather and adding some fall bulbs to your garden. Bulbs are an easy, affordable way to achieve a colorful, early spring garden. A little extra work now means you’ll have a beautiful spring!

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Just about everyone prefers moderate temperatures to summer’s scorching and humid heat of zone 7. That’s true for plants too. Fall is the only time of year you get those perfect conditions where the soil is still warm from the summer sun and daily average temperatures are more comfortable for plants and people.

Plants have a head start for next spring. With little help needed from you, trees, shrubs and perennials will spend the fall rooting into the soil and make it home. Then in the spring, they will wake up faster, bloom sooner and have more vigor than any of your new spring plantings could.

Bulbs

Bulbs need our help with proper timing. Plant spring-flowering and early summer-flowering bulbs, such as daffodils, crocus and hyacinth, lilies, alliums and crocosmia. Peonies corms should be settled into place about six weeks before the ground freezes. Garlic! Oh the garlic! Plant those now too.

With evening temperatures dropping into the 50’s, your annual routine for bulbs should be triggered right away. For a lot of gardeners, it’s the same every year: gather the inspirations saved from spring, the doodles of yard mappings for placement, your gardener’s notebook with previous bulb planting so you don’t plant on top of things, and you’re off to the races.

If you are planning a big fall planting, try to task manage efficiently. If you plant a Cornus florida, nothing pairs nicer than early bulbs such as Galthunus so, plant those right into the top of the hole you’d just dug. They will grow happily together. You may remember David Culp talking about them with us this spring when the visited Homestead Gardens Severna Park to share highlights of the Layered Garden event in Spring.

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Like humans, bees are trichromatic. Whereas humans base their color combinations on blue, red, and yellow, bees base their colors on ultraviolet light, blue, and green. As a result, bees cannot see the color red as they do not have a photoreceptor for it. Bees can see, however, a reddish wavelength such as yellow and orange, however, red appears as black to the eyes of a bee. Bees also see faster than humans, which in turn allow them to see individual flowers from a distance in large groups. As a result, scientists agree that a bee’s favorite colors are purple, blue and white.

What happens to bulbs and bees in winter?

Most bees, particularly honeybees, hibernate in winter by forming a cluster within their hive to keep the queen warm. They store food reserves for the winter months, and essentially blanket the queen until the temperatures begin to rise. As winter ends and spring slowly begins the need for food causes some to leave the hive and forage. By planting the right bulbs, home gardeners can not only attract pollinators to their gardens in early spring and throughout summer, but they can also provide food to a hive that is dealing with dwindling resources. Bees won’t travel too far in early spring, so home gardeners are best planting large areas of bulbs to create smaller distance for them to travel for pollen. For instance, plant bulbs like crocus in large swaths on the lawn to create a naturalistic setting, and also a bee playground.

How to attract pollinators?

Our suggestion for gardeners looking to attract bees would be of course blue and purple flowers. Red flowers can be placed intermittently throughout the landscape, but most bees will ignore them. Yellow and orange flowers are popular with bees, but a garden consisting only of those colors might not be as attractive to the bee eye, as it is to the human eye. Gardeners will do best to plant larger areas, however, combinations of alliums, hyacinth, muscari, and crocus will be equally as effective in offering bees a large variety of food in early spring. Chionodoxa, wood hyacinth, and scilla are also bee favorites that are typically deer and rabbit resistant for those who live in wooded areas. Galanthus and other white flowers are also popular with honeybees and bumblebees and offer a striking contrast to the blues and purples also loved by bees. Once bees begin to visit, they will return, providing pollination to the garden throughout the summer, and subsequent years.

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And, with cooler temperatures, fall is the best season for planting.

Whether you’re beginning a garden for the first time or tending an old one, planting flower bulbs has never been easier.

Bulbs are a fantastic way to start or maintain a garden because they spring back up each year without any effort. But the key is to plant them correctly now.

Don’t worry! The hardest part is deciding which flowers and a color scheme to use.

Select the Best Bulbs

Three factors need to be taken into account when planning a garden: bloom time, planting time and region.

• Consider the time of the season the variety blooms. Bloom time could be early spring, mid-spring or late spring.
• Research the best time of the year to plant. Depending on your region, you can plant anywhere from September through December.
• Identify what hardiness zone your garden falls under. Some bulbs are better suited for mild temperatures, while others need that hard frost.

Planting Bulbs
Planting the bulbs is simple. Follow the steps below to create a flawless garden.

1. Dig a hole 3-4 times deeper than the bulb height.
2. Set bulbs firmly in place, following spacing guidelines.
3. Sprinkle in a fertilizer made for bulbs such as Bulb-tone.
4. Cover with soil.
5. Water thoroughly.

Design ideas

Remember when planting bulbs, plant more than you think you need and avoid the temptation to plant in single rows.

• For the most natural look, group them in a pyramid, rectangle or circular shape.
• For a camouflaged look, plant low bulbs in front of high. As the high ones die back, the low will cover the dying foliage.
• For a layered look, plant small bulbs in the same hole as large bulbs.
• For an entire spring of color, stagger bloom time by planting early, mid and late-season varieties together.

Flower bulbs are a low-maintenance way to expand or start a garden and create a stunning look year-after-year. You’ll be amazed at the beautiful array of color that pops up in the spring.

Buy spring flower bulbs now to prepare for the upcoming fall-planting season.

About the Espoma Company

The Espoma Company is a fourth generation, family-owned business that has been the pioneer in organic gardening since 1929. Espoma products work in harmony with nature to grow beautiful lawns & gardens, preserve natural resources, and make a greener world for future generations. Espoma offers a complete selection of natural plant foods, lawn foods, control products, and potting mixes that are available nationwide. For additional information, visit www.espoma.com or find them on Facebook.

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The staff at Homestead Gardens says you can grow beautiful flowers in just three easy steps:

1. Pot Choice

Choose a pot 1 to 2 inches in diameter larger than the diameter of your bulb. If you want to group several bulbs together, choose a larger container about 10 to 12 inches in diameter. For soil, a potting compost mix is a good choice to provide the bulb with needed nutrients. And make certain the pot has good drainage holes, as amaryllis bulbs can easily rot when over-watered.

2. Planting

Drop your bulb into the hole and surround it with dirt up to the neck of the bulb; do not completely cover the bulb. Lightly pat the dirt around the bulb to keep it secure in the soil. Be sure to leave room between the soil and the top of the pot to allow for easy and clean watering of the pot. Give the pot a good dose of water once planted.

3. Placement

Place the pot in a sunny and warm spot in the house and you’re done. Your bulbs will bloom most quickly in a warm location. Water only when the top inch of soil is dry – be careful of over-watering. Increase the water amount as the leaves and flower buds start to appear, which will happen in 4 to 8 weeks. Rotate your pot daily to keep your amaryllis standing tall and straight.

If you want to have continuous blooms all winter long, consider setting up a rotating schedule of planting the bulbs, waiting a week or two between plantings.

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The growing season never ends, and you may be surprised to discover that fall is the perfect time to start thinking about your spring gardens! This cooler season is the best time to plant bulbs that will bloom in dazzling shades after the spring thaw. Here are some tips from the staff at Homestead Gardens to help you plant the bulbs for best results:

1. Get the whole family involved in the planning process. It’s hard to envision what the plants will look like come spring, so paste pictures of each flower on sticks to indicate where the bulb will bloom. Have your children help you with each placement. Because it’s nearly impossible to identify which bulb will develop into which flower, be sure to keep the bulbs with the packaging, and plant each variety at the same time. If you plan to plant additional annuals in the spring, you might want to keep your markers in the soil all winter long so you don’t disturb the bulbs before they’ve surfaced in the spring.

2. Make certain the beds drain well. Bulbs don’t like to sit in water, so be sure to locate your new garden in an area with good drainage.

3. Schedule your plantings. By planting bulbs at different times during the fall months, you can adjust when the bulbs will bloom in the spring, extending your season. The later flowers will help cover the wilted earlier blooms.

4. Plant the bulbs pointy-part-up at the depth indicated on the package. Add a small scoop of Bulb Tone to the hole to help the bulbs develop a root system for spring flowers. That’s all they need. Gently pat the soil on top and wait until spring to enjoy their beauty.

So start thinking about spring’s tulips, daffodils, hyacinths and more now, before the frost even hits. One extra tip – if you plant large numbers of early blooming bulbs like crocus and daffodils in your lawn, they’ll make the yard look really beautiful before you need to mow. You’ll love how easy it is to plant them, and come spring, you’ll enjoy the beautiful display of flowers when they bloom.

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