Spring Blend Collection 2

Bulbs for Fall Planting:

Plant the bulbs as soon as possible once you have received them. If you cannot plant the bulbs as soon as they have been shipped to you, remove the bulbs from plastic bags and put them on trays with damp peat moss or sawdust in a cool, well-ventilated place until you have a chance to plant them. Do not store them at temperatures below 4°C. Generally all bulbs planted in the fall are hardy and do not need any special protection unless specified.

Planting Daffodils: 

Select a site that offers full sun or partial shade. Most daffodils tolerate a range of soils but grow best in moderately fertile, well-drained soil that is kept moist during the growing season. Plant bulbs 1-½ to 5 times their own depth. Where winters are severe, make sure there are at least 3 inches of soil covering the bulb. Daffodils will tolerate some crowding, but they prefer to be spaced 3 to 6 inches apart. It may help to sprinkle a little bulb fertilizer in the hole during planting.

Growing: 

Apply a low-nitrogen, high-potassium fertilizer after flowering if bulbs are not performing as desired. Water late-flowering daffodils in dry spring weather (flowers may abort in dry conditions). Deadhead plants as flowers fade and allow leaves to remain for at least 6 weeks. Lift and divide the clumps when flowering becomes sparse or the clumps congested. After daffodils bloom in the spring, allow the plants to grow until they die off. They need time after blooming to store energy in the bulbs for next year’s bloom. To remove the dead plants, either snip them off at the base, or twist the leaves while pulling lightly. Once daffodils and tulips have gone by, add bonemeal to the soil for next year’s blooms.

Planting Tulips:

Plant tulips about 6” to 8” deep measuring from the base of the bulb. If you add mulch after planting, include this as part of your overall planting depth. Deeper planting (8"-12") will prolong the life of many of the later varieties, especially the Darwin Hybrids, for several years. Space bulbs 4"-6" (9 bulbs/squ.ft.-5 bulbs/squ.ft.) apart. If tulip bulbs send up leaves with no flowers, it’s time to replace them.

Growing:

Plant in full sun. At least 6 hours of direct sun per day. Though too much water is not good, sufficient water at the time of planting is necessary to get them growing and to ensure the start of a strong root system. Always grow tulips in well-drained and airy soil. Wet and/or compacted soil promotes fungus and disease, or can cause bulbs to drown out due to suffocation. Adding compost or other organic matter to soil will make it more airy. We recommend raised beds in wetter areas and suggest that you have at least a 10” depth of loose airy soil. Proper soil drainage is very important when planting bulbs. After the tulips have passed their peak, remove the flower stalk to prevent seed formation and let the leaves die down normally. Leaves should be allowed to ripen for at least six weeks after blooming. This will help the new bulblets grow bigger. Fertilize in early spring or fall with a low nitrogen fertilizer such as Bulb Fertilizer or top-dress with rotted manure or compost.