It’s springtime at Timberline Gardens! Well, not quite, but our spring bulbs have arrived. That always makes us dream of those spring days when our hard work planting bulbs in the fall pays off with color-filled gardens in the spring.

We often get customers who don’t know anything about planting bulbs. So this is our little guide on the subject.

Timberline is a great place to get a wide selection of bulbs and we’re always happy to answer customer’s questions.

So what are bulbs?

Bulbs are sort of a self-containing all-in-one plant. They contain the complete life cycle of the plant inside, providing built-in nutrients throughout the growing process. Most bulbs are perennials planted in the fall and bloom in the spring..

Now, many people think this might be a little odd. “Why plant in the fall to bloom in the spring?” Simply put, spring-blooming bulbs need a long period of cool temperatures to spark the growing process. The time-length between fall and spring gives these bulbs enough time to do that.

While it is still a little early for buying bulbs, now is the best time to shop for best selection. Bulbs can be held in a cool, dark location for a few more weeks until the soil cools down a little bit more…or if you are planting on the north side, you can probably get a jump on it and start planting right now.

“Ok, I’m armed with information, how do I choose the best bulbs for me?”

Picking out healthy bulbs is easy. You’ll want to avoid the ones that seem dry, withered or spongy. The bulbs should be firm. Generally speaking, the larger the bulb is, the more flowers you’ll get out of them.

How do I plant these?

You should take a few things into consideration before planting:

♦ Balance the soil

Balancing the pH in your soil is important, especially here in Colorado. We recommend amending your existing soil before planting anything. Using something like compost or other soil amendment will get your pH balance evened out. In addition to an amendment, you can’t go wrong with adding bulb food or bone meal into the mix. Both of these provide important nutrients allowing for brighter blooms and healthier plants.

♦ Pick a location

Most bulbs thrive in full sun. But partially shady locations can work fine too.

I’ve got my pH balanced and food in hand, let’s do this thing!

♦ Start by digging the holes

Often it’s a better deal to buy multiples or bags of bulbs rather than individually, so when planting keep in mind that you may have a dozen or more to plant. This makes designing a color palate for your spring garden a lot of fun.

Plant your bulbs in rows for great border color or in groups for masses of color. We carry several different types of tools to help with your bulb planting, including augurs you can use on your power drill for easy “digging.”

Be sure to plant your bulbs a little bit deeper than recommended on the package. Here in Colorado we often get extended periods of very warm days in mid-to-late winter, which can cause the bulbs to come out of dormancy too soon and then they can be damaged by the deep cold that will inevitably recur.

We also carry mostly mid and late seasons tulips so the late snows we can sometimes get doesn’t damage them. The early daffodils, scilla, crocus and other very early varieties tend not to suffer nearly as much as the tulips and bounce back nicely.

♦ Add a little amended/fertilized soil back

It’s best to give the bulb a little basis, so add a thin layer of amended/fertilized soil back into the hole for your bulb to sit on.

♦ Make sure they are pointed the right way

The pointy end of the bulb is the stem. You’ll want to plant bulbs with this point toward the surface. If, for some reason, it’s hard to tell which side the stem is on, don’t fret. The stem will find a way to make it to the surface.

♦ Finish up

After placing your bulbs at the prescribed or slightly-deeper-than-prescribed depth, cover them over with the remaining amended soil and water them in. That’s it.

If you still have questions, don’t hesitate to talk to one of our staff members, we’re always happy to help. In addition to the planting help on the bulb packages, there are also a myriad of online resources to help you solve planting problems.

We hope this information will get you started with planting bulbs and giving your garden a good colorful boost. Make sure to check back on the blog in a couple of weeks, where we’ll be listing some foolproof combinations and design ideas for planting bulbs. In the meantime, however, come on in and see us!