Master Gardener: The do's an don'ts, facts and myths about planting fall flower bulbs

You probably have been seeing all the ads for planting bulbs. And you thought planting season was over. Or not ?now is the time to buy the bulbs for next year’s beautiful flowers.

Before you actually put the bulb in the ground there is some prep work. To pre-chill, leave the bulbs in their bags and place them in a refrigerator. Do not store near fruit. Ripening fruit will give off ethylene gas, which will damage or kill the flower inside the bulb. Once the bulbs have chilled, plant them at the coolest time of the year, after the first frost but before the ground hard freezes. Check the directions on the bulb container.

A few important things to keep in mind. The bargain price on the bulb is really not a bargain in the long run. Plant the pointy end up. Plant perennials on top of your bulbs. Keep track of where you plant, measure, listen and watch nature as to when to plant. If you can’t dig down then cover up, deer will shy away from the plant and some of the bulbs will actually do the work for you.

Soaking bulbs is not necessary

Fall bulbs should be planted as soon as the ground is cool usually, when the evening temperatures are constant between 40 to 50 degrees. Some gardeners plant as late as January. The rule is if you can dig a hole deep enough to plant ? go for it. Some people still soak bulbs before planting, but that is not necessary. The thought behind the soaking is some believe it will enable the bulb to establish quicker. It is suggested you remove the roots and main outer shell, but do not remove the inner shell that is protecting the bulb.

The easiest bulbs to plant are peonies, tulips, crocuses, daffodils, winter aconites, allium, hyacinths and fritillaries. Of these and others the most popular are daffodils, tulips, grape hyacinth, crocuses, plus hyacinths and snowdrops. These bulbs are known for their ability to return year after year and are often the first signs of spring which will bring on the color and cheer to the garden. They are known to flower the first year.

Mulching over bulbs can help the through winter

Once planted don’t forget to water your bulbs because fall bulbs don’t root well in dry soil. The bulbs will die after a hard freeze if there is not enough moisture. Add a layer of mulch to keep the bulb cool.

Should the bulbs be dug up or left in the ground? Spring blooming bulbs that are winter hardy, such as tulips, daffodils and crocus can be left in the ground. While summer bulbs such as dahlias, tuberous begonias, and calla lilies will not survive cold winters.

So next year you won’t need to buy more bulbs because the ones you have will multiply on their own. Tulips are the exception; they require a full year before they start multiplying. But if you want more bulbs, be sure to order them early. They are shipped by the end of September and continue through November.

What about depth? Plant the bulb two to three times deeper than the bulb is tall. That calculates if the bulb is 3-inches, plant it 6 to 9 inches deep.

Plant bulbs withing six months for best results

If for some reason you don’t get a chance to plant the bulbs, they will keep for up to a year, but will perform best if planted within six months.

You are probably wondering how to keep track of where you planted what bulbs. It is wise to keep a journal of where the bulbs are planted. Taking pictures is another good idea. That way you also will know what color the flower is. Marking the area with stakes and labels will help you next year.

Fall flowers usually need to be seeded in the spring or transplanted by early summer. Most flowers will start blooming by mid-summer and continue till frost.

So, what do you do with the bulbs that didn’t get planted? Most bulbs need to go through a cold period otherwise they probably won’t flower. You can plant them, and the leaves will grow. They will absorb sunlight and store it for the next year. Cut the greenery when it starts to die and then replant in the fall.

If you don’t already have some of these beautiful bulb plants why not try planting some this fall and enjoy what happens next spring.

Susan La Fountaine is a Master Gardener with the Sandusky and Ottawa Counties Extension Offices.

This article originally appeared on Fremont News-Messenger: Master Gardener: Preparation for planting fall bulbs can start now