It’s never too late or too early to plant your bulbs. I know that’s a comforting statement to anyone who gardens often and might have forgotten to do some planting earlier this year – I remember my mother being heartbroken when it frosted and she hadn’t gotten all of her flowers planted.
Gardening is one of my mom’s greatest joys. For as long as I can remember, she was outside in our backyard trying to make it look like a professional landscape. She’s known in her neighborhood as “the woman who does her own yard work,” and her neighbors envy her yard. So today, I asked her what bulbs people need to plant right now to get beautiful flowers in the spring.
Most gardeners will tell you that you should plant your bulbs in early autumn. This is the most acceptable time to do it because everything — temperature, sunlight, schedule — is right. The only problem that comes with planting your bulbs this early is that they might rot. The warm temperatures of August and September can sometimes trick the bulbs into thinking that it’s spring and they’ll begin to bloom, just to be struck down by frost a few months later and leave you nothing in the spring.
While most people will stop planting their flowers after the first frost or snow comes, there’s no exact cut-off date for planting. As long as the ground is workable, you can plant your bulbs! Shockingly, this is a trick very few people know. If you go to any gardening store right now, the bulbs will be discounted and you can get some amazing deals and still plant your dream garden.
The most common flowers people plant at the end of January are tulips and daffodils. During the spring, these flowers will grow deep roots and they’ll bloom later than the usual spring greens, but that will give you something to look forward to!
While it’s okay to plant in winter, you may need to take some extra steps. To prepare your bulbs for the cold temperature, you can cover them in plastic and chill them in the refrigerator until they sprout. This process can take up to three months, but then your bulbs will be ready to go! You can also plant these bulbs even if the ground is covered in snow. Just make sure the ground is loose and pliable, brush away the snow, and get to planting! Another extra step you can take is to keep your bulbs inside your house. My grandmom has a little indoor greenhouse with bulbs rooting in water. As long as you know which bulbs need what temperature and sunlight, you can make a beautiful garden inside your home.
My Mother’s Wisdom
“Okay, let me go check my bulb book.”
My mother just got back from a walk and is giddy to share her plant wisdom with me, her daughter who has successfully murdered 4 cacti and would not be caught dead with her hands in the mud.
She rummages through her collection of gardening books until she finds a chapter on bulbs. While she starts monologuing the difference between tuber bulbs and corms bulbs (I’ll spare you the details), she passes along some grains of wisdom that I couldn’t find on the internet.
Bulbs only bloom for two to three weeks. This leaves a very small period for your garden to remain cohesive. If you’re planting bulbs this late in the season, consider planting them all together so that they’ll bloom together.
She went on to describe all the flowers that she planted and told me about the charts that give a handy guide to what will bloom in your area. There are some flowers that will grow almost everywhere: daffodils, anemones, daylilies, and gladiolus. Most flowers sold in your area will grow in your area, but it doesn’t hurt to do some further research on that.
Linda plants tons of flowers. Gardening is her therapy and I don’t think I’ve ever seen her without dirt or paint under her fingers. She describes bulbs as her “reliable little garden soldiers” because they can survive anywhere. That’s why it’s okay to plant them this time of the winter. They are often stored in cool, dark places and they make their own food. Once they’ve been planted and bloomed, you don’t want to cut the green part off of the bulb – that’s how it receives the nutrients it needs for the 48 weeks it’s not blooming. The less you mess with bulbs, the more they grow and bloom. As my mother said, “The beauty of bulbs is that they keep coming back and they require no attention. They’re just reliable little garden soldiers. As long as they’re planted in the right place, they’re the best.”
When you’re looking for bulbs, make sure that they’re plump and firm, they have no roots coming out, and if they’re in mesh bags, that’s the best. You can store them anywhere that’s below 60°.
If you’re looking for the best types of flowers to plant right now, we’ve got a list for you!
Look for ‘Grand Primo’ Daffodils, Jonquils, Snowflake, ‘Golden Dawn’ Daffodils, Grape Hyacinth, ‘Lady June’ Tulips, Campernelle, Byzantine Gladiolus, and ‘Tinka’ Tulips.
Do you love to garden? What are your favorite bulbs to plant this season? Comment below!
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