Spring has arrived…we think. It sure is hard to know these days, isn’t it? Here in the Midwest, we’ve experienced temperatures as low as 3 degrees F and as high as 80, all within the last month! One of the most frequently asked questions I’ve received lately has to do with the growth habits of spring-blooming bulbs, especially those of tulips. I can’t tell you how many times I have heard from gardeners “My tulips are beautiful, but I expected them to be much taller!” over the past few weeks. So what is the problem with tulips this year?

Tulip bulbs, like most other fall-planted bulbs such as hyacinth, daffodils, and allium, require a “chilling period” of anywhere from 8-16 weeks with temperatures consistently 55 degrees F or below. If any of these bulbs fail to receive the adequate amount of chilling or have an interruption of warmth during this chilling period, the process within the bulb that produces the bloom is thrown a bit off. Considering that over 75% of the United States had average temperatures at least 5 degrees ABOVE normal during January 2012 alone (check out this map provided in an article appearing in Times Union), many bulbs (as well as other plants) did not receive a typical “winter”. Unfortunately, in the case of tulips, this can mean the difference between a plant reaching its appropriate height while producing a beautiful bloom and it growing with only a weak display of a few sparse leaves with a shortened flower stem. Therefore, while it’s not a fun conclusion to come to, it should not be extremely surprising that many tulips are not performing as expected this spring season considering the “winter” many parts of the country did, or rather did not, receive.

So they say knowledge is power, right? Now that we maybe understand why this happened, what can we as gardeners do about it? Unfortunately, the answer is not much. Considering the lack of control we have over the weather conditions and patterns, there is no way to create an artificial environment for your plants and bulbs planted outdoors unless you were somehow able to encapsulate your entire landscape in the confines of a bubble, similar to the houses the Jetsons resided in. The best thing you can do for you tulips is give them patience, keeping in mind that even though their show may be less than satisfactory this year, they still need to progress through the stages of sprouting, blooming, and then entering into dormancy. This means leaving the foliage in the ground until it has dried and browned to a point when it can be easily removed from the bulb without causing any uprooting. This will allow the plant to continue to make food for the bulb, encouraging lush growth and blooms for the following season. Once they complete their cycle this spring and summer, they will (hopefully) receive a proper fall and winter this coming year and return bigger and better than ever in the spring of 2013.

With hands in the dirt and head in the clouds,

P.S. Feel like you missed out on the spring show of bulbs this year due to the odd weather? Why not try some spring-planted bulbs and enjoy blooms this summer!

Ok. So you’ve decided to try your hand at forcing some flower bulbs (or your lack of time to plant the fall bulbs you purchased has decided it for you). Let’s start the process!

1. First off, you will want to decided HOW and WHERE you want to chill your bulbs. This will be largely dependent on what “chilling” resources you have available to you and also how much space you can afford to use. Ask yourself these questions: do I have any location (such as a garage, basement, shed, attic, etc.) that remains 50°F (10°C) or below and is fairly dark? Keep in mind that this area should not receive freezing temperatures for any length of time. If you do not have any such location, a refrigerator will work as well but is a tad bit more prohibitive based on a lack of space. Plus, depending on your family’s acceptance of your hobby, you may not want flower bulbs in your refrigerator besides last night’s leftovers
2. Chilling Temperature: Regardless if you are chilling them in a refrigerator or other location, it will be very
   

   An inexpensive digital thermometer can take the guess work out of selecting an area adequate for cold storage.

   important to keep tabs on the temperature in the given area. I recommend purchasing a digital thermometer (you can find one fairly inexpensive at your local garden center or hardware store) which you can place in the designated area. Look for one with an extension wire so that you can place the receptor directly in the chilling area. Or better yet, if you’re willing to invest a little more, purchase a wireless thermometer which can receive the transmittal several hundred feet away to easily keep tabs on the location without being near it. Most of these thermometers are available for under $30.00. Ideally, the temperature in your chilling area should always remain between 35°F and 48°F.

3. Refrigerator Chilling: One thing to keep in mind about chilling the bulbs in a refrigerator is the presence of produce (fresh fruits and vegetables). As fruits and vegetables ripen, they produce a gas called ethylene. This gas is somewhat a double-edged sword as it helps to signal to other fruits and vegetables to ripen but also can cause produce to ripen too quickly, therefore causing it to rot. Remember the old trick of placing bananas in a paper bag to get them to ripen faster? This is because you are essentially trapping the ethylene in a small space. This same thing is happening in your refrigerator at all times, giving the ethylene no where to go. Unfortunately, this gas has the same affect on bulbs and therefore, you will want to keep your refrigerator as free from produce as possible during the chilling period. This makes chilling your bulbs in a refrigerator a little more difficult unless you have a secondary refrigerator where you do not store your apples, pears, salads, etc.
   

   Be sure to place the bulbs in soil so that pointed tips are at the same level as the rim of the container.

4. Garage/Shed/Basement/Attic Chilling: Monitoring the temperature in an “uncontrolled” space will be extremely important. If there is a chance that the space will dip below freezing for any length of time, you will need to protect the bulbs by slightly insulating them. This can be done by wrapping the bulbs or pot (depending on how you are chilling, see following steps) with a material such as bubblewrap, a blanket, or burlap. It is EXTREMELY important that the bulbs are not allowed freeze solid. Doing so will cause them to rot and turn to mush once they thaw in the spring. Keep in mind that you are attempting to create the same process which would occur naturally outdoors artificially indoors. When a bulb is planted in a garden, even though the temperatures outdoors may dip below freezing for sometimes months at a time, this frost is evenly distributed over much more surface area. This means that the bulbs are not allowed to freeze as solid as they would if they were more exposed.
5. Next, you will want to determine how you will chill the bulbs. There are two different options: one is to plant the bulbs in pots prior to chilling them and the other is to plant them after the chilling period has past. There are advantages and disadvantages to both. The advantage to planting them prior to chilling is that it will be unnecessary to do so later once the bulbs have been chilled. If the bulbs begin to sprout or grow roots, they will already be at home in the soil and not have to go through the stress of being planted once actively putting on growth. However, having the bulbs planted in pots unfortunately takes up quite a bit of room. If space is an issue, you may opt to chill them in paper bag. If this is your case, be sure to cut adequate ventilation in the bag to allow for the release of ethylene which the bulbs will naturally produce. Overall, chilling while planted in pots is recommended and tends to yield more favorable results.
6. If chilling the bulbs in pots, chose a container with adequate drainage holes. If the pot you desire to use does
   

   Tulip bulbs potted and ready for chilling!

   not have holes for drainage, place a 1-2″ layer of stone or gravel in the bottom prior to filling with the soil. One of the most important things to remember when growing bulbs (whether doing so through forcing or naturally outdoors) is that bulbs require moisture with perfect drainage in order to be success. Therefore, use a medium that has equal parts peat moss, potting soil, sand, and vermiculite/perlite. You can use a typical potting soil with the addition of peat moss. Fill the container, leaving just enough room at the top to plant the bulbs. The bulbs should be placed in the soil, pointed ends up as close together as possible. The tops of the bulbs should just reach the rim of the container. Once the bulbs are planted and covered with soil, water the bulbs thoroughly, allowing the soil to settle around the planted bulbs. I recommend keeping some kind of log, describing which bulbs are planted in which container, the date they were planted, and your anticipated date to bring them out of cold storage.

7. Once you have either placed your bulbs in ventilated bags or potted them, move the bulbs to your chilling area. If the area tends to receive too much light, place a large bucket or box over the pots to shield them as much as possible. If you have decided to plant your bulbs in containers, these containers can be planted out-of-doors in the ground, keeping the rim at the soil surface. This can be a good option if you are intending to keep the bulbs in the pots for the growing season but not necessarily in the garden. This will allow the bulbs to receive the chilling period but will make them “mobile” once they are in bloom to use on a patio or deck.
8. The forcing process will take approximately 10-16 weeks total. After 5 or 6 weeks, the roots will begin growing. Early blooming spring bulbs (such as crocus and snowdrops) will take about 12 weeks until they are in full bloom. Mid-spring bloomers (such as daffodils, hyacinth, and some tulips) will take approximately 14 weeks, whereas the rest of the tulips can require the full 16 weeks to bloom. I will discuss this in further detail in the next forcing blog article
9. While chilling the bulbs, it is important to remember to keep the bulbs damp but not wet. I recommend the “misting method” with a cheap plastic spray bottle. Be sure not to over water and try to keep in mind the amount of moisture the bulbs would be receiving if planted outdoors under a snow cover.

This should get you started in the forcing process. Once these steps are done, you’ll be well on your way and you can sit back and relax! I am so looking forward to the thrill of seeing those sprouts begin. In the next blog, I’ll talk about the number of cold weeks required for different varieties and also explore some other ideas relating to forcing. Good luck and have fun!

Until next time,

In perusing my favorite gardening websites the other day, I came across some really cool, different looking plants such as the Purple Fritillaria and the Hair Allium. These guys were super unique and I had to find a place for them in my garden. If you’re anything like me,

The repeating red hues of this garden help to unify the landscape in spite of the many different types of plants used.

you love plants. You love getting creative and experimenting with new plants and bulbs that add a different twist to your garden and make it stand out from all the rest.

While creativity and boldness are great attributes of wonderful gardeners, sometimes this “all caution to the wind” approach can leave a garden looking random and not extremely pleasing to the eye. While each individual plant was selected for its unique and excellent characteristics, planting too many different varieties and not enough of each can create more of a jumbled mess then anything else. Does this mean you have to give up your love for trying new things and being adventurous? Most definitely not! By paying attention to the following attributes while selecting your plants, you can create a garden space that is not only interesting but also pulls the eye in with common characteristics which will lead the on-looker visually through the garden:

Color: Most everyone has at least two or three colors which they find most pleasing in the the landscape. So you want to try allium and coneflowers? Why not stick within the same “color palette” rather than trying to do too much with a little space? This can be done with many different plants. If you’re in love with daffodils but want to avoid the “one of everything” look, try repeating the yellow of the center of the daffodil in the petals of another. By playing off some of the insignificant colors of one flower, you can make a much more “connected” and cohesive look with all of the other flowers.

Texture: So you’re in love with ornamental grasses but don’t want to stick to just one variety. That’s fine! Plant clusters of like-varieties throughout your garden space to carry on the theme. If you’re big into succulents but still want variety and interest, couple them with

The pure yellow daffodils intermixed with the others helps to bring out the yellow centers of the white blooms.

other plants of the same texture like Hens and Chicks or different varieties of the sedum. The same can be true of bulbs. If you love the thin, elegant foliage of the dutch iris, planting it among another thin-leafed perennial like daylilies can help blend the two plant types together.

If you’ve found something you like in the garden, stick with it! Want to add variety? Go right ahead! Just remember to try to avoid the “hodge podge” look by playing off some of the key elements. This will add harmony to your landscape and be very pleasing to eyes of all who pass by!

Until next time,

Have a question about which fall planted bulbs to plant in your garden or any other bulb gardening topic? Ask Bridget! Email her at bridget@bulbblog.com! If she features your question in a future post, you’ll receive a Holland Bulb Farms coupon for your next order with Holland Bulb Farms!

Spring has almost come and gone in what seems like the blink of an eye! Now that the season is drawing to a close, I thought it might be a good time to review some of my “garden favorites” for all of the blog readers out there. After all, it’s never too early to start planning your spring garden for next year, considering these bulbs will need to get in the ground shortly after the summer is over!

Drumstick Allium (Allium sphaerocephalum ‘Drumstick’)

These late spring bloomers are truly versatile! They produce 1-1/2″ diameter spherical blooms atop 24″ flower stems which age from green to a brilliant burgundy color. Plant them among a lower plant and watch them “hover” above. They look amazing in fresh flower arrangements and dry perfectly. They’re also deer resistant!

Minnow Daffodil  (Narcissus tazetta ‘Minnow’)

This dwarf rock garden daffodil could hardly be any sweeter in its demeanor–or its scent! This little one only reaches 6″ tall and produces a beautiful fragrance which can fill your entire landscape when used in mass plantings. This has definitely become a mainstay for me in my mid-spring garden borders as well as my bud vases located around my house! Also won’t be eaten by deer, squirrels, or other pesky outdoor creatures…

Jan Bos Hyacinth (Hyacinth orientalis ‘Jan Bos’)

Everyone’s familiar with the wonderful fragrance, long bloom time, and full dense flowers of the hyacinth, but have you ever seen one this color? A photograph hardly does this gem justice with its absolutely striking hue of deep magenta. Growing 12-16″ tall, this is a great “mid-height” plant to fill between a short border and dramatic tall background. And don’t forget: the rodents and deer won’t bother these!

Bicolor Grape Hyacinth (Muscari latifolium)

What a fun new take on an old classic! This grape hyacinth is like no other with its “two-shade” bloom! The deeper violet contrasts nicely with the lighter blue while still retaining the familiar form and scent of the original. Use these little beauties in the border, in between other spring bloomers for added interest, or take advantage of their strong desire to naturalize and plant them among your lawn!

Lambada Fringed Tulip (Tulipa ‘Lambada’)

Perhaps the most impressive bulb I grew this year was this one: the Lambada Fringed Tulip. Never was I astounded by a tulip as I was by this one! The outer light peach colored petals transition to a brilliant tangerine orange-yellow at the fringed edges! This late spring bloomer will create a marvelous end to the season and make you think of the warm summer days ahead!

This is just a sampling of what I fell in love with this year in my garden. Check these all out by clicking on the photographs and start planning your fall garden TODAY! I can guarantee you, these great selections won’t last long!

Until next time,

Have a question about which fall planted bulbs to plant in your garden or any other bulb gardening topic? Ask Bridget! Email her at bridget@bulbblog.com! If she features your question in a future post, you’ll receive a Holland Bulb Farms coupon for your next order with Holland Bulb Farms!

This ‘F.M. Joyner’ Caladium is a great spring planted bulb for a garden which gets large amounts of shade in the summer. 

Spring or Fall Bulbs: Who Says You Have to Choose?

“I had planted fall bulbs in a small garden area and now I am wondering if I am able to plant Spring bulbs in the same garden without hurting the daffodils, tulips, hyacinths, and crocus?”

~Paula

One of my readers, Paula, asked the above question in a recent email. And this is how I answered: ABSOLUTELY! Making use of the same garden space to plant both summer-/fall-blooming and spring-blooming bulbs is a great use of different plants for year round color! Planting dahlias and gladiolus next to daffodils and tulips is not only a good idea, it is a necessity for an “all bulb garden”. Here are three quick tips when planning a garden of this kind:

1. Be sure you know where your previously planted bulbs are located, or be prepared to accidentally dig some up . The best course of action is to plant your fall planted bulbs FIRST, and then plant your spring planted bulbs while your spring bloomers are actively growing. This way you will know exactly where the other bulbs are planted. If this does not work for you, simply mark the plants with small popsicle sticks while they are growing. This will tell you approximately where not to dig when you go to plant your bulbs for the next season.
2. If you do accidentally unearth a bulb which you did not intend to, simply re-plant it at the appropriate depth. Chances are, it will still come up at the correct time if the roots were not badly damaged.
3. Consider the sunlight conditions in the designated area carefully when selecting your bulbs. Just because tulips (which like full sun) do well in your flowerbed, does not necessarily mean that canna lilies (which also require full sun) will do well. Keep in mind that a place in your yard which receives full sun in the early spring time, may not receive this much sun once all of the trees have leafed out. In some cases, you may need to select full sun bulbs for planting in the fall but ones which can withstand partial shade in the summer months (which are planted in the spring).

So go for it! Be daring and plant both types of bulbs in the same garden! I promise: they’ll get along just fine And congratulations to Paula for having her question featured in this post! She now has an extra $5.00 to spend on her spring planted bulbs from Holland Bulb Farms!

Spring is here!

Until next time,

Got a gardening question and need some help? Why not ask Bridget?! Send your question to bridget@bulbblog.com. If she features your question in a blog post, you’ll receive a coupon for $5.00 off your next order with Holland Bulb Farms!

“I know you’re not supposed to plant fall bulbs in the spring but we were hit with hard winter weather rather early this year and I am left with at least 100 tulip and daffodil bulbs that were unable to get planted. Would they survive to bloom next year if I were to plant them now?”

~Dianne from Idaho

Dianne asks a very good question…and one I’ve heard quite often! We all know what it’s like to have the greatest plans for our yard that never seem to quite materialize. Sometimes you even get so motivated that you actually purchase the bulbs and yet they still never make it in the ground! Whether it’s a forgetful mind, the unpredictability of Mother Nature, or just plain running out of time, it’s okay: we’ve ALL done it. And the best news? It may not be too late for your bulbs!

These bulbs were bought with good intentions...anything you can do with them now?

The most important factor to consider when deciding what to do with fall bulbs which were never planted in fall is the conditions in which they have been stored. Were they kept in a cool, dry place since you bought them? Were they left out in the garage? Were they left on the warm kitchen table? Test your bulbs for firmness by squeezing them. Also look for signs of rot or blight by checking the outside of the bulbs for dark or mushy spots. If the bulbs feel firm and have a rather healthy-looking outside, then you’ve got yourself some winners! Most likely, if the bulb was left outside or in a very cold garage and was allowed to freeze, it is no longer salvageable.

So now that you’ve determined that your bulbs are still healthy enough to survive, it’s time to get them “chilled.” As you may or may not know, most fall bulbs (tulips, daffodils, and hyacinth to be specific) need to be chilled in order to grow and bloom properly in the springtime. When planting them in northern climates which receive consistently cool weather in the winter (Zones 3-8), this happens naturally. However, since your bulbs were not planted before the winter and now the ground is frozen, the bulbs can no longer be planted in the ground this year. This leaves you with two options:

1. Plant the bulbs in one large (or a few small) pots. Plant them at the correct depth but don’t worry too
   

   These 'Queen of Night' Tulips need to be chilled in order to grow and bloom correctly.

   much about the spacing. As long as the bulbs aren’t on top of one another or smashed side-by-side, they’ll be fine. Place this pot in a cool but not freezing garage (upper 30′s and 40′s for temperature). If you do not have a garage or shed which meets this criteria, the pot can be left outside on a patio or deck as long as it is wrapped in something which will protect it from frost (such as burlap or bubble wrap). The bulbs will then receive their necessary “chilling” period but will not freeze. In approximately 10 to 12 weeks or so, you should start to see a little growth. Once this happens, move the pot to a nice sunny patio or lawn area (or remove the bubble warp). The bulbs will continue to grow and bloom just as they would in the ground. The bulbs can then be dug out of the pot and moved to a flowerbed either during their growing cycle or after the foliage has browned and dried. OR…

2. Place the bulbs in a paper bag in the refrigerator. Be sure that the refrigerator is set at a temperature between 35°F and 50°F. Also, rid the refrigerator of any fruit (particularly apples) as these produce a plant hormone called “ethylene” when ripening which will cause flower bulbs to rot. After a period of 10-12 weeks, the bulbs may start to sprout. At this time, the ground outside should be thawed and the bulbs planted in the ground. They will then grow and bloom as normal!

One important thing to keep in mind when doing this is that the environment required by these bulbs is being artificially created. Therefore, be forgiving of your bulbs and do not expect them to be super all-star growers and bloomers the first year. It may take them a little while to readjust but after they have completed their first full growing season, you’ll never be able to tell the difference!

Because Dianne’s question was featured in the Bulb Blog, she received a $5.00 off coupon for her next Holland Bulb Farms order. Congratulations to her and thank you for the great question! Keep them coming and you may get a coupon, too!

Until next time,

Got a gardening question for Bridget? Email her at bridget@bulbblog.com! If she features your question in a post, you’ll receive a coupon of your next order at www.hollandbulbfarms.com!