Tips for Planting Bulbs

Single-Planting Bulbs

Bulbs have to be planted fairly deep, usually 4-8 inches, so pick spots where you won't disturb perennial root clumps.

Dig a hole to the required depth.

Mix some bone meal or other bulb food in with the soil at the bottom of the hole.

Set the bulb in the hole, making sure it's rightside up. (The hairy, root-like side should face down, the stem up!)

Re-fill the hole with loose soil, and for autumn plantings keep it moist till the ground freezes.

Mass-Planting Bulbs

To plant a mass of bulb flowers, dig out a hole in the bed to the desired length and width and to the depth required for the type of bulb you're planting.

Spread bone meal or some other bulb food over the bottom of the hole and mix it into the soil.

Set the bulbs in the hole (rightside up, of course!) just a bit closer than recommended for a true mass effect.

Cover the bulbs with the soil you removed from the hole. Keep the soil moist till the ground freezes.

After the Blooms

After the bulbs bloom and fade, you can pull the stems out. But don't touch the leaves!

The leaves help the bulb store up nutrients for the winter, so you leave those alone if you want the bulbs to bloom again next year.

But once the leaves turn brown, you can remove those and plant annuals right over the bulbs. (Assuming you planted them deep enough to start with!)