This is the time of year to plant spring-blooming bulbs into your garden for loads of early-spring color. Planting spring bulbs is so easy, it requires minimal effort and the return is as good as it gets. Consider any of these glorious spring bulbs to add tough, long-lasting color and life to your yard before anything else wakes up from its long winter.
Planting bulbs: A good rule of thumb to use is to plant bulbs 2 to 3 times as deep as the bulb is tall. So if you’re planting a crocus, which has a tiny bulb, you don’t have to plant that even 3 inches down. Allium, which can have a 4-inch bulb, can be planted 8 to 12 inches down. You can dig these holes with a special bulb planting tool, a bulb auger that attaches to a drill, or just use a shovel.
Crocuses are very early and very small flowers, suitable to plant through a lawn or along paths and walks. Plants about 9 corms per square foot and about 3 inches deep. They come in shades of purple, white and yellow.
Tulips are what we think of when we think of bulbs! There are early, middle and late tulips as well as fringed, giant and double types. Tulips are known to put on a big show the spring after planting, but often get eaten or don’t flower in years after. Plant 6-8inches deep.
Daffodils are the low-maintenance queens of spring. They are not preferred by deep or other small mammals, they naturalize nicely over time, and have a long bloom time. Daffodils come in more than just yellow, you can find them in creamy whites, oranges and even pink, too. Plant 6 to 8 inches down, depending on the variety.
Allium is popular due to their “Dr. Seuss”-like appearance, ease to grow, and ability to ward off chipmunks, rabbits, and deer at a time of year when they will eat everything. You can find allium anywhere from 8 inches tall to 6 feet tall and in colors ranging from yellow, white, pink, blue and purple.
Hyacinths are little towers of spring fragrance and couldn’t be easier to grow. They are deer and rodent resistant, and come in colors ranging from yellow, orange, white, purple and nearly black. Plant about 6 inches deep.
Muscari is commonly known as Grape Hyacinths because they smell of grapes and are a purple/blue color. They are quite small, naturalize well, and are a terrific addition to woodland gardens. Plant up to 5 inches deep.
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