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Planting Bulbs

Bulbs

Bulbs are great to plant then forget about. Often planted in fall (some in spring), they’re not visible during winter. Come spring or summer, depending on the bulb, voila! A beautiful plant! There’s a wide variety of types of things called bulbs, including rhizomes, tubers, corms, and true bulbs.
Learn more about
bulbs.


Planting tips for bulbs:

Growth points up, roots down.
Plant all types of bulbs with the growth points “up” and the root scars “down.”  True bulbs and corms have obvious points, but tubers don’t.  

Planting depths vary.
Generally, most true bulbs, corms, and tubers should be planted three times as deep as the bulb is wide.  

Go for a natural look.
For a showier display, arrange bulbs in informal clusters rather than singly or in rows. 

Try the toss method. 
For mass plantings, some gardeners recommend tossing the bulbs on the prepared soil and digging them in where they fall.

Protect your bulbs.
Many rodents love bulbs; protect them by planting in wire cages.

Don't overwater.
Many bulbs prefer dry conditions and will rot if irrigated.