Planting and Caring for Bulbs: From Selection to Bloom

Buying Bulbs

Choose plump, firm bulbs that feel heavy for their size. Avoid soft, squashy, lightweight, or shriveled bulbs—they may have rot or have lost too much moisture. Larger bulbs produce bigger flowers on taller stems, but smaller bulbs are a good buy if you're willing to wait a year or two for them to build up.

Planting Bulbs

Bulbs need good drainage; if soil drains poorly, plant on a slope or in raised beds. Prepare a bed by removing weeds, spreading 1–3 inches of organic amendment, sprinkling complete fertilizer, and tilling in. Rake smooth.

Plant bulbs about three times as deep as the bulb is wide. In hot climates or sandy soil, plant slightly deeper; in heavy soil, slightly shallower. Space according to nursery recommendations—closer spacing gives a mass of bloom but requires sooner division.

To plant among existing plants, use a trowel or bulb planter to dig a hole a couple inches deeper than recommended. Add a tablespoon of fertilizer, cover with 2 inches of compost/soil, set the bulb, and fill in.

Water thoroughly after planting to settle soil and initiate root growth.

Watering

Bulbs need water during active growth (from planting until foliage dies back). Water deeply to reach the root zone beneath the bulb. Mulch helps retain moisture (except for bearded iris, which rot if mulched).

Fertilizing

Apply high-nitrogen fertilizer at the start of the growing season to enhance flower quality. After bloom, replenish nutrients for next year: always leave foliage until it yellows and pulls off easily—green leaves manufacture food for next year's flowers. Apply a complete fertilizer (10-10-10 or bulb food high in phosphorus/potassium) as flowers fade. Scratch into soil or dig narrow trenches near roots, add fertilizer, cover, and water.