It won’t be long, and you will be receiving catalogs in the mail, emails from bulb suppliers or see spring flowering bulbs show up in the garden centers. Why? Because fall is the best time to plant them. In Oklahoma late-September through mid-November is the ideal time to start planting depending on where you live in the state. To get the best quality bulbs, order early or visit your garden center soon for the best pickings. The larger bulb usually means a healthy, vigorous plant. I enjoy browsing through the selections available from the many bulb suppliers because they have a larger variety of cultivars and species to choose from and I get to dream of cooler weather and bright colors in my garden. After months of a drabby winter, there’s nothing like an explosion of color to let you know that spring really is finally here.
For best results follow these do and don’t tips.
1) DO plant generously. It is better to plant tulip bulbs in groups of 20 or more, spaced about a foot apart, than to place them in tight clumps or scatter them all over an area. You’ll get more bang for your buck. Daffodils provide a fantastic display when organized in swaths, sort of like a lazy river.
2) DO plan for a longer display of blooms by mixing different species and varieties of species. For example, there are early, mid, and late season blooming varieties of tulips. By choosing some of each you can extend the blooming time over several weeks.
3) DO choose a site with excellent drainage. Bulbs hate soggy conditions, which can be common in Oklahoma clay soils. Plant in raised beds, on slopes, or any other well-drained spot. They also need full sun, at least 6 hours of direct, unfiltered light a day.
4) DON’T plant too deep, not even tulips. Plant bulbs no deeper than about two to three times the diameter of the bulb. For example, if a bulb is 1 inch in diameter, plant about 2 to 3 inches deep.
5) DON’T plant in straight rows. This looks stiff like tin soldiers standing in a row, and that lovely massed effect of the bulbs is lost.
6) DON’T expect tulips and hyacinths to last for years and years. Most of the tulip varieties succumb to Oklahoma summers and heavy clay soils. Treat them like an annual and expect to replant again next fall. Daffodils, crocuses, grape hyacinths, and others, on the other hand, tend to naturalize or multiply year after year. Old clumps that seem to be declining should be divided! Keep the largest, healthiest bulbs and discard any small, weak, or damaged bulbs. Be sure to also try some of the other spring-flowering species besides the typical ones, such as:
Alstroemeria ligtu (Peruvian lily), Allium spp. (Giant allium), Anemone coronaria (Poppy anemone), Anemone nemorosa (Wood anemone), Convallaria majalis (Lily-of-the-Valley), Crocus spp. (Crocus), Fritillaria imperialis (Crown imperial), Fritillaria melagris (Checkered lily), Galanthus spp. (Snowdrop), Muscari spp. (Grape hyacinth), Scilla campanulata, also Hyacinthoides hispanica (Wood hyacinth or squill), and Scilla spp. (Squill).
In addition to spring-flowering bulbs, don’t forget that pansies can be planted now along with ornamental cabbage and kale, and other cool-season flowers. The pansies will be quite happy through most of the winter and come spring, by the time the bulbs are popping through the ground, they will begin to delight you with a colorful display.
For more information contact Greg Hartman Beckham/Washita County Extension at 580-928-2139 or 580-832-3356