How to Buy Flowering Bulbs

Classic spring-blooming bulbs include daffodils and tulips, but other seasons also boast impressive performers, such as summertime's lilies and gladiolus. None are for procrastinators--or for limited thinkers who can't imagine the glory that comes from a brown knob five or six months after you plant it.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

1. Shop for bulbs at nurseries or home improvement stores during the planting season. The earlier in the season you buy, the better the selection. Order bulbs by mail or online ahead of the season (June and July for fall planting), when many catalog companies offer discounts. Mail-order sources will take your order early, and then send the bulbs to you at planting time.

2. Buy and plant spring-flowering bulbs, such as crocuses, daffodils, hyacinths and tulips, in the fall (September through November).

3. Buy and plant summer-flowering bulbs, such as gladiolus, lilies and ornamental onions, in the spring (generally February through April).

4. Search the Web for online sources, such as White Flower Farm (whiteflowerfarm.com), John Scheepers (johnscheepers.com) and Brent and Becky's Bulbs (brentandbeckysbulbs.com).

5. Note that bulbs are graded by size, with different sizes for top grades of various types of bulbs. For best results choose topsize bulbs. If you are planting a big area, you can save money by buying smaller sizes. Choose bulbs that are firm to the touch and do not have any mold on them.

6. Save money on prepackaged bags of bulbs, or spend more and buy individual bulbs in special varieties.

7. Plant enough bulbs for a showy display. You can group tulips close together, as long as they aren't touching (which promotes rot). Space other bulbs about two or three times their diameter apart. You can fit about seven tulip bulbs in a pot that's 12 inches (30 cm) across.

8. Extend the blooming season by planting bulbs with different blooming times. Tulips and daffodils, among others, are labeled as early, mid or late season.

9. Look for spring-blooming bulbs that can be forced in the fall. These include hyacinths and certain narcissus, usually labeled for forcing.

Tips & Warnings

• Don't remove the papery coating on bulbs that have them, such as tulips, but don't worry if it slips off.
• In the right climates, many bulbs will bloom year after year. Others--particularly tulips in warm climates-- are one-year performers.
• In mild climates, including much of California and the Southwest, buy tulip bulbs early enough so you can chill them in your refrigerator's vegetable crisper for six weeks before planting. This extra chilling will make up for the cold weather that tulips need in order to bloom well.