How to Plant Bouquet Bulbs

Plant bouquet bulbs when you'd like to have a cluster of the same type or color of flowers blooming at the same time. Planting a bouquet or block of bulbs will have a greater impact in your garden than a single file row of bulbs. Plant spring flowering bulbs in the fall and summer flowering bulbs in the mid to late spring, when the ground is warm. To create a bouquet, layer the bulbs so you will have blooms throughout the season.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Shovel or hand trowel
• Bulbs
• Container and gravel

1. Dig a hole three times as deep as your bulb is tall. Place the bulb in the hole with the pointed side up. Cover it with dirt and then fill in the hole. Plant your bulbs in soil that drains well and in a location with at least four hours of sunlight daily. Most bulbs are not shade lovers, but read the planting instructions for your bulbs to decide the best location in your yard. Plant clusters of single bulbs to achieve the appearance of a bouquet. Large bulbs should be planted 3- to 5-inches apart and smaller bulbs should be planted 1 to 2-inches apart. Water the bulbs immediately after you plant them.

2. Plant layers of bouquet bulbs in your garden. Dig a hole three times as deep as your largest bulbs are high. Place the largest bulbs, roots down and points up in the hole. Cover the bulbs with dirt or potting soil. Place your intermediate size bulbs on top of the soil covering the large bulbs. Cover them with soil. Place the smallest bulbs on top of the soil covering the intermediate bulbs. Fill the hole with soil. Water the bulbs immediately after planting.

3. Plant bouquet bulbs in a container on your patio the same way you plant them in your garden. Make sure your container is at least 14 inches deep to plant three layers of bulbs; a 10-inch deep container can hold two layers of bulbs. Add a layer of gravel to the bottom of your container before planting the bulbs. The bulbs can be planted closer together in the container, but they should not touch. Water your bouquet bulbs as soon as you plant them.

Tips & Warnings

• Healthy bulbs should give you three seasons of flowers with proper fertilization each year.
• Spring bulbs like daffodils and tulips can weather the winter and do not need to be removed and stored. Summer bulbs like cannas and amaryllis will need to be dug up and stored through the winter.

References

• Bulb Information

Resources

• Online Bulb Retailer