How to Choose Summer-Blooming Bulbs

Summer-flowering bulbs like begonias, gladiolus and dahlias can provide season-long color. Here's how to choose the best ones for your garden.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Begonias
• Caladiums
• Dahlias
• Daylilies
• Gladiolus
• Lilies
• Planters
• Pencils
• Paper
• Pencils
• Paper
• Pencils

1. Decide where in your garden you'll plant summer-flowering bulbs. You can squeeze them into the smallest spots or plant vast rivers of color.

2. Analyze growing conditions - sun, shade, wet, dry. For large plantings, draw a map of the area, noting varying conditions.

3. Determine which USDA zone you live in, which bulbs are best adapted to your climate, and when they should be planted. Much of this information can be found in mail-order bulb catalogs and books on bulbs, on garden Web sites, or at local nurseries.

4. Decide if you want bulbs that can be left in the ground to bloom year after year, such as daylilies, or if you're willing to dig and replant each year, as needs to be done with begonias.

5. Consider the color combinations that will look best in your garden.

6. Locate highly visible "center stage" locations - like on the front porch or patio - where you might be able to place containers filled with bulbs.

7. Shop as early as your climate allows - late winter in mild-winter climates; early spring in cold-winter areas.

8. Plan for a succession of bloom from late spring into fall. Many bulb types come in early, midseason and late varieties.

9. Select sun lovers like gladiolus, dahlias and daylilies for sunny spots.

10. Choose shade lovers like begonias and caladiums for shady areas.

11. Use lilies and brodiaeas as naturalizers - they'll come back year after year like wildflowers.

Tips & Warnings

• You'll get the best show from planting closely and generously.
• Many low-growing flowering annuals and perennials can be planted on top of bulbs. The bulbs will grow up through the flowers and everything will bloom together.
• Climate adaptation is very important when selecting bulbs. In dry-summer, mild-winter areas, like the Southwest, only certain bulbs will thrive without winter chilling. In rainy-summer areas, many bulbs rot in warm, wet summer soils.

on 11/22/2005 To keep rabbits, squirrels and other critters from digging up and eating newly planted bulbs, sprinkle the tops of each one with Cayenne pepper as you plant them (approximately 1/2 tsp. per bulb).