How to Prepare for Planting Perennial Bulbs

Whether you are planting spring bulbs like daffodils or summer blooming bulbs like dahlias, preparation of your planting area helps ensure success. While not technically bulbs, corms are perennial flowers that include gladiolas and crocus. These are similar enough to bulbs that they share most of the same planting requirements and are often sold as flowering bulbs. Spring bulbs are planted in fall so that they bloom as soon as the soil begins warming. Most summer bulbs do best with spring planting.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Compost
• Power tiller
• Hoe
• Bark
• Fertilizer
• Straw mulch

1. Choose a site in full sun for your bulbs' planting bed. Remove any old plant materials, weeds, rocks and other garden detritus from the bed.

2. Lay a 3-inch layer of compost over the soil and till it in with a power tiller or hoe to a 10-inch depth to add nutrition and aid soil drainage. Work bark or straw into the bed if you have heavy clay soil to further loosen the soil and add drainage.

3. Apply 1 pound of low-nitrogen fertilizer to every 100 square feet of garden bed. Till it into the top 6 inches of the soil.

4. Place a 2-inch layer of straw mulch over the beds to prevent weeds and preserve the soil moisture until you are ready to plant in fall or spring. Remove the straw before planting.

5. Plant bulbs in holes twice as deep as they are wide with the root side down. Cover the bulb and lightly firm the soil. Apply a 1-inch layer of mature compost over the new planting to act as a mulch and add soil nutrition.

Tips & Warnings

• Prepare beds one to two months before you plant them. This allows the fertilizer to dilute into the soil so it doesn't damage the bulbs.
• Work a bulb fertilizer around the bulbs each spring. Do not allow the fertilizer to come in direct contact with the bulbs, which will damage them.
• Create bulb beds on level ground--otherwise they will either collect too much water or water will drain off too rapidly.

References

• Cornell Cooperative Extension