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Last Updated: Jan 10, 2007 - 10:15:57 AM |
by Gosia Wajchert
While for many gardeners fall is a time to put away the garden trowel and hang up the pinking shears, for others autumn is a season to be celebrated and welcomed with a variety of fall blooming bulbs. The cool of autumn can provide some much needed relief from the heat of summer, and the fall is actually one of the most pleasant times of the year to work in the garden.
Fall bulbs can be a great investment for both the hobby gardener and the professional. The beauty of bulbs is that they sit in the ground, ready to bloom year after year. During the off season they are still there, growing their roots and getting ready for next year's show.
One of the most important parts of planting bulbs is finding a suitable location. Bulbs are hardy, but they have specific requirements that must be met if they are to thrive. The most important consideration when planting bulbs is a well drained soil. The most common reason that bulbs fail to grow is that they have rotted in wet soil.
Most varieties of bulbs prefer full sun. When planting bulbs, many experienced gardeners will excavate an area to a depth of 12 to 15 inches. Into this excavation is placed a good layer of either compost or well rotted manure. The bulbs are then spaced according to the planting instructions that accompanied the bulbs. After they are spaced, the bulbs are then covered with their original soil or with a good quality garden soil or compost.
While the above method is great, it can also be time consuming. A less labor intensive method involves making a 3 to 4 inch wide hole with a digging tool like a bulb planter. Under ideal circumstances, the gardener simply inserts the bulb planter using a twisting motion. When the proper depth is reached, the bulb planter is pulled out and the bulb is planted. Bulb planters are a great tool, but they do not work well in rocky soil.
The most popular varieties of bulbs to plant in the fall are daffodil, tulips and crocus. In addition to these standards, however, there are many other fall bulbs that should be considered. These choices include hyacinths, alliums and iris. These bulbs are easy to grow and beautiful when in bloom. Another easy to grow fall flower is the chionodoxa. The chionodoxa blooms early and reaches a height of only a few inches. Like many bulbs, this delicate flower multiplies over the years and blooms along with the early daffodils and late crocus. Chionodoxa also have the advantage of being resistant to damage by deer.
Gosia Wajchert is a garden writer from the UK.
Website: Flowers
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