Every spring, it’s the same thing: you have regrets. Don’t deny it. I know you. Every May, you walk the streets of your neighbourhood, swooning over your neighbours’ beautiful tulips, glorious daffodils, and fragrant hyacinths.
From the depths of your soul resonates this realization: “Oh darn! I forgot to plant bulbs again this fall. Once again, my garden shines with its dominance of brown, straw yellow and gray.”
This is a Friendly Reminder
Well, my dear readers, I say to you: Yes, it’s now! As soon as the leaves start change color in the trees, the spring bulbs arrive in garden centers and nurseries across the province. It’s at the very beginning of the first signs of fall that the choice is at its best. Tulips of every color imaginable, beautiful healthy big bulbs of ornamental garlic and rare and intriguing bulbs! It’s better than a candy store!
Fulfill all your desires! Empty the shelves, fill up your credit card! This fall, no corner of your garden will be spared. There will be bulbs everywhere.
Now that they’re yours and neatly stacked near the doorstep, lets put the project on hold. Wait? What?
Fast, But Not Too Fast
To take advantage of the choice, you do have to shop early. But when it comes to planting, you will have to wait a little, especially for the province of Quebec. There are still a few nice warm days left in September. For freshly planted bulbs, heat in fall is not ideal. Bulbs that are planted in the fall need to be put in the ground when the temperatures are cool at night and you can feel that winter is coming.
Coolness is essential for root development in the fall. Temperatures must be between 10 and 15°C to initiate rooting. Indeed, the bulb does not remain dormant once it is planted. It begins its new life by developing beautiful roots that will anchor themselves in the soil.
Furthermore, it is the contrast between the cold of winter and the warmth of spring that triggers flowering. Although the effects of autumn heat waves on bulbs are not fully known, many experts agree that they can be detrimental, even killing the bulbs before winter. My analysis, based on no data, suggests that the bulbs, unable to establish roots and draw water and minerals from the soil, dehydrate and slowly die.
What to Do in the Meantime?
Between purchase and planting, it could take two to four weeks. During this period, the bulbs will be stored in a dark, cool and humid place. The basement, if you have one, is ideal. The garden shed or garage can also be a good place to store the bulbs.
These weeks of waiting can be devoted to the planning of the plantings! Tulips, near the entrance. Crocuses all over the lawn. Putting the hyacinths for the edge of a beautiful flowerbed in the backyard.
And when the right moment comes, we take action, trowel in hand!
Those who are afraid to forget the bulbs that have been too neatly stored can even set an alarm on their mobile phone: it’s time to plant!
Happy shopping! And most importantly, have a BEAUTIFUL spring!
Some bulbs and bulb like perennials do not perform well here after their first year because of inadequate chill. (They are mostly pre-chilled from nurseries.) Some, particularly peonies, should not even be available here. Otherwise, most of the others probably become available a bit later here, and when they do become available, most can go directly into the garden. Winter is not cold enough to damage them. Canna become available later as ‘summer bulbs’, but rhizomes of those that are already in the garden can stay there, or be dug and replanted directly without concern of frost. Only their tops die back, and in some areas, even that does not happen.
For some bulbs like tulips and crocuses I always cover them with chicken wire after planting and I find that if they soil is slightly wet the squirrels are less of a problem.
Also I have planted tulips and crocuses right up to Christmas if the ground isn’t frozen and rarely do squirrels go after them then.
I gave up on planting bulbs after watching the squirrels devour 100 tulip bulbs, one by one. Even planted underneath cat scat mats and sprinkled with cayenne pepper they ate them, all but one. And then in spring when that lonely single bulb sent forth a bud, they bit the head off…. Done.
That is me every spring! Thanks for the reminder!