Gardens

Planting Spring Bulbs

bulb.gif (2067 bytes) If you want tulips, daffodils or crocuses in the spring, now is the time to plant your bulbs. Spring bulbs need a couple of months to chill, then several more months to grow. That’s why we need to plant them now.

Planting bulbs depends on the climate in which you live. Right now, in California, it is not cold enough to chill our bulbs. In warmer climates you need to chill your bulbs in the refrigerator for eight weeks. All you do is place your bulbs in a sandwich sack, label and date, and place them in the refrigerator.

If you live in the midwest or east, it is getting cold enough for our bulbs to properly chill in the ground. Here’s how to plant them:

1. Dig a trough (3 times the diameter of the bulbs).

2. Line trough with two inches of horticultural grade sand.

3. Sprinkle some bulb food in trough.

4. Place bulb in trough, pionty side up.

5. Label bulbs with metal marker (this helps the bulb withstand harsh winter conditions).

6. Water thoroughly.

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