As autumn’s colors paint our landscape, it’s time to prepare for the beauty of spring. Planting tulip, daffodil and muscari (commonly known as grape hyacinth) bulbs in the fall ensures a colorful and welcome surprise when winter breaks to warmer days. In this practical guide, we’ll walk you through the ins and outs of fall bulb planting, covering everything from recommended spacing to bulb selection and unique varieties available at Rooted Farmstead. Plus, we’ll dispel any worries about planting bulbs and assure you that nature often finds its way regardless of how you plant them.
Selecting Quality Bulbs
Inspect before you buy: When selecting bulbs, it’s crucial to inspect their condition. Quality bulbs should be firm and free of soft spots or mold. Avoid purchasing bulbs that show signs of damage or decay.
Avoid completely covered packages: Opt for bulbs that allow inspection before purchase. Packages where bulbs are completely covered make it challenging to assess their quality.
Choosing the Right Tulip Variety
For cutting tulips: If you intend to use tulips for cutting, select varieties with a height of at least 12 inches. These taller tulips are ideal for creating stunning floral arrangements.
For landscape planting: When planting tulips for landscape beauty, any height is suitable. Consider the aesthetic you wish to achieve, whether it’s a burst of color at ground level or a taller, more dramatic display.
Planting Your Fall Bulbs
Timing is key: You can plant tulip, daffodil and muscari bulbs as long as the ground isn’t frozen. These bulbs require around 12 to 16 weeks of consistently cold soil temperatures to bloom beautifully in the spring.
Spacing: To allow your bulbs room to grow, plant tulips and daffodils about 6 inches apart. For muscari, a 3-4 inch spacing is ideal. Plant the bulbs at a depth roughly three times their height, so a tulip bulb, for example, should be planted about 6 inches deep.
No wrong way: There’s no “wrong way” to plant bulbs. While it’s recommended to plant them with the pointed side up for maximum height, rest assured that even if they find their way into the ground differently, they have an uncanny ability to adjust their course as they grow.
Husk off, no problem: If the brown husk falls off the bulb during planting, don’t worry. While the husk can be beneficial during storage and transport to minimize bruising and drying out, once in the ground it serves little purpose.
Unique Bulb Varieties at Rooted Farmstead
At Rooted Farmstead, we offer a selection of distinctive bulbs to make your spring garden truly unique:
Double peony-style tulips: These tulips are a visual marvel, with lush, peony-like blooms that add a touch of opulence to your garden.
Delft blue blend muscari: Blue muscari bulbs bring a pop of cool, soothing color to your spring garden, creating a delightful contrast with the vibrant blooms around them.
White blend daffodils: For a Penn State blue and white garden, these white daffodils perfectly complement the blue muscari, creating a stunning visual representation of school pride in your landscape.
By following these planting guidelines, exploring the unique bulb varieties available at Rooted Farmstead and understanding that there’s no “wrong way” to plant them, you’ll be well on your way to a splendid spring garden that’s sure to chase away the winter blues.
