The most well known bulbs – daffodils and tulips
Bulbs are among the most popular of all flowering plants for the
garden. Bulbs have long been renowned
for their beauty, their hardiness and their variety. This article provides a small sampling of the
many types of bulb plants available to the average gardener.
The muscari, or grape
hyacinth, is one of the most popular of all bulb varieties, and it has been for
many years. The grape hyacinth features
narrow, grassy leaves that appear in the fall and can survive through the cold
and snow of winter. The leaves of the
grape hyacinth are small, urn shaped and blue in color, and they grow on
attractive eight inch tall spikes. The
flowers on the grape hyacinth bloom in the spring of the year, and these bulbs
should be planted in the fall in order to bloom the spring. The bulbs of the grape hyacinth should be
planted two inches deep and three inches apart for best results. The grape hyacinth prefers full sun or light
shade, and it benefits from regular watering during its growth and bloom
cycles.
The daffodil may be the
most easily recognizable of all bulb plants, and it rewards its gardener with a
generous display of beautiful blooms.
Besides the traditional white and yellow varieties, daffodils also come
in shades of orange, apricot, pink and cream.
Daffodil bulbs should be planted twice as deep as they are tall, and
they should be spaced between six and eight inches apart. Daffodils benefit from full sun and regular
watering during their growth and bloom periods.
Tulips may just be the
most well known and easily recognized of all bulb plants. Indeed, in the minds of many tulips are
synonymous with bulb plants. The tulip
has long been prized for its beauty, and tulips continue to be one of the most
popular types of flowers among casual gardeners and professional growers alike.
In addition, tulips are
among the most hybridized of all flowers, with hybrids available in a
staggering array of shapes, sizes, colors and textures. Some of the most popular tulip hybrids include
pastels, spotted tulips, bicolor tulips and tricolor tulips. There are also hybrids in the brightest hues,
and even a variety that is almost black in color. The tulip comes in a variety of shapes as
well. In addition to the classic egg
shaped bloom, there are varieties with blossoms resembling the shapes of
peonies and lilies.
The blooming season for
most varieties of tulips runs from mid to late spring. Most tulips need a period of extended cold in
order to look and bloom their best.
Feeding with a high quality, nitrogen rich fertilizer will encourage
multiple blooming. The fertilizer should
be applied before the first bloom for best results.
In mild climates, it is
best to refrigerate tulip bulbs for six weeks before they are planted. While it is possible for tulip bulbs to
remain in the ground, most gardeners treat them as annuals and replant them
each year. Doing so is often the best
way to get the best blooms year after year.
Tulips like full sun,
and they benefit from a regular watering schedule during their growing and
blooming periods. It is best to plant
tulip bulbs in the fall, and tulip bulbs should be planted three times as deep
as the bulb is wide. Therefore, a 2”
wide bulb would be planted 6” deep. It
is important to leave sufficient space between the planted bulbs as well, from
four to eight inches depending on the size of the bulb.
Post a Comment