Bulb soil tips

How long will the wintry days of ole’ man winter stay? How fascinating it is to be in a climate where the sun is beaming above soaring, blue skies with temperatures active at 80 degrees while elsewhere, people are still bundled in coats, snuggly hats and boots. Although it is almost summer where I reside, it sure can’t come soon enough for other gardeners. To lend a hand giving a to-do list for those summer blooming bulbs, here is a resource for what to do and how to do the essential groundwork for planting your bulb garden. Even though it may be a while, at least now you will have the information when nature permits.

Good soil:

Soil amending is very important. However, it is best to wait until the soil warms in your planting zone. Once the soil in your zone is no longer frozen and the temps begin to warm up, (about May), test your soil to see what may be lacking due to the elements which draw away many nutrients our bulbs and plants will need to flourish. It’s best to amend with compost/manure and top soil. This has worked wonders for me and though an advocate of autumn amending, it’s okay to do it in the spring too. Just as long as it is done, is what is important. Now, let’s peek at your bulbs to see how they survived during winter.

Bulbs in storage

Summer bulbs in a southern garden (Zone 8 and up) can remain all year and return the following growing season but usually cold-climate gardeners cannot over winter their bulbs in the garden. After they have yellowed and been dug up, it’s best to remove all foliage and store in a peat moss mixture loosely (not airtight this causes moisture and rot) in a box/tray in a cool location such as a shed, garage, basement or even attic (something we southerners don’t have). It may help to label them so you’ll remember their identity. It is very important that humidity levels are kept as low as possible; also, remember to store away from where ethylene gas is produced by fruit.

Some people swear by diverse ways of storing them to lessen damage and prevent rot but storing them in a cool, dry location for the winter seems to work for those I know back up north. Be sure there is suitable air ventilation for your stored bulbs while stored and level them two layers in depth (no more than that). They all need room to have a rest.

Once its time for planting in your well-prepared soil, in the garden, take out those tender bulbs, corms, rhizomes and tubers and inspect for rot and mold. Northern gardeners, it can be helpful to verify monthly to make sure they don’t get too dry. Mist them with a mister every now and then when dehydrated.

Preparing the soil

As stated above, one cannot overstress the significance of soil amending your garden bed yearly (once every two years is good too), in order to provide a growing environment for your future extraordinary garden display. This is the single most important facet (to-do) in gardening for anything you plant. Whether it be vegetables, seeds, or in this case, the subject of bulbs, feeding the soil will in turn bring about great soil.
Properly preparing the soil for bulb planting requires necessary drainage. Bulbs hate wet feet. So, if you have clay content, improve by adding compost, manure even peat moss will help. Great plants derive from great soil and will become some of the healthiest plants ever. They will get less disease, attract fewer nuisances and will require less water believe it or not. A good rule of thumb is to add some type of organic matter frequently. Supplemental fertilizer is good for deficiency of nutrients but beware. Too much excess fertilizer will make your plants addictive to its substance.

Application of amendments

Organic materials such as compost, which feeds the soil and in turn improves the soil, this can be cultivated in the top 8-10 inches of soil (the deeper the better). All bulbs need phosphorous to encourage root development but since this type of organic fertilizer is not readily available (it takes time to decompose and release activity), mix into soil where bulb(s) will be planted. I am not particularly an advocate of this, simply because it draws attention to the annoying squirrels. With that being said, provide food for the squirrels and cross your fingers.

Bone meal/rock phosphate provides phosphorus, which helps promote bloom and root growth, so with its application put deeply into the soil near the bulb, this will give bulbs a better running start than left on top of soil.

Provide additional amendments yearly if your bulbs remain in your garden at least once yearly. A soil test is the best way to find out what is missing, if anything, in your garden before amending. Nothing is worse than adding too much or not enough of something when it is already present.

Keep in mind to feed your soil. Great soil = great plants = healthy plants. Supplement deficiencies in plants with inorganic fertilizer but don’t create a habit of making your plants junkies requiring that every week fix of fertilizer. Feed the soil before you plant.