Plant your bulbs as soon as possible after buying or if you can't get them in the ground, store them in a cool, dry place.
Good drainage is essential for bulbs. Work and amend the bulb bed by adding organic matter such as peat moss, compost or aged pink bark, and add Bulb-tone fertilizer.
Watch Mark's video tip on planting bulbs.
The basic rule-of-thumb for determining the proper planting depth and spacing is:
- 8" deep and 3" - 10" apart for large bulbs which are 2" or more in diameter.
- 5" deep and 1" - 2" apart for smaller bulbs which are 1" or smaller in diameter
If voles are a problem in your garden, place 2" of Espoma Soil Perfector in the bottom of the planting hole and place then the bulbs. Surround the bulbs with additional Soil Perfector leaving just the tips exposed. Finally, place a 50% Soil Perfector/soil mix over the bulbs to the desired depth. You don't need to do this when planting daffodil bulbs as they are toxic to "critters" and are not eaten!
After planting, be sure to water generously to get good root growth started.
Once the ground freezes, you can add 2"-3" of mulch. Mulch keeps the bulbs cool in uneven temperatures, prevents heaving, and maintains moisture in the soil.
As soon as tulip flowers are past their peak in the spring, clip them off just below the flower head so they will not develop seeds. Leave the foliage to mature and remove it when it turns yellow.
Fertilize with Bulb-tone at the recommended rate immediately after flowering and again with a light broadcast application in fall.