Growing bulbs is not about instant gratification. It takes a lot of patience to plant a plain tuber one season and then wait for its flower to appear months later. However, when those first hopeful little shoots pop up and evolve into beautiful flowers, every gardener knows it is worth the wait.
A season of blooms
With a little planning, it is possible to have bulbs blooming from early spring into the fall. Plant daffodil, tulip and hyacinth bulbs in the fall for spring blooms. Summer flowers such as gladiolas, dahlias and lilies should ideally be planted mid-to-late April, and definitely by mid-May. After that, the tubers begin to dry out and, if planted, won’t flower until the following summer. To ensure a succession of flowers, Gary Douglas, greenhouse superintendent for the City and County of Denver, recommends planting bulbs with short blooming time, like gladiolas, a week apart but still within their ideal planting period.
The best bulbs for Colorado
Choosing bulbs that will grow successfully in Colorado is pretty easy – if it’s sold here, it should grow here. But it is wise to ask neighbors and other people familiar with your specific conditions how much success they have had with different flowers. Dahlias, tulips and lilies are garden standards here, but it is possible to shake it up a bit by adding some of the unusual and often overlooked varieties available in stores.
Trela Phelps, of City Floral Greenhouse in Denver, recommends tigridia, with its triangular, spotted center surrounded by white petals. For greenery, she recommends elephant ears, a shade-loving, accent plant with large, leafy foliage. Both grow in the summer.
Douglas recommends crocosnia and frillitaria for their tall stalks and showy, bright flowers that bloom mid-summer into fall.
The basics of bulbs
There are only a few guidelines to keep in mind to ensure that bulb planting really pay off.
First, get the right depth. Most bulbs should be planted about 6 inches deep with the point facing up.
Second, think about the big picture. When grouping bulbs, keep the finished height of the plant in mind. Place the tallest in back so that all plants get at least a half-day of sunlight. Lilies and gladiolas work best at the back of a garden plot, leaving an attractive foliage backdrop long after their blooms have withered.
Third, know when to let go. Many bulbs only produce flowers for two tothree years and should be replaced.
Tips on planning and planting
Peter Milstein, owner of Distinctive Gardens by Pete Moss, offers his method for creating an impressive show of flowers. First, Milstein digs deep trenches and sets aside the removed dirt. He then places the bulbs almost touching each other in the trench. After covering the bulbs with the removed dirt, Milstein plants a blanket of winter-hardy pansies right on top of the bulbs. The pansies look beautiful from the start in the fall, hold over the winter and then bloom again in the spring. The bulbs grow up between the pansies, creating a lush, multi-layered garden.
