How to Plant Bulb Masses

Spring is heralded by the crocuses and followed by other spring bulb flowers. Bulbs are storage organs for plants and hold plant sugars for energy to help emergence. There are plenty of varieties and colors of bulbs to add to your landscape and they come in summer flowering species, too. The soft pastels and jewel tones of bulb flowers enliven the garden and attract pollinators. Bulbs can be enjoyed in the garden or cut and brought indoors for arranging. The best way to showcase the colors and forms is in a mass planting. A wave of bright red tulips or a blended bed of clumped groupings provides spectacular impact to your garden for you and others to enjoy.

Tiller
Phosphorus
Shovel
Bulbs
Water
Granular fertilizer (5-10-10)
Mulch
Slug bait
Pruners

Instructions

- 1
  
  Crocus are usually the earliest blooms and are showy when planted in a group.
  
  Prepare the garden bed by tilling the soil at least 8 inches down and up to 12 inches. Add phosphorus to the soil and work it in at the rate the packaging indicates. Phosphorus is a crucial mineral for bulb development and blooming.
- 2
  
  A riot of color greets you in spring when tulips are planted en masse.
  
  Plan your bed before you plant. Dig out the area that you will be laying bulbs to a depth of 6 to 8 inches depending upon the type of bulb. Most bulb packages will tell you the exact depth. Tall flowering bulbs need to be planted slightly deeper so they have plenty of soil stability around them to hold up the stems.
- 3
  
  Daffodils sunny charm recalls the warmth of summer in a rainy spring.
  
  Plant 4 to 6 inches apart for large bulbs and 1 to 2 inches for small ones. Place the bulb with the flatter part on the soil and the pointed part up toward the sky. Fill in the area half way and then water until the soil feels wet when you push your index finger all the way into it. Add the remainder of the soil and tamp down. Water again to moisten this top layer.
- 4
  
  Hyacinth are the charming old ladies of the spring bulb garden.
  
  Plant the bulbs in groups of type or mix up colors. It is easier to care for a single species than to mix them, but a mixed variety of flowers keeps the blooms flowing over a longer period as each species has a different flowering time.
- 5
  
  Gladiolus and other tall summer bulbs are best planted in masses for color appreciation and as support for each other.
  
  Fertilize the bed after planting by broadcasting 3 lbs. of fertilizer per 100 square feet. Mix it into the top 2 or 3 inches of soil. The bulbs will not need to be fertilized again this season.
- 6
  
  Summer blooming daylillies can be planted 2 to 2 1/2 feet apart for a riveting flower display.
  
  Layer 2 inches of mulch over the bed. This will prevent freezing and will gradually leach nutrition into the soil. Protect tender foliage with a slug bait in spring and deadhead spent flowers to keep the mass planting looking impeccable.

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