While we’re all still enjoying some warm Indian summer weather, now is the time to start thinking about those upcoming cooler months and how to prepare your garden. Putting in some work now will pay off in the spring when you have a yard full of beautiful blooming bulbs. Though spring 2021 may feel like an eternity away, with the year we’ve been having, the six or seven months until then will fly by! Here’s what to do to get ready for fall, plus a few of our top picks for spring-blooming bulbs.
FALL GARDENING CHECKLIST
When the colors of the plants in our yard start to change or fade, it’s like a traffic signal letting us know it’s time to get started on our fall gardens.
- Now is also the time to sharpen any tools and tune up anything that needs fixing so that you have less to worry about when the next gardening season comes around.
- Choose your bulbs. Fall-planted bulbs will bloom in spring, some of them coming up before the rest of your garden even begins to wake up and flourish. Select a mix of bulbs, some that flower in early spring like Crocus tommasinianus ‘Ruby Giant,’ while others bloom a bit later, like Eremurus ‘Bubble Gum.’ Growing bulbs with staggered bloom times means you’ll always have color in your yard.
- Layer bulbs in containers. If you plan to grow your bulbs in containers, you may want to consider the “lasagna layering” method. This has you placing different varieties of bulbs at different layers so that the container is always in bloom. Place the latest blooming variety in the bottom layer and the earliest blooming one in the top.
- Prep the soil. Add organic matter, like compost and humus, to the soil to make sure plants have all the nutrients and minerals they need. Place an inch or two on top of the beds.
- Plant your bulbs. Plant fall bulbs after the first killing frost but before the soil freezes. This will be from late October to December in this area.
- Choose a spot with proper sun requirements for your bulbs. The bulb’s instructions will tell you all of its needs, though if you need any more help, get in touch with us. Bulbs look best when grown in groups, so plant five to ten in a single patch. In general, plant them three times the bulb’s height deep with the pointed end facing up. Water and fertilize the bulbs after planting. If you don’t have any compost around, you can use an organic fertilizer like Espoma Bulb-tone.
- Keep critters away. While some bulbs are critter-r
- esistant, others are not, which means we need to put a bit more thought into keeping scavengers away and keeping our bulbs in the ground. One way to do this is by creating a wire barrier. After planting, place chicken wire down and then cover with mulch. You could also place your bulbs in a wire cage then fill it with soil. Growing critter-resistant bulbs, like Daffodils and Alliums, amongst your other bulbs should help to deter any animals from gnawing on the rest of your plants.
What to Plant in Fall 2020
While our full catalog is available online, here are some of the fall-planted items we’re most excited about!
• Allium ‘Giganteum’
• Galanthus elwesii
• Helleborus ‘Dark and Handsome’
• Hyacinth ‘General Kohler’
• Iris cristata ‘Eco Bluebird’
• Narcissus ‘Classic Garden’
• Muscari ‘Maxabel’
• Tulipa ‘Double Sugar’
You can also visit The Bulb Shoppe Monday through Saturday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. and browse through the largest selection of flower bulbs you’ve ever seen. If we don’t have what you want in the Bulb Shoppe, we may have it available in our warehouse. Then take time to walk through our display gardens and see acres of our bulbs incorporated with other perennials, annuals, trees, and shrubs.
Fall is such a beautiful time of year to spend more time outside. It’s not as hot as the previous summer months, and knowing you’re prepping your yard for a colorful and cheery spring is sure to bring a smile to your face!