PHOTO: BLAINE MOATS
W o r l d M ^ g s ?
TOOLS
&
TIPS
FOR
EVERYONE
WHO
LOVES
TO
DIG
I n
Feel a chill in the air?
Crisp
October weather provides ideal
planting conditions for hardy
bulbs, including daffodil, tulip,
hyacinth, crocus, grape hyacinth,
glory-of-the-snow, snowdrop, and
SciUa
. Planted this month, these
spring bloomers have time to root
in the cool soil before the ground
freezes. Here’s how to plant for
your best bulb show yet.
1
PICK THE RIGHT SPOT
M o s t bulbs do best in fu ll sun
(6 h o u rs o r m ore o f d ire c t sun
each day) and w e ll-d ra in e d soil.
Loose garden so il is id e a l
2
PREPARE THE SOIL
Bulbs w ill g ro w in any
w e))-d ra in e d area, b u t th e y
p e rfo rm best in soil th a t’s ric h
in organic m a tte r. For lo n g -te rm
success, m ix co m p ost in to soil
before p la n tin g .
KEEP IT NATURAL
C lu s te r b u lb s in large,
in fo rm a l d rifts o f a dozen
o r m ore instead o f p la n tin g
in d iv id u a lly , h ith e r and yon.
A void s tra ig h t row s.
TUCK THEM IN
Place a b u lb ro o t-sid e d o w n
(g ro w in g tip up) and cover
w ith s o il F irm the soil to e lim in a te
a ir pockets; w a te r deeply. C over
th e pla n te d area w ith 2 -3 inches o f
m u lch , such as shredded w ood.
r
Tool rule
G o w ith a tro w e l,
rig h t,
o r b u lb
p la n te r i f y o u 're
p u ttin g in ju s t
a few bulbs. For
larger q u a n titie s,
tu rn a p o w e r d r ill
in to a p la n te r w ith
a b u lb auger b it.
D u ra w o rx trow el
a va ila b le a t select
Low e's stores.
Q&A
What's the latest color trend
in spring-flowering bulbs?
Shades of purple and blue
found in many varieties of
tulip, hyacinth, crocus, allium,
Muscari
, Spanish bluebell, and
glo ry-of-t he- snow.
INTERNATIONAL
FLOWER BULB CENTRE
r
Г
\
Trowel tricks
In s e rt b ulbs
in to gaps le ft
by fro s tb itte n
annuals. D ouble up
b loom s by la ye rin g
sm all b ulbs
(crocus,
M u sca ri)
over big bulbs
(d a ffo d il, tu lip ).
%
л
1
j
Digging depth
P lant a b u lb at
a d e p th o f tw o
to th re e tim e s
its he ig h t. F o r
exam ple, p la n t
a 3 -in c h -ta ll
d a ffo d il b u lb ,
left
,
6 -9 inches deep.
B E T T E IÎ H O M ES AND О A II DENS
OGTOBEÉÏ ZÖIO
BH G.CO M
