Soil needs. With very few exceptions (most notably Camassia, Fritillaria meleagris, and
Leucojum), bulbs require soil that drains well the year round. To improve the drainage of
heavy soil, dig in organic matter such as compost, aged manure, leafmold, peat moss, or
(in the South) shredded pine bark. If you garden in very heavy clay, consider constructing
raised beds to provide well-drained conditions.

Prechilling bulbs in mild-winter areas. In parts of the country where winters are mild,
certain bulbs may not receive enough natural cold to stimulate proper growth and flowering.
We recommend treating these as annuals and replacing them with new bulbs every
year. Check with your local USDA Cooperative Extension Service to find out whether any
bulbs require prechilling before planting in your area. Place the bulbs in a refrigerator, away
from fruits and vegetables (these produce ethylene gas, which can harm the embryonic
flowers inside the bulbs). Make sure the bulbs remain dry. The usual prechilling time is
8-10 weeks at 40-45ÆàF. Once the bulbs are removed from cold treatment, plant them right
away. Bloom occurs about 6-8 weeks after planting. Discard the entire plant after bloom.
Planting. Bulbs are easy to plant. With a trowel or a bulb planter, dig a hole to the depth
indicated on the plant label or in the charts that follow (use the label, which is 6in long, as
a rough measuring stick). Set the bulb in the hole with the roots or the remnants of roots
pointing down. (Some bulbs-Hyacinthoides hispanica, for example-don't have visible
roots but have a pointed or tapered top, which should be planted facing up.) After you've
placed the bulb in the hole, fill the hole with soil and water thoroughly.
Watering. Although there may be no signs of life above ground, bulbs begin sending out
roots soon after planting-as long as the soil is sufficiently moist. Unless you expect a soaking
rain within a day or two of planting, we recommend that you water thoroughly after
you plant. Water newly planted bulbs again only if rainfall is scarce. Once established, most
bulbs want ample moisture-½ to 1in of rain per week-while in active growth (which
begins in fall, slows or stops in winter, and resumes in late winter or early spring) and
require soil that is on the dry side during summer dormancy. Do not plant bulbs near
soaker hoses or sprinklers.

Fertilizing. The best time to fertilize bulbs is in fall, when they are sending out new roots.
The next best time to fertilize is in early spring, just as the foliage begins to push through
the soil. Heavy feeders such as Lilies and hybrid Tulips perform best if fertilized in both fall
and spring. We recommend using a slow-release fertilizer formulated especially for bulbs,
such as our Daffodil Fertilizer (available in our fall catalogue). It's an easy matter to apply
the fertilizer to the surface of the soil above the bulbs after planting and then every fall
thereafter. We do not recommend using bone meal. It contains only one primary nutrient
(phosphorus) and attracts dogs and rodents, which may dig up the bulbs.
Bloom time. The bloom times printed on our labels are typical of bulbs grown in Litchfield,
Connecticut. Where spring comes earlier, bloom will generally be earlier. Likewise, in
colder climates, flowering will be delayed. Please note that the first spring after planting,
most bulbs (particularly those imported from cool-summer climates such as those of Holland
and England) bloom later than established bulbs of the same variety. This is not
unusual. In subsequent years, they will bloom at the appointed time.
Light needs.Most bulbs flower best in full sun (6 hours or more of direct sunlight per day)
but tolerate light shade. Early bloomers (those that flower before the end of May here in
Litchfield, Connecticut) can thrive under deciduous trees, provided root competition is not
too severe and the bulbs receive at least a half day (3-4 hours) of sunlight after the trees
leaf out.

Chilling the bulbs. To force cold-hardy bulbs into bloom, you must first encourage them
to produce new roots by keeping them cold and moist for a period of time that varies by
type of bulb (see table above). The ideal rooting temperature also varies, but most bulbs
flower best if stored at 40-60°F for the first 3-4 weeks after potting, then at 32-40°F for the
balance of the cooling period-a shift that mimics the drop in soil temperature outdoors
as fall turns to winter.
The easiest way to chill bulbs is to put them outdoors and let nature do the rest. To insulate
the bulbs from rapid changes in air temperature and from freezing cold, bury the pots
in a pile of dry leaves held in place by a plastic tarp or in a pile of mulch, such as bark or
wood chips, and cover the pile to prevent the formation of a frozen crust. You can also chill
bulbs in a cold basement, an unheated garage (provided the temperature doesn't fall below
freezing), or a refrigerator. In such locations, it may be difficult to arrange for the shift in
temperature described above, but most bulbs will root properly if the temperature does not
stray too far above or below 40°F during the rooting time.
If rodents have access to your bulbs, they will devour all except varieties that are poisonous
or distasteful to them (such as Narcissus). Protect potted bulbs with steel mesh.
Please note that moisture is as important as temperature in the successful chilling of
bulbs. Check the potting mix in the pots every few weeks and water thoroughly when the
surface of the mix is dry to the touch.
Toward the end of the recommended rooting time, begin checking the pots for signs
that the bulbs have rooted. If you see fleshy white roots poking through the drainage holes
in the bottom of the pots, the bulbs are usually ready to bloom. If you don't see roots, give
the bulbs more time in cold storage. Don't judge readiness by the appearance of shoots
from the tops of the bulbs; without roots, the bulbs won't flower properly.
Once the bulbs have rooted, you don't have to bring them out of the cold immediately.
Most tolerate extra chilling time, allowing you to orchestrate a succession of winter bloom.
Bringing the bulbs into bloom. When the bulbs have rooted, bring the pots out of cold
storage and set them in a bright window in a cool room (one where the temperature stays
below 65°F). Bright light will help keep the leaves and flower stems compact; in weak light,
they tend to flop. You are likely to find that the bulbs have produced white shoots during
cold storage. Sunlight quickly turns them green.
Keep a close eye on the moisture needs of the bulbs as they send up leaves and flower
stems. Initially, the bulbs probably won't need to be watered more often than once a week
(if that much), but by the time they bloom, you may need to water them every day or two.
Most bulbs will bloom 2-5 weeks after they come out of the cold, heralding spring with
Anemone blanda 8-10
Chionodoxa 10-12
Crocus 8-10
Galanthus 10-12
Hyacinthus 12-14
Dwarf Iris 10-12
Leucojum 8-10
Muscari 8-10
Narcissus 12-14
Miniature Narcissus 10-14
Scilla 10-12
Tulipa 14-16

Recommended Rooting Times for Cold-hardy Bulbs (in weeks) Dormancy. Most of the bulbs we offer go dormant within about 8-12 weeks after flowering.
The period between the end of flowering and the withering of the foliage is crucial to
the future vigor of the plant. If you cut, fold, or braid the leaves before they have yellowed
and collapsed, you may prevent the bulb from storing the energy required to bloom the
following year. You can hide curing foliage by interplanting bulbs with leafy perennials such
as Hostas, Daylilies, and Ferns or with annuals or ground covers. If you plant bulbs in a
lawn, do not mow the grass until the bulb foliage begins to yellow.
Transplanting and dividing. The best time to move or divide bulbs is when their foliage
has all but withered, signaling the end of active growth. Lift them with a digging fork or a
spade, taking care to avoid injuring the bulbs, and replant them immediately at the same
depth and about three times their diameter apart.
Winter protection. In Zone 6 (-10°F) and colder, all bulbs planted at a depth of less than
6in benefit from winter protection. The purpose of winter protection is to prevent bulbs
from being heaved out of the ground by the alternate thawing and freezing of the soil in
winter. To prevent heaving, put a 4-6in layer of loose organic material such as straw, oak
leaves, or evergreen boughs (cut into 1-2ft lengths) over the ground after the ground freezes
(generally in December here in Litchfield). Remove this winter cover gradually in late winter
or early spring. See Tall Bearded Iris on pp21-22 for special instructions.
Pests. Bulbs as a group are not much troubled by insects or diseases, but in some areas,
bulbs, foliage, or flowers may be eaten by rodents or deer. If your bulbs grow poorly or are
being eaten, please call our Garden Advisors at (860) 482-8915 for a diagnosis and suggested
remedies.

FORCING COLD-HARDY BULBS
Many spring-flowering bulbs can be tricked or "forced" to bloom indoors in winter, providing
color and fragrance when few plants are stirring outdoors. "Rooting time" refers to
the amount of time during which cold-hardy bulbs must be kept cold (about 40°F) and
moist before they can be brought into bloom. Please see p6 for instructions on forcing
Paperwhite Narcissus.
Containers and potting mix. You can use any pot you like to hold bulbs for forcing, as
long as it allows room for root growth-about 3-4in of space below the bulbs. If you
choose a pot without a drainage hole in the bottom, you'll have to water your bulbs very
carefully; bulbs sitting in soggy potting mix soon rot. Consider using a ceramic pot if you're
forcing tall Daffodils or Tulips. They may topple if grown in plastic pots.
We recommend that you force bulbs in a soilless potting mix (available at garden centers
and hardware stores). A soilless mix holds moisture but allows excess water to drain
away readily.
Potting the bulbs. To pot the bulbs, begin by placing potting mix in a plastic tub or bucket.
Slowly add water and stir until the mix is moist but not soggy. Add moistened mix to the
container until the container is about ¾ full. Set the bulbs with the roots down on top of
the mix (or on their sides if you can't tell which end is up). Space the bulbs much more