Spring Fireworks in 30 minutes – a bulb planting primer

Information courtesy of Colorblends, a wholesale bulb company

[Editor’s Note: The planting technique described below should work for all bulbs. For glorious Oregon-grown bulbs, check out Wooden Shoe Bulb Company and Grant Mitsch Novelty Daffodils. Bulbs ready for fall planting can be found at your local garden centers.]

From meals to workouts, 30 minutes seems to be the timeframe that modern Americans have to spare for activities that otherwise seem too time consuming. Gardening surely fits into that category for many, so flower bulb expert Tim Schipper has devised a method to help homeowners plant a dynamite spring tulip display in just 30 minutes this fall.

Tulips, daffodils and other spring-flowering bulbs must be planted in the fall. The good news is that fall is a lovely season to spend some time outdoors. And who doesn’t have 30 minutes to spare if the result will be a display of colorful spring fireworks that inspires oohs and ahhs across the neighborhood.

 

Here’s the recipe for a quick and easy 100-tulip display:

·         Choose the right spot – Bulbs like sunlight, so choose a planting spot that gets at least six hours of sun a day. Remember, in spring, when the trees are leafless, you may have more light than you think. The spot must drain well, so avoid places with soggy soil where rainwater collects. Plan for five tulip bulbs per square foot. Using a bit of easy math, a planting of 100 tulips needs approximately 20 square feet. Since the area of a space is length times width, the bed could measure, for example, four by five feet or two feet by ten feet, depending on the look you want.

·         Keep it simple – Dig out the area you want to plant (about 15 minutes). Forget special bulb tools or trowels. They’re hard to use and time consuming. Just dig a shallow planting trench. Lay out some old plywood or stiff cardboard to put the dug-up soil on. Dig the trench about 6 inches deep, loosen the soil a bit at the bottom. No fertilizer is necessary: the tulip bulbs you buy in the fall come fully charged with stored food, plus the embryonic flower inside that is ready to grow.

·         Position bulbs, all at once – Now, position all 100 bulbs in the trench (about 5 minutes). Place bulbs roughly three inches apart, pointy end up.

·         Refill the planting area with soil – Slide the soil back into the shallow trench to cover the bulbs (about 10 minutes). Don’t worry if some of the bulbs flip or turn sideways. Tulips are geotropic, which means they’ll right themselves as they grow. If the soil is dry, water thoroughly.

·         You’re done – Put your spade away and wait for the riot of color come spring.