Our bulbs have decided they've had enough days underground: It's time to emerge and enjoy the sun! So what do we as gardeners need to do for them?

The spring -lowering bulbs that are coming up now are winter- hardy for our area (tulips, daffodils and crocus are the most common of these). We plant them in the fall months, because each variety requires a certain number of weeks (between 12-18 weeks) called a vernalization period where the cold temperature of the soil stimulates the flower inside the bulb to form. Once their internal clock realizes their "down under" time is satisfied, they begin their journey upward.

So if you forgot to plant them last fall, will they still flower if you plant them now? The answer is most likely not, because they did not undergo this cooling process. What you want to do, and I include myself in this, as I have hyacinths still in a bag, is to plant them immediately, so they can utilize soil nutrients, rain and sunshine to grow foliage to make food. They can then go through the vernalization process next winter and flower come 2014.

OK, the first shoots are emerging, now what? We've talked before about how bulbs and seeds are little storage houses, packing all the nutrients they need to emerge from below neatly into themselves. They know just how much energy they'll require to reach the surface, form their first set of leaves and begin to utilize those leaves to make food. Here is exactly why every bulb and seed has a recommended planting depth; too deep and they can run out of stored food underground and not emerge.

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Once the bulb breaks ground, it's famished, having used its stored food to emerge. Spring bulbs very much appreciate being fed now, so the nutrients from the fertilizer can be used to help rebuild the bulb for next year. You can use a fertilizer labeled bulb food (Epsoma makes one); use a general purpose 5-10-5 granular garden fertilizer or compost. Gently work the amendment into the soil, so the nutrients are nearer to the roots.

Once the flower fades, cut the flower stalk down, so it doesn't begin seed production, but leave the foliage. This is where many gardeners get antsy; they cut the entire plant to the ground after it blooms, because they don't like the looks of the yellowing foliage. But this is an important part of the bulb's life cycle. The foliage works for quite some time after the flowering period to replenish the food supply to the bulb for next year. Remove the leaves too early, and the bulb has no way to make food. Rule of thumb: Allow the foliage to yellow back at least halfway before removing. To help offset the foliage issue, interplant some perennials or annuals to help mask the fading leaves.

If you are looking to relocate your bulbs, it's best to mark their location now and relocate come fall. A bulb has a pretty concise life cycle; it emerges, flowers, makes food and goes dormant all in about six months. By relocating when they are actively making food, we risk the chance of damaging the bulb or roots in some way that would require the food being made for next season to be used for repair now.

Finally, do not dig your spring bulbs and store them indoors to replant them come fall. They utilize the entire growing season for food manufacturing.

These are the easy care bulbs; leave them in the ground. Do not dig and store indoors,. Fertilize them once they pop up, cut their spent flower stalks off before they go to seed, leave the foliage until it yellows at least 50 percent and relocate any you wish to move come fall.

Happy spring, everyone!


Nancy O'Donnell