'FALL'
FOR
SPRING-FLOWERING
BULBS
IT'S ALL ABOUT TIMING
"I wish we would've planted bulbs …"
Sound familiar? Don't let this be you next spring.
Here's a timeline of what to expect when you plant what
Davey Technical Advisor Shawn Fitzgerald calls "a bag
of sunshine."
LATE SEPTEMBER-
EARLY OCTOBER
Time to start
planning and planting.
Fitzgerald says the secret to planting
success is prepping the soil: good
drainage and full sun.
Worried about rodents? Don't
be. Many of the more common
bulb variety, like hyacinth, are
rodent resistant. For other varieties,
Fitzgerald says Davey crews know
just what to do.
"If we need to, we can sprinkle
cayenne pepper over the soil and
lay chicken wire over the bulbs,
backfilling the soil. The bulbs can get
through the wire, but critters can't."
OCTOBER
Finish planting before the
ground freezes.
Plant as many bulbs as your
budget allows—that means
hundreds, even thousands.
"Bulbs are very inexpensive," says
Fitzgerald. "I always recommend
mass-planting them. The more the
better. At an incredible value, the
impact of 3,000 or 5,000 spring-
flowering bulbs is just undeniable."
NOVEMBER
Plant and protect.
Those living in warm-weather
states can still plant well into
the end of this month.
For everyone else, a layer of
protection from two to three
inches of mulch —before the ground
freezes—helps keep bulbs cool yet
insulated from winter temps and
weather extremes.
DECEMBER TO
FEBRUARY
Be patient and let
bulbs 'do their thing.'
As bulbs are safely nestled
underground, wintry-cold weather
is doing its work, triggering the
necessary biochemical process
that helps bulbs flower in just a
few weeks.
March to April
Enjoy the view.
Suddenly, months
after planting,
bright spring color bursts forth.
Take pleasure in the kudos from
customers, tenants, shoppers,
visitors and employees.
Talk to your local Davey office about a fall bulb-planting plan.
