Planting & Care

You know it’s fall planting time when…

Well, it turns out gardening is also math! Who knew? Below are some formulas for calculating the area of a planting bed. Once you have the square footage of the bed, you can multiply that number by the recommended number of bulbs per square foot in the chart below. Planting densities are also provided for each item on this website.

Spring-flowering bulbs have a growth cycle that sets them apart from most other plants. They make roots in the fall, bide their time through winter, emerge and bloom in spring, and go completely dormant in early summer.

Flowerbulbs are easy to plant and easy to care for. Here we provide general information that applies to all spring-flowering bulbs.

Most bulbs do well through Zone 7 in the South. In Zones 7-10, where soil temperatures do not cool down sufficiently in winter, and spring weather is often very warm, many bulbs perform poorly unless they are pre-chilled – i.e., refrigerated for 8-10 weeks prior to planting. Here is a rundown of the bulbs we carry and what special treatment they require, if any, to perform well in the Deep South.

Figure about six to eight daffodil bulbs to an eight-inch pot. Many greenhouses use six-inch pots, but we find these smaller pots just too cramped and messy when watering. Larger containers may be used and make an impressive display, but be mindful of the weight, you will be moving these around later!

Most spring-flowering bulbs require no special attention after bloom. If you find the spent flowers unsightly, you can remove them. In the case of tulips, especially perennial tulips, removing the flowers as soon as they fade may also help to encourage the bulbs to bloom the following spring. Simply snap off the top 3 inches of the stems or, for a neater look, cut the flower stems just above the top leaf with a pair of pruning shears. Removing spent tulip flowers prevents seed formation and focuses energy instead on bulb growth.