Bulb bed preparation is the key to developing a successful
bulb garden. If the site you have selected for your bulb bed is in established
turf, you will need to kill the grass with a contact systemic herbicide
such as Roundup or Finale.
After the herbicide has done its job, remove the dead plant material,
old roots and large rocks. Then loosen the soil with a spading fork and
add two to three inches of sphagnum peat moss, or some other well-composted
organic matter. Do not use native peats because they provide salts which
are detrimental to normal bulb growth, and don't use poorly composted manures
Fertility is as important to bulbs as it is to any other plant. Bulbs
that are planted for a long duration, such as daffodils, require a slow-releasing
phosphorus, such as simple super phosphate 0-20-0. Apply fertilizer according
to soil-test results or at a rate of five to six pounds per 100 square
feet, which is about one teaspoon per bulb. Add a general purpose inorganic
fertilizer, such as a 5-10-5 to provide all additional nutritional bulb
needs.
Bulbs should be planted deeper than seed, usually three to four times
the diameter of the bulb. Bulbs prefer a sandy or clay loam soil, but be
sure to plant them two inches deeper when you plant them in sandy soil.
If the ground freezes, cover the bed with three to four inches of mulch
to prevent frost heaving. Gradually remove the mulch over a period of several
weeks starting in late March or early April (Northern Hemisphere).
Adapted from an article
See also:
Bulbs: alliums
Bulbs: colchicum
Bulbs: fall flowering crocus
Bulbs: fertilizing
Bulbs: maintaining
Bulbs: selecting
Bulbs: spring flowering
Bulbs: summer flowering
