Gardeners dutifully buy and plant more and more Dutch bulbs
every autumn. In wet climates, many of the bulbs would rot in humid summer
conditions. But in our sunny, dry climate, bulbs will often return, and
even improve year after year, forming dense clumps of color from a single
plant. For these naturalized bulbs, home gardeners must think ahead and
anticipate that the compact bulb dropped into the earth represents an investment
that can pay dividends for years. These groupings of bulbs can be divided,
much like any other perennials.
To ensure that bulbs will flower year after year, try to site them in
an optimum microclimate. Daffodils tolerate more shade and like lots of
moisture. However, crocuses, tulips and alliums like lots of sun and heat.
Like any perennial, bulbs do best in amended soils, in sites that are not
too extreme in sun exposure, dryness or traffic. If your bulbs are not
blooming prolifically after a couple of years, they may need more nutrition.
Add compost or commercial dry-bulb fertilizers when the bulbs are dormant.
Or give the leaves a light feeding with half-strength fertilizer such as
Peter's Blossom Booster after flowering is done, but before the foliage
begins to turn brown.
Sometimes, bulbs will grow so close together that they can't reach a
sufficient size to produce flowers. Overgrown clumps have a very dense
growth of narrow foliage and very sparse bloom. These bulbs are good candidates
for division. Ideally, dig bulbs in midsummer when they are completely
dormant. Next, plant the bulbs in fresh soil.
Seasoned gardeners have discovered that most bulbs do quite well if
moved right after blooming. They can be divided much like any other perennial,
replanted promptly and watered in. Some miniature bulbs like reticulate
irises and snowdrops will bloom with no transplant shock the spring following
division, provided they are not kept out of the ground too long. Daffodils
and tulips are nearly as forgiving. Transplanting "in the green" as this
is called, is the best way to avoid slicing dormant bulbs, and to make
sure you don't leave any bulbs behind. In a year or two following division
your planting will look like new.
See also:
Bulbs: alliums
Bulbs: bed preparation
Bulbs: colchicum
Bulbs: fall flowering crocus
Bulbs: fertilizing
Bulbs: selecting
Bulbs: spring flowering
Bulbs: summer flowering
Bulbs: dividing
Painting by Pio Carlone
