Still sleeping safe beneath the ice-bound soil Lie bulbs, embedded deep within the earth, Awaiting, so expectantly, the birth Of brave green growths, which frost can never spoil With all its bitterness, for they have strength To forge on upwards, tempted by the light That faintly floats above them in the height Of afternoon, now day extends its length. These stems will prosper, swell and start the race To reach, at last, the moment we desire, After their struggle with harsh winter's hours, When they will garnish gardens with the grace Of golden daffodil, red tulip's fire And pure-white snowdrop, finest of the flowers.
Did you know that spring-flowering bulbs have to be planted in fall? Philadelphia and it's surrounding area is considered growing Zone 7 by the USDA. This means that Philadelphian gardeners should place spring-flowering bulbs in the soil as soon as the ground is cool, evening temperatures average 40° to 50°F, and it is at least 6 to 8 weeks before the ground freezes. Average planting time should be October to early November. I tend to start planting my bulbs around October to late December.
This same planting method applies to container gardens so if you want your planters full of spring flowers, they must be filled with bulbs by same time frame.
Some of the more common spring bulbs that I think are a must have in your garden include tulips, daffodils, hyacinths, and crocuses. In general, these bulbs need several weeks of cold temperatures to break their dormancy, hence, they need the cold weather so that they can bloom in the spring. Additionally, these bulbs can adapt to a broad range of climates, aren’t terribly fussy about moisture, light, or soil type.
The exception to the fussiness are tulips, unlike most garden bulbs, tulips are usually one-year-wonders in the garden. This means that they usually will not come back the following spring or if they do they will not flower. Daffodils, hyacinths, and crocuses will come back year after year and will form clumps so that more come back as long as they are left undisturbed.
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