Start now to get your garden ready for spring. Plant these bulbs in fall for carpets of color the following year.
One of the reasons tulips, daffodils, crocus and other bulbs are so popular is that they pop up at the first sign of spring, needing little to no maintenance. Plant bulbs once the nighttime temperature drops to a consistent 40 to 50 degrees. These bulbs all need a full winter in the ground. Plant the bulbs two to three times their height deep and then fertilize. Then you can just sit back and enjoy!
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Courtesy Jhoanna Salazar
Tulips
Tulipa, Zones 3 to 8
Tulips adore sun but tolerate light shade. Plan ahead for next spring by purchasing these bulbs in time for fall. Plant bulbs in well-draining soil. Dig a hole at least 6 inches deep and space the bulbs about 6 inches apart.
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Courtesy Jean Owens
Daffodils
Narcissus, Zones 3 to 8
There are an astonishing 25,000-plus daffodil cultivars and about 200 species. When choosing a location for daffodil planting in September, look for sunny, well-drained spots. Dig about 12 inches deep, amend your soil if necessary, and plant bulbs in fall with the pointed end at least two times as deep as the bulb is high.
Crocus ancyrensis and C. Tommasinianus, Zones 3 to 8
These flowers are known for their strong scent, so they often attract the first bees and other pollinators that emerge from hibernation in early spring. Keep your eyes peeled for purple, yellow and white crocus flowers poking out of a bed of mulch or beneath a snowy blanket. Plant large drifts of corms in fall for stunning color the next season.
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Courtesy Brenda Doherty
Allium
Allium Spp., Zones 4 to 9
Add whimsy to your garden with alliums. Large cultivars such as Globemaster have instant appeal. The showstopping sphere-shaped blooms are remarkably beautiful and easy to grow. Plus, they hold they hold their shape to become pretty dried flowers. Alliums come in a variety of shades, including the traditional purple, burgundy, yellow and white. Plant the bulbs in fall before the soil freezes.
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Courtesy Alpha Stephens
Hyacinth
Hyacinthus orientalis, Zones 4 to 8
These bulbs to plant in fall are rather picky in their growing requirements, making them slow to multiply and short-lived in most gardens. But we love them anyway. Like many spring blooming bulbs, hyacinths do best in full sun. Luckily, most trees haven’t leafed out yet when they bloom, so otherwise shady areas are sunny enough in spring for bulbs.
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RDA-GID
Dwarf Iris
Varieties include Iris danfordiae and I. Reticulata, Zones 3 to 9
Reaching just 3 to 9 inches in height, these diminutive irises bring much-welcomed jewel-toned color to late winter and early spring landscapes. Native to Turkey and Iran, they prefer well-draining soil and do best in full sun or partial shade. The blooms are wonderfully fragrant, too.
Grape hyacinth is a perennial favorite and an old-fashioned classic. The first flowers appear in March and spikes bursting with blooms that last through May. Beautiful and fragrant, it is also an early spring favorite of pollinators like bees and butterflies.
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Snowdrop
Galanthus, Zones 3 to 8
One of the first flowers to pop up in late winter, snowdrop’s bright green leaves clearly communicate that spring is on the way. For a large collection of these 4- to 6-inch plants, simply lift and divide bulbs after they bloom but before the foliage dies back. Snowdrops are low-maintenance and especially attractive when naturalized under deciduous trees and shrubs.
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