Planting Flower Bulbs

Although most flower bulbs are spring, summer, and fall bulbs, a few varieties are winter flower bulbs. Also, flower bulbs for other seasons can be coaxed into blooming in the winter. Some of the flower bulb varieties that are more likely to survive the winter cold are amaryllis, freesia and tropical narcissus. The following are some of the more popular flower bulbs:

• Lilies are one of the most popular summer bulbs. Lilies are great cut flowers and keep their beautiful color for most of the summer season. Lilies come in a variety of colors, from gold to brilliant red-orange and look best when planted in small groups.

• Irises, another summer flower bulb, usually flower during the first part of the summer. Iris bulbs prefer partial shade and well-drained soil. Popular iris flowers include the bearded iris that comes in many colors including lavender, white and blue.

• Cannas thrive in the hot summer sun, but need rich soil and a good moisture supply to survive. In the warmer regions of the country, they can bloom throughout the year. Cannas are popular because of the range of colors that are available including cream, yellow, orange, pink and red.

• Tulips are spring flower bulbs that generally bloom from March to April. Tulip bulbs are especially popular because they require little care. Available in fifteen different varieties, tulips come in an array of colors, including yellow, orange, red, pink and white.

• Daffodils are spring flower bulbs that are also known as "narcissus bulbs" or "jonquil bulbs." Although daffodils are divided into fourteen different types, their color range stays within a mix of yellow, orange, and white.

• Amaryllis is a winter flower bulb that blooms from late December through the end of June. Because amaryllis can be cultivated indoors or outside, they are one of the easiest flowering bulbs to grow. Amaryllis comes in white, pink, deep red, yellow and orange.

Buying Flowering Bulbs

The following tips will help you when shopping for flower bulbs:

• When looking for spring bulbs like daffodils, hyacinths, and tulips, shop in the fall. The spring flower bulbs should be planted during the fall and winter to ensure a spring bloom.
• Summer bulbs such as ornamental onions, gladiolus and lilies should be purchased and planted during the spring.
• Save money by purchasing prepackaged bulbs during the off-season months.
• Bulbs are graded by size. The top size bulbs are considered the best because they produce larger flowers.
• When shopping for bulbs, choose top-sized bulbs that are firm to the touch and free of mold.

Flower Bulb Care

Regardless of the bulb being planted, the pointy end of the flower bulb always goes into the ground facing up. While it may be possible to grow a bulb when you place the pointy end down, the unnecessary stress on the plant will cause either poor flower growth or death of the plant.

Make sure you plant the bulb deep enough to ensure maximum growth. As a general rule of thumb, a bulb should be planted two to two and a half times deeper than the size of the bulb that you’re planting.