With spring upon us, there’s no better time to have some green-fingered fun with flowering bulbs, at the same time bringing some color into our homes. The end of March and through into April is the best time of the year for flowering spring bulbs, with everything from fragrant Muscari – also known as grape hyacinths – through to daffodils, a crocus or two and tulips now available at pocket-money prices. And, with flowers in bud, ready to burst into colorful life, planting spring flower bulbs is a great way to introduce children to the highly rewarding and fun world of organic gardening.
How To Get Started With Planting Spring Flower Bulbs
Pick Your Favorite Flower Bulbs
Perhaps the easiest way to start a flower garden is to buy a selection of different spring flowering bulbs and a bag of potting soil from a florist shop or garden center. For an extra dimension, look for plants with a strong fragrance. Muscari, hyacinths, lily of the valley and some daffodils – most notably paperwhites – are good options and widely available. For easy growing flowers with good colors, amaryllis bulbs also make a great addition to your garden.
Here are a few flowers that have bulbs:
- Daffodil
- Hyacinth
- Allium
- Iris
- Tulip
- Snowdrop
- Crocus
- Dahlia
- Lily
- Gladiolus
- Coppertips
Get Some Planters
Then the real fun begins – choosing the pots for planting spring flower bulbs! For a colorful theme, you can arrange half a dozen different flowers together in one planter by the door. Local florist shops, home stores and garden centers will be able to help with the supply of containers in all shapes, colors and sizes. Of course, children love to decorate their own pot, so that’s another option. Reach for the pens, paint and accessories such as ribbon, sisal and stickers. There’s no limit to your creativity here!
How To Plant Bulbs
When it comes to planting spring flower bulbs, half-fill the chosen container with a rich potting soil mixed with a bit of compost, and then carefully ease the flowering bulbs out of their plastic pots. A good tip here is to place the stem of the flower between your middle and ring finger, with your fingers covering the soil, before turning the pot over, giving the pot a little squeeze and (hopefully) easily sliding the bulb flower out. The flowers can then be added to the container, which should be topped up with potting soil and gently firmed down. Add a water to help settle the bulbs in their new home and release any air pockets. If you are planting spring flower bulbs that are not yet growing, you will need to plant them about 5 inches below the soil level.
Conclusion
Planting spring flower bulbs is a simple, cost-effective way (because they come back each year) of bringing color into your garden, onto your balcony, patio or windowsill and, of course, a brilliant way to have fun and introduce children to the wonderful world of gardening. Most flower bulbs such as tulips are perennial which means they will flower each year without having to be replanted. So, perhaps, it’s something you’d like to do next weekend…
What are your favorite types of spring flower bulbs? Do you think you will try planting spring flower bulbs?
Related Posts:
Robin (Masshole Mommy) says
Great post. I remember planting tulips with my dad when I was a kid and it’s something I would definitely like to do with my own kids someday!
Shaunda Wenger says
The great thing about bulbs is the color they bring year after year. I especially like those that pop up in spring before anything else is really green. Purple crocuses were first. Now we have daffodils. Of course, today they are covered in a new layer of snow, of all things. But amazingly, they will survive and keep blooming, despite their frosty feet! 🙂
Thanks for sharing!