After a winter full of snow and fun we are now beginning to look forward to spring and summer. One of the greatest things about living in the Treasure Valley is we get to really enjoy a four-season lifestyle. This is one of the factors driving people from all over the country to our beautiful area. As we now enter the time to put away our skis and prepare for spring walks along the Boise Greenbelt it is also prime time to start planning your flower garden. Gardening is a great way to beautify your yard, stay active, and even help the environment. When it comes to longevity and year-over-year benefits, there are few plants as satisfying as those in the bulb variety. Here is an intro guide to getting you ready for bulb planting and getting you excited about getting dirty in your yard this spring.
What is a Bulb Plant?
A bulb plant is any plant that stores its complete lifecycle in an underground storage structure. These are perennials, meaning they will come back every year. This means the one-time effort of planting will provide blooms and foliage that get better year after year.
When to Plant Bulbs?
There are a variety of bulbs and you will want to pay particular attention to the planting instructions for your particular species. For spring planting, you will want to begin after the threat of freezing has passed. This is typically mid-March to late April. A good rule of a green thumb is if there are kids out on spring break put them to work planting bulbs.
What Bulbs to Plant?
The first rule when it comes to planting flowers, plant what you love. That being said, there are restrictions based on our location. Know your planting zone, for folks in the Boise area that is 6b. If you are shopping online you will want to shop for plants that thrive in your region. Next, think of exposure. You may love the feathery blossom of an Astilbe, but in a sunny location, they will wither and fry. Likewise, a Dinner Plate Dahlia bloom can have the whole neighborhood in awe, but without full sun you won't get much growth. When picking your plants keep in mind sun exposure and your location to ensure your plants can succeed.
How to Plant Bulbs?
First, a good bulb planting tool is a gardener's best friend. When considering planting 20 or even 100 bulbs the idea of digging that many holes can be daunting. There are great products on the market that help make this job much easier. We love the bulb planting attachment for a hand drill.
But how deep to plant? Planting a bulb too deep may prevent its shoots from making their way through the dirt to the sun. Plant too shallow and they may not have the ground support for large stalks and blossoms. Whatever plant you choose will come with instructions on planting depth. A great hack we love is putting painter's tape on our bulb drill bit at the depth required for our bulb. When the drill goes past the tape we know we have the correct depth.
In Conclusion
Audrey Hepburn said, “To plant a garden is to dream of tomorrow.” Start looking at flower books and talking to your local garden store and begin to dream about what you want to plant to add to the beauty and enjoyment of your home. Become the envy of your neighbors and add huge curb appeal by planting bulbs that will bring you joy year after year. We hope our little intro to spring bulb planting got you excited about the seasons to come. Remember for any spot and for any type of soil there is a bulb that can thrive and add beauty and life to your yard. We are lucky in the Treasure Valley to have a planting zone that can support a wide variety of plants making the options nearly endless. I am happy to help with any questions about home and gardening, buying, selling, real estate, and beyond. Give us a call today.