Planning and planting for Spring

Ask the Experts

Fall planning and planting for a Spring Garden

here’s nothing that gardeners anticipate more than that first glimpse of life and color after a long winter: glossy green leaves emerging from winterbarren gardens and bright, colorful flowers heralding the beginning of spring. But wait, spring is six months away and it’s mum season, so why worry about it now?

Virtually every spring that I’ve worked at a garden center, customers approach me to ask when the daffodils and tulips are available. They are quickly disappointed with my answer which is to check back in September. That is the appropriate time to plant spring bulbs. Spring blooming bulbs require a period of cold in order to trigger growth. Most garden centers offer sprouted “forced” bulbs in springtime, usually tulips, daffodils, and hyacinths, but these aren’t nearly as showy as a bed of bulbs prepared during the previous fall.

Select your spring blooming bulbs at your local garden center during the months of September and October. Choose bulbs that are firm to the touch and not soft or soggy. Many varieties are available in bulk for those gardeners and landscapers looking to plant in larger numbers, while some may prefer to purchase by the bulb and make their own combinations. If planting tulips, be sure to select a few different types with different bloom times (early, mid, late season) in order to get the best longevity of color. Branch out and add something different to your beds; fritillaria, giant allium, and crocus can give added interest when planted among other spring bulbs.

Bulbs are best used in masses or clusters in a variety of soils. Masses of tulips make a great pop of color in areas that are to be planted with annuals for the summer months while clusters of hyacinths give a heavenly burst of fragrance when scattered throughout the garden. Spring bulbs also make a great companion to summer perennials. Plant them among coneflowers, rudbeckia, salvia, and even in hosta beds that receive sun before shade trees leaf out. As the bulb foliage begins to fade away, it gets overtaken by the summer perennials giving a double-season to a single area of the landscape. Daffodils are well-suited to grow and multiply each year, so be sure to give them a little extra space. Likewise, Bearded Iris need to have some extra space to spread as they grow.

Choose a planting site that has well-drained soil; amend heavy clays with compost. Always plant with the pointed end facing upwards and follow planting depth instructions. In most cases, this will be 2-3 times deeper than the height of the bulb. Use a bulb fertilizer when planting to ensure healthy root development. Bone meal is also a great source of phosphorus, an important nutrient in root development. It also may help deter squirrels that love to dig up new bulb plantings. Gardeners that experience the anguish of losing their bulbs to the squirrel population place a piece of chicken wire over the tops of the bulbs before filling

Tin the area with soil. This prevents uprooting the bulbs. Mulching the area well and sprinkling some blood meal around may also help prevent squirrel interference. Fall landscaping with spring in mind doesn’t end with bulbs. Many perennials, shrubs, and trees benefit from an autumn planting date. By planting in fall, they can establish without having to endure heat and drought stress brought on by hot Midwest summers, and it gives spring-bloomers a slight head start over planting in springtime. Be sure to keep an eye on moisture, even through the winter. Periods of dry weather without rain or snow is just as detrimental to plants in winter as a drought is during the summer. Some new plantings may need additional watering during the winter if precipitation is limited. Spring blooming perennials, trees, and shrubs are the best candidates for fall planting and are important early sources of food for pollinators. Dianthus, bearded iris, baptisia, dogwoods, viburnum, lilac, and forsythia all give a beautiful spring show of blooms, so gardeners may want to consider planting them now in order to enjoy them next spring. Some gardeners have good luck getting pansies to return in spring when planted in September. It never hurts to look ahead. By all means, enjoy mum and pansy season and decorate your front porch with pumpkins and ornamental kale. Just don’t forget to hide some spring-blooming treasures in your landscape. They will be there waiting patiently to welcome you back to your garden next spring!

Grape Hyacinths

SEAN HOLLAND Perennials Manager

Sean Holland is Perennials Manager at Suburban Lawn & Garden, 135th and Wornall location, in Kansas City, Missouri. You may reach him at seanh@suburbanlg.com.