Spring Garden Bulb Collection

Bulbs arrive dormant and ready to plant. Open the box right away, check that the bulbs are firm, and get them in the ground in fall before it freezes for the best spring show.

Planting

1. Pick a sunny spot. Choose a site with full sun and soil that drains freely; bulbs rot in standing water.
2. Loosen the soil. Work the top 8 to 10 inches, mixing in compost if your soil is heavy clay.
3. Set the depth. Plant most bulbs 4 to 6 inches deep, pointed end up and roots or basal plate down. Larger allium, daffodil, and tulip bulbs go toward the deeper end; small grape hyacinth, anemone, and Sparaxis go shallower.
4. Space them out. Allow 4 to 6 inches between bulbs, and plant in clusters of 10 or more per variety for the strongest color impact.
5. Backfill and water. Cover, firm the soil gently, and water once to settle everything in.
6. Mulch lightly. Add 2 inches of mulch to moderate soil temperature and hold moisture.

Container Planting

• Use deep pots. Choose containers at least 10 to 12 inches deep with open drainage holes.
• Layer varieties. Place larger bulbs low and smaller ones above them for a long, stacked bloom sequence.
• Shelter in winter. In colder parts of the range, move pots against a wall or into an unheated garage so roots don't freeze solid.

Watering

• Keep it moderate. Water when the top inch of soil dries during active growth and flowering.
• Ease off after bloom. Once foliage yellows, stop supplemental watering and let the bulbs go dormant and dry.

Feeding

• Feed at planting. Mix a balanced bulb fertilizer or bone meal into the planting hole.
• Feed again in spring. Apply a light dose of balanced fertilizer as shoots emerge to fuel next year's flowers.

Aftercare

• Deadhead spent flowers. Snip off faded blooms so energy goes back into the bulb instead of seed.
• Leave the leaves. Let foliage yellow and wither naturally before removing it, usually about six weeks after bloom.
• Divide when crowded. Every three to four years, lift and separate clumps in late summer to keep flowering strong.

What exactly comes in the collection?

Each offer includes approximately 250 bulbs: about 95 Alliums, 50 Anemone, 40 Grape Hyacinth, 15 Daffodils, 15 Tulips, 15 Dutch Iris, and 20 Sparaxis.

When should I plant these bulbs?

Plant in fall, several weeks before your ground freezes, so the bulbs can settle in and root over winter for a spring display.

How long will the blooms last?

Because the varieties bloom in sequence, you get color from early spring through the early summer months rather than a single short window. Tulips and daffodils open first, muscari and anemone follow in mid spring, and allium and Sparaxis finish the season.

Will these bulbs come back every year?

Yes, in zones 6 through 10 these are perennial bulbs that return each spring. Allium, daffodil, grape hyacinth, and Dutch iris naturalize especially well and multiply over time.

Are these deer resistant?

Allium, daffodil, and grape hyacinth are among the most deer and rodent resistant bulbs you can plant. Tulips are the favorite target, so tuck them among the alliums or use a repellent if deer pressure is heavy.

Can I grow them in containers instead of beds?

Absolutely. Use pots at least 10 to 12 inches deep with good drainage, layer larger bulbs below smaller ones, and shelter the containers from hard freezes in the colder end of the range.

Are these bulbs safe around pets?

No. Tulip, daffodil, hyacinth, iris, and allium bulbs are all toxic if chewed or eaten, so plant where dogs that like to dig cannot reach them and store loose bulbs out of reach.