9 top tips for planting bulbs this fall

As perennials turn brown and curl up, now's the time to plant bulbs for vibrant spring colour.

Daffodils, tulips,muscari, hyacinths, crocuses,alliumand other bulbs can go in the ground over the next weeks and months.

• 7 tips for putting your garden to bed this fall

Heidi Wood is a horticulturalist with Veseys Seeds in York, P.E.I., one of the largest bulb retailers in Canada, and writes a year-round blog for Veseys with growing advice and tips.

Here's some of her best tips and tricks and what to avoid to make sure your garden is in full bloom next spring.

1. Do: Well-drained soil

One of the most common complaints about bulbs is that they fail to come up, Wood said.

"Especially here on P.E.I. or any Maritime province, we do get a lot of dampness," as well as humidity, she said.

Thesoil on the Island can be heavy and excess moisture can cause bulbs to rot. Heavy snow can also compact soil over bulbs, she said,making blooming difficult.

Till the soil or work it up well with a shovel, she advises, then add a layer of organic compost or peat moss to the bottom of the hole(s) where bulbs will go. Let it sit for a few days if possible.

"If your soil is not good, then that's a domino effect on everything else from there on in for the growing of the plant," said Wood.

If you're investing in a large bulb bed, Wood advises getting a soil test.

2. Don't: Plant too early

Daffodil bulbs can be planted now, but Wood recommends tulips go in the ground no earlier than mid-October.

With our warming climate, Wood said bulbs can be fooled into blooming in the fall and thenwon't flower inspring.

3. Do: Plant in enough sun

When manufacturers say bulbs require full sun, that means at least sixhours of direct sun per day, said Wood.

Some bulbs are bred for partial sun and others for shady environments. She urges to follow directions on the package.

4. Do: Plant to proper depth

Wood's rule of thumb isplant fall bulbsthree times as deep asthe width of the bulb.

If not planted deeply enough bulbscan "heave" out of the ground with P.E.I.'s freeze andthaw cycle, and rodents may dig them up.

5. Don't: Sweat direction

If you're not 100 per cent sure what part of the bulb is what, Wood said not to worry too much.

"When in doubt as to which way is up on a bulb, plant it on its side as shown to the right and let Mother Nature decide," Wood said.

6. Don't: Spread them out too much

"You're not going to get the impact of colour or that curb appeal that everybody's looking for," if you spread out bulbs too much, said Wood.

Plant bulbs at least an inch apart, but "keep them in a nice cluster," she said. "Groups of uneven numbers is nice too."

Try planting bulbs in a triangle ora circle shape, and"have fun with it," Wood said.

7. Do: Check the zone

Make sure bulbs are hardy to the right zone. Many are marked threethrough eightinclusive, which means they can be planted just about anywhere in Canada.

P.E.I., along with Nova Scotia, southern New Brunswick and southern Newfoundland, is a 5B to a 6A zone, so plant bulbs marked for zone fiveand up.

8. Don't: Over-fertilize

Too much fertilizer can lead to rotten or diseased bulbs.

Wood recommends fertilizing just once in fall or late spring with a low-nitrogen fertilizer, or "top dress" them with compost, massaging it into the soil with your hands.

9. Do: Let them die naturally

In the spring, let plants die back naturally.They are going dormant and storing food, Wood said, and premature clipping or pulling could weaken the bulb.

One solution is to plant bulbs near perennials, like hostas, that will camouflage fading foliage, Wood said.

Remember to labelwhere your bulbs are with a marker, like a popsicle stick, she said, so you don't accidentally dig them up later.

• MORE P.E.I. NEWS IMusical celebration of Canada includes student poetry contest
• MORE P.E.I. NEWS IGiant lobster roll recognized as world record