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http://www.omniture.com --> Sections Home Page Local News AP News Archives Business Classifieds Event Calendar Forums Life Opinion Obituaries Photo Gallery Readers Photo Gallery Sports Tempo Weather Special Coverage 2006 Britt Festivals --> Shop Our Valley AutoFinder HomeFinder JobFinder Search Our Valley Special Sections Homelife Magazine Joy Magazine Neighborhoods Employment Guide Oregon Golf Info Oregon Wine Info Other Publications Local Links Ashland News eSouthernOregon Newspapers In Education Personals Moving Here Movie Listings TV Listings Volunteer Customer Service Advertise With Us Media Kit Place Classified Ad Contact Us FAQ's Home Delivery Site Map --> Email Story to a Friend October 26, 2006 Plant bulbs now for a bright year By JOYCE SCHILLEN for the Mail Tribune A little mucking around now with a good mix of bulbs can provide fabulous color in your garden beginning in February and continuing throughout the summer. Fall is a perfect time to plant bulbs that bloom in springtime. You can put them into the ground whenever the soil temperature has cooled down to 60 degrees; the bulbs will get their required chilling period, which is necessary to induce blooming, and root systems will become established during the winter months. Buy bulbs that are firm and free of deep blemishes, cuts, or soft spots; loose skins are okay. Bulbs should feel heavy for their size, not light and dried up. Generally speaking, larger bulbs are older and produce bigger blooms the first year, but small bulbs catch up quickly. Pick a good site to plant. Whether you plant bulbs in formal groupings, color spots, or borders, or in a more naturalized design with bulbs scattered around an area, most bulbs need full sun to produce good blooms. That means at least six hours of direct sunlight each day. Bulbs left in the ground from year-to-year do best with even more sunlight. Advertisement Many bulbs might survive OK in partial shade, but blooming is delayed. You can take advantage of that trait by planting some bulbs in the sun and others in partial shade to extend the bloom season. Good soil drainage is crucial, as it is for many garden plants. Bulbs tend to rot in wet soil. Spade the soil eight to 12 inches deep and improve drainage by mixing in one-third organic matter. Bulbs need a good source of phosphorus for strong, healthy development. At planting time use a fertilizer that's high in phosphorus and low in nitrogen. Wait until green growth begins poking out of the ground in spring before applying a fertilizer that's high in nitrogen. A good rule of thumb is to bury bulbs to a depth that's 21/2 or 3 times their diameter. Plant them with pointed ends up and roots, if you see any, facing down. Firm soil around the bulbs and water thoroughly. Keep them watered during extended dry weather. Space larger bulbs six to eight inches apart; smaller ones two to four inches. Giant Allium and Crown Imperial Fritillaria need 10 to 12 inches. In case you haven't noticed, gophers love bulbs, especially tulips. I gave up on planting tulips because at my place, the gophers eat them from the bottom, and the deer eat them from the top. One gopher-proof bulb is the daffodil. Keep gophers away from bulbs by caging them out: Form bowls from chicken wire and place them in the bottoms of planting holes. Bulb care is fairly easy once they're planted. For bulbs that bloom in springtime, water them during dry weather until blooming is completed, then taper off to allow the plants to go dormant. After blooms have faded, deadhead the flowers (remove finished flowers) so the plants won't put energy into making seeds. Seed production uses food which bulbs need for winter survival and future growth. Don't remove foliage until it turns brown, because the leaves are manufacturing food that's stored in the bulb. If tulips or other bulbs become too crowded, lift them and divide. Otherwise, just leave them in the ground to bloom brilliantly year after year. Sams Valley gardener Joyce Schillen is author of "The Growing Season," a book on organic gardening. Her e-mail address is [email protected]. Would you like to respond to this story? If so Click Here to visit our forums. Advertisement Copyright © 1997-2006 Mail Tribune, Inc. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms & Conditions | Website Feedback online casinos news Home Security Systems Windermere Van Vleet Men's Clothing UK Homeowner Loans GMAT Prep Fundraisers Send Flowers Texas Electric Choice Entertainment Guide Casinos Canada Trunks, Footlocker Online Casino Reviews Online poker at AbsolutePoker.com