Bulb Plants

By: Jordan Sayler, Ashley Doll, & Scott Stroh

What is a Flower Bulb?

A bulb plant is a plant that grows by the use of bulbs. Bulbs are short, modified, underground stem surrounded by usually fleshy modified leaves that contain stored food for the shoot within. A bulb is a basic storage and factory unit for a flower to develop. There are usually two categories in which they normally fall into, either spring or summer bulbs. Bulbs are usually planted in the fall and then sprout in the spring and bloom from the early spring to the late summer.

Where Did Bulbs Originate?

Roughly about 400 years ago the harvesting of bulbs began to take place in the 'De bollenstreek' - the bulb district, Haarlem, Netherlands and the surrounding areas. Harvesting of flower bulbs took off and spread in the north and south wildly.

Why plant bulbs?

Bulbs are decorative; because of their bright clear colors, they are beautiful for their shape and scent. Hardy bulbs are planted in the fall and will bloom in the following spring or early to mid summer. Less hardy bulb plants are planted in the fall and then will bloom in the late summer or fall.

What Bulbs should I Plant?

When choosing bulbs there are several things you need to take into mind. You need to look at the bulb itself, when you want them to bloom, the zone you live in, and the color you want. The bulb that you plant should be firm and free of cracks. It is important to choose bulbs that have not sprouted or that do not have any shoots coming out of them and before planting they should be kept in a cool dry place to prevent any germination prior to planting.

Another important thing that you need to think about is the plant that you are trying to grow. Certain flowers grow certain colors and bloom at certain times of the year which makes it important to have that in mind when deciding bulbs.

How do I Plant Bulbs?

Most bulbs should be planted in the fall. It is a general rule of them that they should be planted about six weeks before the frost sets in. They need to be planted in well prepared soil and can be planted in either rows or in clumps depending upon what you want. Typically bulbs are planted at a depth between 4-6 inches and from 4-6 inches apart but it depends on the type of bulb that you plant. They should be planted with the pointed end up and the flat root side down. A small amount of fertilizer can be used but a thin layer of soil must be placed between the fertilizer and the bulb.

How hard are Bulbs to Care for?

The most important care to be given to bulb plants is to “dead head” them. Dead heading them is when you remove the flowers of the plants which cause the plant to focus more on producing flowers rather then producing seed. It is important to not remove the leaves though until they turn brown.

Winter care for bulb plants is relatively easy. In zones of 6 or greater bulbs need to be removed from the soil because they cannot take the cold. Some of the species need to be removed because they have a low tolerance of frost but if you really like those types of bulbs maybe it is best to look for a frost resistant variety.

Iris
Daffodil
Hyacinth
Tulip
Lily
Dahlia

Information found at:

http://www.helpfulgardener.com/flower/2003/bulbs.html
http://www.bulb.com/

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