Article
Bulbs and Similar Monocots
By Joey Reynolds
Bulbs are defined as any underground storage structure that carries a plant through dormancy and contains its flower and leaf buds. They can be bulbs, corms, tubes, tuberous roots, or rhizomes. Most bulbs are dormant in winter. Bulbs can be Spring, Summer, or Fall blooming. Some bulbs are hardy and can be left in the ground year-round; others are tender and need to be dug-up at the end of the season, and stored in a cool, dry place during winter. There are different size bulbs, from small to very large.
You can buy bulbs through catalogs, garden centers, or divide bulbs you have in your garden. Be sure the bulbs you plant are firm and don't have blemishes or soft spots.
Bulbs are very easy to grow. Plant Spring and early Summer flowering bulbs in the Fall. Plant mid to late Summer and Fall flowering bulbs in the early Spring, after the ground has thawed. Plant bulbs twice as deep as the size of the bulb with the bloom-end facing up. If you're in doubt about which end the bulb blooms from, plant it on its side. You can interplant bulbs of different sizes for a more spectacular show, or continous bloom. Bulbs like a fertile, well-drained soil. They should be fertilized after planting with a balanced fertilizer in Spring. You should remove spent flowers of bulbs so the plant doesn't waste energy on setting seed. When the plants are done flowering, do not cut back the foliage. The plant needs the energy from the leaves to nourish the bulb for the next years bloom.
Squirrels and other small animals can be a problem. They like the taste of bulbs and corms, etc., and they will dig them up to eat them.
Most bulbs will multiply, so they are good for naturalizing. When your plants become crowded, or you notice fewer flower blooms, you should divide them. The bulbs form bulblets on the mother bulb. Gently separate the bulblets and replant them. This is important to the health of your plants and continuous bloom for many years.
You can force bulbs into bloom inside when they are usually dormant. Buy the bulbs in the Fall. Paper-white narcissus, tulips and hyacinths are the easiest to force. To force paper-whites, put them into a shallow container (about 2 inches high). Fill the container halfway with pebbles and put the bulbs on top of the pebbles. Add water to reach the bottom of the bulbs. Place in a cool, dark place for about two weeks, until you see shoots sprouting. Then put the whole thing in a sunny window. To force other bulbs, fill a container with potting soil then plant the bulbs in the soil. Water well and put in a cool, dark place until you see shoots sprouting (this can be 2 to 3 months). After you see the shoots, place in a sunny window. Sometimes the bulbs can be replanted outside.