Ask the Experts Spring Bulb Care in Texas April 29, 2021 With spring in full swing and the cold winter behind us, it’s high time to pull out your gardening gloves and tend to the bulbs in your garden. Most homeowners add spring bulbs for seasonal color. They produce ideal cut flowers, offer brilliant blossoms, and generally are low-maintenance plants. Anemones, Irises, and Dutch Hyacinths all grow well in Texas. They offer the flexibility of being planted in containers to grace patios and porches or directly into the flower garden to offer beautiful blooms. Planting their seeds, transporting them, and bringing freshly-cut flowers inside your home need the right care. We have put together a few useful tips on spring bulb care. 1. Proper timing Fall is best for planting spring-blooming bulbs in Texas. It should be done between the months of September to early December. They require sun and part shade, and it’s important to plant in well-drained soil. An area that receives the rays of the morning sun is best. You may also choose to plant them under deciduous trees, where they will get sun once the leaves start to fall during winter, and in the spring when they are actively growing. 2. Planting Choose bulbs that are large and have no sign of mold or mildew. Plant them with the pointy end up. Dig holes that are at least 6 inches deep. Mix soil with peat moss at a ratio of 50 percent garden soil and 50 percent peat moss. To show the flowers to a better advantage, plant them in groups. Smaller bulbs are best planted with five (or more) in a group, and bigger bulbs should be planted in groups of three. The spacing is up to your discretion, but keep in mind that to maintain good flowering, you will need to dig and divide the bulbs eventually if you plant them too close together. Three or four inches of mulch is good for bulbs; this will help moderate the soil temperature and maintain moisture. Organic mulches can act as a slow-release fertilizer as they tend to break down over time. 3. Bulb care after blooming Naturalizing bulbs need to be left with their foliage on after blooming. The foliage will help produce next year’s flowers. With the exception of Grape Hyacinths, you may remove the spend flowers so the plant can use its energy to produce blooms. Remove the foliage once they turn yellow. Some of the most dependable bulbs in the area are: Narcissus ZivaDaffodils Dutch Master, Ice Follies, UnsurpassableIpheonSnowbells or LuecojumGrape HyacinthTulips (note that this bulb is an annual) Seeing beautiful flowers in an assortment of colors is one of the reasons many look forward to spring. You can find this joy right in your own backyard by planting and nurturing your own flower bulbs. That being said, it is always good to know the basics about spring bulb care. We at Southern Botanical can help make your landscape pristine and colorful all year-round. Not everyone does seasonal color right – and that’s why we are here!