It is that time of year again.  After the garden beds have been pulled of the weeds and annuals and the perennials have been cut back, it is time to plant bulbs in the ground so your gardens ‘makeup face’ is fresh and new come early Spring.

Walk into any grocery store, hardware store, or big box store right now and you are guaranteed to see bushels of bulbs in hundreds of varieties.

Daffodils come in a myriad of bloom types, Tulips from Holland show off their vibrant colours, and Crocus’s and Snowdrops offer the first glimpses of green, often when snow is still on the ground.

Bulbs may be wrinkly and ugly  looking when you plant them in the ground, but they hold the promise of a colourful Spring in 6-7 months time.

Prepare the chosen location by turning the soil of over well and adding compost.  Do not add any manure as the richness of it will burn the bulbs.  Dig down to the depth recommended on the packaging and setting the tips of the bulbs pointing skyward.  

Group them together either in mixed or same types or ‘scatter’ them to mimic naturalization.  Once set in the ground, cover and then water thoroughly.  You want the bulbs to get a good head start on root setting before the cold of winter sets in.  If you live in an area filled with four-footed, grazing critters (aka DEER), make sure you plant deer-resistant varieties, otherwise, you are just offering them a buffet come Spring when they are starving for any new, green growth.

Then, when you are absolutely at your wits end in March, desperate for some colour after the months and months of brown and gray hues of winter, they peek forth with smiling faces showing the promise of Summer to come.

So get out and dig in the dirt today, you will thank me come Spring time!