Flower bulbs need a good, long, winters sleep. Like
some people we know, if they wake up before they are fully
rested, they get kind of cranky, and then they don't bloom well
at all.
Actually what happens is during a mild winter, the soil
stays too warm, and the bulbs begin to come out of dormancy
early. They start to grow, and once the tips emerge above the
soil line, they are subject to freezing if the temperatures dip
back down below freezing. And that's usually what happens.
After the bulbs have emerged, they freeze and then don't bloom
at all, or if they do it's a very sad display.
Another reason this happens is because the bulbs are
not planted deep enough. They may have been deep enough when
you planted them, but as the soil goes through the freezing and
thawing process, the bulbs can actually work their way up in
the ground.
One way to keep your flower bulbs sleeping longer,
which will protect them from freezing, is to mulch the bed. In
the fall just apply a 3-4" layer of well composted mulch. This
layer of mulch will do a couple of things. It will maintain a
higher moisture content in the soil, which is good, as long as
the soil isn't too soggy. Well composted mulch also adds
valuable organic matter to the planting bed. Organic matter
makes a great natural fertilizer.
A 3-4" layer of mulch also acts as an insulator. It
will keep the soil from freezing for a while, which is good
because you don't want the bulbs going through a series of
short cycles of freezing and thawing. Then when the
temperatures drop below freezing and stay there for a while,
the soil does eventually freeze. Then the mulch actually works
in reverse and keeps the soil from thawing out too early.
Keeping it in a frozen state is actually good because the bulbs
remain dormant for a longer period of time.
When they finally do wake up it is spring time, and
hopefully by the time they emerge from the ground the danger of
a hard freeze is past and they will not be damaged. If you can
keep them from freezing, they will flower beautifully. The
extra organic matter will help to nourish the bulbs when they
are done blooming, and the cycle starts all over again.
We also plant annual flowers in the same beds with our
spring bulbs. By the time the danger of frost is past and it's
time to plant the annuals, the top of the bulbs have died back
and are ready to be removed. The mulch that is added in the
fall also helps to nourish the annual flowers, as well as
improve the soil permanently.
Anytime you add well composted organic matter to your
planting beds, you are bound to realize multiple benefits. The
key words here are "well composted". Fresh material is not
good.
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About The Author
If you have questions for Mike McGroarty visit his website,
http://www.freeplants.com and post them on the message board
where you can learn lots of gardening tips and communicate with
other gardeners. While at his website you can learn how to
start your own profitable backyard nursery. If you would like
a copy of Mike's booklet, "The Secret of Growing Landscape
Plants from Scratch", send .00 to: Garden Secrets, P.O. Box
338, Perry, Ohio 44081
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