The Perennial Post

NPA doyenne Barbara Flynn, who has been growing and observing bulbs for a lifetime, comments, “Bulbs are a living thing. Buy them the moment they arrive in stores, not when they go on sale. Erythroniums are particularly prone to drying out if not immediately planted. Have a place ready for them before you buy them.”

Bulb tips from Judy Glattstein

Plant small bulbs the moment they arrive, advised Judy Glattstein, the speaker for our Annual Meeting and Lecture on September 17. Here are other nuggets from her advice-packed talk.

She recommended that 10-15% of a border be devoted to bulbs. To hide dying foliage, bulbs can be combined with annuals or planted between perennials that spread out later. When planting, add a 10-30-20 liquid fertilizer at half strength. Usually no more fertilizer is needed. If you choose to fertilize later, do it once when buds are forming and once two weeks later when blooming.

Winter aconites, Eranthis, are hard to establish, and must be fresh when planted. Buy them as soon as they arrive in nurseries around Labor Day, soak them and then plant immediately. Even better for success, plant divisions of aconites ‘in the green’ in late winter.

Fritillaria imperialis needs good drainage. Find the biggest, grapefruit-sized bulbs you can and plant them early and immediately. Spirea “Gold Mound” is a lovely companion. Crocus tomasinianus is the only crocus for shade that will multiply. Leucojum vernum prefers moist conditions, and also Camassia, which comes from wet meadows.