Success with Bulbs

We gardeners are known for looking ahead. Though we’ve been experiencing some unseasonably warm weather this week, the magic of Fall is just around the corner. While the weather might not be ready for planting bulbs, it’s the perfect time to plan your spring bulb beds or planters.

Some people choose to only plant them in planters, a decision motivated by an issue made worse by our clay soil— rot. I’m glad to tell you there are simple ways to mitigate this problem! When planting in the ground, you want to ensure the soil is well draining. Using a soil amendment like EarthMix® Landscape™ lightens heavy clay soil while adding nutrition in the form of two types of compost. Adding a layer of Enlighten™ underneath the bulbs will help prevent the bulbs from sitting in soggy soil if we have a wet winter.

Another good defense against rotting bulbs is using Arber’s Bio Fungicide when planting. This biological fungicide uses a beneficial bacteria strain that protectively colonizes the roots and surface of the bulb. Arber recommends reapplication of the soil drench every two weeks to maintain protection.

Other key components to successful in-ground bulb planting are inspecting the bulbs at purchase to make sure they are firm and ready to plant. If you’ve dealt with root rot in a specific area before, make sure to rotate them to a different area. Detrimental fungus can live in an area for three to five years, so choose wisely. When choosing a spot, make sure it’s not a low area where rainwater pools.

Lastly, planting bulbs at the correct depth is vital to their success. The rule of thumb is planting them three times as deep as they are tall. If you plant them too shallow, they are susceptible to temperature swings. One final note — if you have been struck by Porch Goose Fever, we have received a large shipment of Geese & their Halloween costumes just in time for Honktober!

That’s it for this week, friends. Tune into Gardening Inside Out every Saturday at 8 am. Queue up the podcast and catch Garden Snacks with Caroline. Follow our Instagram for weekly inspo and questions answered. We look forward to seeing you soon!

Happy Gardening,

Sara Bates