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Bulb Culture

CHARACTERISTICS OF BULBS. A bulb is a large dormant bud, and is a condensed plant when dormant. Bulbs can develop only flowers which were formed within them before they were ripened. The dormant period of a bulb occurs in order to carry it over the dry or cold season.

A good bulb must be fully developed, in good soil, and under good conditions. It must be kept from heating, sweating, or rotting in transit, and must not be kept out of the ground so long as to dry out to an injurious extent. When buying bulbs always take into consideration that cheap bulbs are invariably poor bulbs and that size alone does not count, but adds to the probability that the bulb is mature. Plump, solid bulbs give the best blooms, and if to this is added size, the bulb is ideal.

There are two groups of bulbs: those which should be planted in the fall to produce flowers in the spring, such as tulips, narcissi, and crocuses, and those which should be planted in the spring to produce flowers in the summer and early fall, such as gladioli. (In botanical science in the case of the gladiolus the term is "corm" rather than "bulb.") TIME FOR PLANTING BULBS. Nothing is gained by planting springflowering bulbs, such as tulips, narcissi, crocuses, hyacinths, squills, and Spanish irises, before September or October. The reason for planting, then, is that they keep better in the ground, and as they start to root in the fall they begin growth earlier in the spring. It is hardly possible to plant bulbs of this group early enough in the spring to secure any flowers the same season. These bulbs should be planted not earlier than six weeks before the hard frosts. Narcissi may be planted earlier, and it is preferable to plant crocuses early. Crocuses are usually planted in the lawn. An early bloom is desirable; therefore early September planting permits root growth in the fall and the flowers mature and pass before the grass requires cutting. Bulbs, in order to make some root growth in the fall, should not be planted very late. Autumn-flowering sorts, such as the colchicum and the saffron crocus, may be planted in August or early September, if well protected, but if planted in the spring should be set out after danger from frost is past. Narcissi and hyacinths are planted preferably early in October, while tulips, particularly the late-blooming, may wait till November. If the ground begins to freeze hard before the bulbs can be planted it should be kept warm by a litter of straw or leaves. Such a blanket spread over frozen ground early in the winter will enable the heat within the earth to thaw it out and permit quite late planting. If bulbs are planted late it is well to cover them with mulch at once in order that root growth may be made before the cold prevents it. If the bulbs are planted early in the fall, however, the mulch should be applied only after the ground has been frozen to a depth of several inches. Thus excessive top growth will not start prematurely. Gladiolus bulbs should be planted in the spring after the fro sts are over. The period required for such bulbs to mature is about ninety days. Therefore, a succession of bloom can be obtained by planting at intervals of ten days or two weeks. Under expert care, in well-drained soils and with sufficient protection, many gladiolus bulbs can be planted in the fall and thereby insure a very much earlier bloom in the summer. This should at first be tried only with extreme caution, and the plants will need protection from spring frosts. SOIL AND DRAINAGE REQUIREMENTS. Bulbs should be planted in a well-drained, deep, rich soil in order to develop successfully. In wet soils put a handful of sand under each bulb to keep the water away from the immediate vicinity of the bulbs. In wet locations the beds should be raised. Hyacinths require a sandy soil and soon become diseased in heavy soils. Few lilies will succeed in limestone soil. Lilies require extra good drainage and rich soil. Some will do well in heavy soil, as the madonna lily and the tiger lily. It is best to surround lily bulbs with sand, and where drainage is not ideal, plant the bulbs on one side so that water may not collect in the heart of the bulb. FERTILIZERS FOR BULBS. No fresh manure should ever touch a bulb, but well-rotted manure may be incorporated deep in the soil before planting with the best of results. The manure should be accessible to the feeding roots but be kept away from the bulb. Do not use manure at all unless the bed is excavated to a depth that makes it possible to spade the manure in below the level on which the bulbs are to rest. Tulips are less apt to be injured by manure than are narcissi. For planting with a trowel or dibble, bone meal only should be used. Leaf mold and sand should be added to heavy soils. Bone meal used with bulbs tends to increase the size of the blooms. Liquid manure, added liberally when the plants are budding, has often given excellent results. To increase the development of new bulblets and especially of gladioli, a fertilizer containing a large percentage of potash is desirable.