If you’re looking forward to a spring full of pops of color, then it might be time to brush up on your spring bulb care! Taking good care of your spring-blooming bulbs will reward you with beautiful blooms for Easter and beyond. Here are some tips for how to care for and enjoy spring bulbs.
What Are Spring Bulbs?
Spring bulbs, also sometimes known as hardy bulbs, are flowering bulbs that are planted in late fall but bloom just in time for the warmer months. Spring bulbs are responsible for those first signs of colorful life after a bleak and cold winter. Some of the most common spring bulbs are tulips, hyacinth, daffodils, and crocus. You can grow spring bulbs in your garden, containers, or pots. With proper care, you can enjoy gorgeous spring blooms from March until May!
How to Care for Daffodils
Daffodils are the sweetest perennial spring bulbs. They can return year after year if you take proper care of them. Once the blooms die off, you should deadhead them and also remove the stem: leave behind the leaves. Leaving behind the leaves helps the plant gather enough energy from the sun to flower again next year!
During early spring, keep them well-watered, but let them dry out while they are dormant in summer. If they become overcrowded over time, you can divide them up and spread them out to different areas. These simple beauties are usually yellow, orange, or white and look beautiful in mass plantings or grouped next to other spring bulbs.
Caring for Tulip Bulbs
Tulips herald the beginning of spring and are usually planted in the chilly fall months to bloom in time for warmer days. Their incredible array of bright hues and unique shapes are a centerpiece for any spring garden or Easter floral arrangement. There are so many varieties to choose from, so choose a shade and shape that tickles you! Classic yellow is always a favorite, but there are also vibrant oranges, deep purples, or dual-toned beauties.
When caring for these sweet spring bulbs, remember that tulips usually fare best when planted in an area with full sun, well-draining soil, and shelter from strong winds. To keep your tulips in tip-top shape, deadhead them once their blooms are spent. Some varieties may even rebloom after you remove the flowers!
Caring for Hyacinth
Hyacinth is another spring favorite known for its gorgeous fragrance. Perfect for Easter celebrations, there are so many color options to suit your preference, including bright pink, white, and deep purple. Their delicate star-shaped flowers grow vertically on a stalk. Those stalks need to be cut back during the summer months after the plant has finished showing off for spring. Just like with daffodils, leave behind the foliage so your hyacinths can collect energy to regenerate for next spring. Hyacinths can be a bit picky with watering, so make sure not to let them get soggy, or the bulb may rot.
Caring for Crocus
Crocus flowers come in the perfect spring hues of white, yellow, and purple. They look similar to tulips but with a more open shape and yellow stigmas (tendrils) inside the flower. They smell incredible, and if you’re hoping to attract pollinators to your yard, crocus is the way to go! If you cared for your crocuses by covering the planting sites with mulch in the previous season, make sure to clear that away while the crocus pokes up in time for spring. As they grow, be aware that mice and squirrels love sampling these bulbs, and birds may steal some of the flowers as they bloom! You can put up a wire fence around the crocus plants if you’re concerned.
DIY Easter Bouquet
Now that you know more about some of our favorite flowering spring bulbs, why not put them together for a gorgeous Easter-inspired bouquet? Here’s how to make one yourself.
You’ll need:
– Garden scissors or shears
– A spring-themed vase (Think outside the box! Try a cute mini watering can, teapot, or a pastel-colored vase) – Tulips
– Daffodils
– Hyacinth
– Roses
– Greenery like eucalyptus, lamb’s ear, or boxwood
Instructions:
Step 1: Select your flowers in the colors that appeal to you most. You can go for a monochromatic theme in all-yellow or select complementary pastel tones.
Step 2: Cut your flowers ½ inch from the bottom of the step at an angle.
Step 3: Arrange flowers in a water-filled vase by starting with larger blooms (hyacinth and tulips), then adding smaller blooms (daffodils and crocus), and finally adding greenery to fill in any gaps.
Step 4: Enjoy! Change the water regularly to keep your bouquet looking fresh as long as possible.
Spring-Planted Bulbs for Summer Color
Once your spring flowers have started to bloom, it’s time to start planting summer-blooming bulbs! Once your spring bulbs have all faded and only the foliage remains, you’ll soon be greeted by vibrant summer favorites like dahlias, gladiolus, lilies, and anemones.
Beautiful spring bulbs add pops of color and magic throughout your garden and bouquets. Care for spring bulbs is usually quite minimal, so you can kick back and relax while you enjoy the show! If you’re looking for more inspiration for caring for and arranging spring-blooming bulbs, come visit us at Alsip Home & Nursery.