Tips for Choosing & Planting Spring Bulbs (2026) #38, by Susan's In The Garden on YouTube. 10 min 45 s.
- Video length
- 10 min 45 s
- Time to do it
- 1 hour
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Steps
- 9
What you need
Steps
Buy bulbs in early autumn while stocks are fresh. Squeeze each one: it should feel firm and heavy. Skip any that are soft, moldy or sprouting.
Match bulbs to your climate. In zones 5b to 6a, most tulips, daffodils and crocus overwinter fine. Check the label for your hardiness zone before buying.
Pick a spot with sun for at least half the day and soil that drains well. Dig in compost if the ground is heavy clay so bulbs do not sit in water.
Plant at roughly three times the bulb's height. A 2 inch daffodil bulb goes about 6 inches deep. Set it pointed end up and firm the soil over it.
Space bulbs about two to three times their width apart. For a fuller look, plant in groups of 10 or more rather than single rows.
Scatter a little bone meal or bulb fertilizer in the planting hole and mix it into the soil. Do not let it touch the bulb directly.
Water well after planting to settle the soil and start root growth. Then leave them alone unless the autumn is very dry.
Spread a light mulch over the bed before winter. This keeps soil temperature steady and holds back weeds.
After spring bloom, let the leaves yellow and die back naturally for about six weeks. Cut them only once they are brown, so the bulb stores energy for next year.
Tips and common mistakes
Plant bulbs before the ground freezes, ideally from September to November.
Squirrels dig up tulips, so press the soil down firmly and cover with mulch or netting.
Do not cut green foliage after flowering or you will lose next year's blooms.
Mark where you planted so you do not dig into the bulbs later.
Questions
Which end of the bulb goes up?
The pointed tip goes up and the flat base with roots goes down. If you cannot tell, plant it sideways and it will right itself.
Do I have to dig up bulbs every year?
No. Most daffodils, crocus and alliums naturalize and come back for years. Tulips fade over time, so many gardeners replant them each fall.
What if I plant too late?
Bulbs planted after the ground freezes may not root well. Plant as soon as you buy them, and water in if the soil is dry.
This guide was drafted from the video's details and general task knowledge. It has not been checked against the full video. Check the video and relevant product instructions before following a procedure. Report a correction.
