S PRING B LOOMING B ULBS :
FALL PLANTING & CARE INSTRUCTIONS
SELECTING YOUR BULBS AND PLANTING SITE
Choose a planting site that is well drained. Most spring bulbs prefer full sun,
but a few, like daffodils, can handle part sun. Remember that most spring
bulbs will bloom before the trees above have leafed out.
Spring bulbs can bloom from late winter until the end of spring. For
continuous spring color, plant many different varieties.
Some bulbs are better for naturalizing and come back stronger year after year.
Daffodils and crocus are good naturalizers, as are a few tulip varieties,
especially species tulips. Ask a sales associate for details.
Choosing a planting location that is under and around other perennials will
help to hide the bulb foliage after the flowers are done blooming. Remember
that bulbs do not like extra moisture during dormancy and choose perennials
that will not need irrigation.
PLANTING YOUR SPRING BLOOMING BULBS
In the St. Louis area, bulbs can generally be planted starting in September and
well into the fall as long as the soil isn’t frozen.
Prepare your planting site by adding a generous amount of Cottonburr
Compost and Soil Perfector and digging it into the existing soil. Soil Perfector
in bulb plantings also helps deter underground critters.
Spring bulbs look more natural when the planting holes are random. Toss a
handful of bulbs on your prepared ground and plant them where they land.
Bulbs generally need to be planted at a depth that is twice the length of the
bulb itself. This is very important – shallow planting is a common mistake!
Always check to be sure that the pointed end of the bulb is facing up.
Small critters can often eat or displace newly planted bulbs. Bulbs such as
daffodils and alliums are naturally pest resistant because of the taste.
However, even these bulbs can be dug up by squirrels and chipmunks. To
prevent this from happening, treat bulbs with Critter Rider before planting.
Alternatively, place window screening above the bulbs on top of the soil and
remove after the ground has frozen or before the bulbs begin to emerge in
early spring. The small plastic baskets from grocery store cherry tomatoes can
also be used since the shoots of bulbs can come up through the holes.
Mulch bulb areas with organic hardwood mulch or leaves.
CARE OF YOUR SPRING BLOOMING BULBS
www.bowoodfarms.com
314-454-6868
kh
Spring bulbs need fertilizer and water like any other plant. Add Espoma Bulb
Tone to the top of the soil in all bulb areas. Water bulbs regularly until the
ground freezes.
In subsequent seasons, fertilize the bulbs in the spring, after the greenery
starts to emerge and then again after the flowers are done blooming.
After blooming, any green foliage needs to remain above ground in the
garden, untouched until it dies away. This greenery is what will provide the
food for next year’s flowers. Do not tie up or braid the foliage.
S PRING B LOOMING B ULBS :
SELECTED VARIETIES
www.bowoodfarms.com
314-454-6868
RECOMMENDED SPRING BULBS
White Fire
West Point
Yokohama
Ivory Floradale
Akebone
Abigale
Royal Two
Curly Sue
Candy Prince
Melrose
Fantasy
Jumbo Beauty
Claudia
Sweet Love
Quebec
Pinocchio
Hearts Delight
Gold Coin
Polychroma
Daffodils Spring Beat
Toto
Pencrebar
Tahiti
Fortissimo
Segovia
Smiling Sun
Apricot Whirl
Tete-a-Tete
Dutch Master
Wave
Raspberry Ring
Double Poet’s
Hyacinths Carnegie
Peter Stuyvesant
Jan Bos
Pink Pearl
Woodstock
Gipsy Queen
Allium Giganteum
Mount Everest
Schuberti
Misc.
Arum italicum
Galanthus nivalis
Leucojum gravetye giant
Scilla siberica
Lycoris squamigera
Tulips
HEIGHT
COLOR
BLOOM
TIME
20-28”
20”
18”
24”
16”
18-20”
14”
18”
12”
10”
22”
26”
18”
20”
14”
10”
12”
12”
4”
12”
6”
12”
12-14”
16-18”
6-10”
12-14”
16”
6-8”
16-18”
16-18”
16-18”
16”
10-12”
10-12”
10-12”
10-12”
10-12”
10-12”
40-60”
40-44”
12-18”
12-18”
4-8”
20-24”
4-6”
20-24”
Maroon/Red
Yellow
Yellow
White
Cream/striped
Crimson Pink
Lilac
Fringed purple
Light Lilac
Pink/Green/White
Green/Pink
White/ Pink edged
Magenta/White edge
Pink flecked
Yellow/Red
Red/White edge
Peach/Yellow
Red/Yellow edges
White/Yellow Center
Yellow w/ lt yellow
White
Dbl Yellow
Yellow w/ orange
Yellow w/ orange
White w/yellow
White with yellow
Apricot w/ white
Gold
Gold
White w/dbl y/wh
Yellow w/ orange
Double White
White
Deep Blue
Red
Pink
Fuschia
Orange
Fuschia-purple
White
Pink spidery
Orange
White
White
Blue
Bright pink
E
L
M
M
L
L
M
L
E
L
L
L
L
M
E
E
E
E
E
E
E
E
M
M
M
M
M
E-M
E-M
M
E-M
E
E
E
E
E
E
E
L
L
L
M-L
E
L
E
F