Autumn · Flowers Plant Bulbs Now, See Color in Spring An hour of planting this autumn gives you tulips, daffodils, and crocuses when the garden needs color most. Spring bulbs are the closest thing gardening has to a gift you send your future self. You bury a handful of dry, brown bulbs in October, walk away for the winter, and in March and April they push up through the cold soil and flower before almost anything else in the garden. They are cheap, very forgiving, and need almost no care, and they grow just as well in a pot on a balcony as in a flower bed. Here is how to choose them, when to plant them in Europe, and how to make sure they actually come up. Why Spring Bulbs Are Planted in Autumn Tulips, daffodils, crocuses, and hyacinths all need a long cold period in the ground before they will flower. Gardeners call this the chilling period , and in most cases it means about 12 to 16 weeks below roughly 9°C. Planting in autumn also gives the bulbs time to grow roots w...
Practical growing guides, plant care tips, and seasonal advice for home gardeners of every experience level, from backyard beginners to seasoned green thumbs.