A Guide to Planting Fall Bulbs

There is nothing quite like a variety of bright colors in your landscape to welcome spring. Planting spring flowering bulbs is an easy way to plan ahead for pops of color in your spring garden! In order for your bulbs to bloom in the spring, they need to be planted in the fall prior.

Here is our guide for getting your bulbs in the ground this fall:

7 Steps to Planting Fall Bulbs

1. Stop by your local garden center or nursery to pick up a variety of bulbs to plant. When selecting bulbs, keep in mind color, space, and bloom time. You can always ask your local garden centers or professional landscaper for bulb recommendations for your outdoor space. Kentucky offers a wide variety of bulbs that can be planted throughout your landscape, here is a list of some of our favorite and reliable bulbs you can plant:

2. Prep your planting areas. Prepping involves a thorough fall cleanup, removing weeds, and cultivating the soil.
3. Next, you will need to apply a bulb appropriate fertilizer to the freshly cultivated soil.
4. Time to plant! Plant each blub 2 to 3 times deeper than the height of the bulb. Small amounts of bulbs can be individually placed in small planting holes, while larger amounts can be placed side-by-side until the prepped and fertilized area is filled.
5. Rake the planting area smoothly.
6. Spread 2 to 3 inches of mulch over the planted bulbs.
7. Water thoroughly and patiently wait for spring!

Additional Tips:

• Always be sure to not plant your bulbs too shallowly, they may not emerge when planted too shallow.
• Late September through Thanksgiving is the best time to plant fall bulbs. It’s important to not wait until the soil freezes.
• Using a planting knife or a bulb planter will make for fast planting.
• Be sure to use a bulb-appropriate fertilizer as it’s essential for root development.
• Bulbs look best when planted together in groups. We recommend planning ahead with a landscape design.
• Photograph or mark both your spring and fall bulbs when they are in bloom as it can be easy to forget where they are planted when dormant.

The last step is to wait patiently for the warmth of spring to arrive so that you can sit back and watch your hard work pay off in the form of beautiful blooming colors throughout your landscape!

If you’re looking for help getting a jump start on your fall bulb planting, Four Seasons Landscape Management can assist in your fall cleanup and landscape design needs. We have been providing Louisville, KY, and its surrounding areas with quality professional landscape care since 2005. You can schedule your complimentary landscape consultation online today here!