Author Archives: Jessica Snell

Cyclamen Care Guide

Cyclamen are one of the most beautiful and best winter bloomers. Over the years, growers have come up with many new hybrids for us to enjoy. Some have ruffled flowers, and some varieties are miniature, but all maintain a large bright flower, usually in red, pinks, maroons and white. All Cyclamen display green or variegated heart shaped leaves.

Cyclamen are a great indoor plant – easy 8 weeks plus of color.
One of the reasons our Cyclamen last as long as they do is that we build up the base of the plant first. Proper variety selection, culture and nutrition will allow the plant to grow a lot of leaves – and with Cyclamen, leaves = flowers. If you gently push apart the leaves on one of our Cyclamen you will see lots of buds coming up from the center. You can also move a Cyclamen outside in April – the plant will take a freeze, but you should be careful to acclimate the plant so the change isn’t too great, both from a temperature and sunlight perspective.

Cyclamen are actually a type of bulb or more specifically a Corm (a short, thickened vertical stem). Their native habitat is the Mediterranean and Southern Europe. In your home, Cyclamen like to be a little on the cooler side with temperatures around 61˚F and in direct light or bright indirect light.

While in bloom, keep the root ball moist and feed the plant every two weeks. Cyclamen should be kept moist by watering in a tray and allowing the roots to take up the water rather than watering from above the plant which can lead to rotting. Remove yellow leaves and spent flowers.

When cyclamen are done blooming they can be discarded or the corm can be saved. After the foliage dies back, the plant should be left to dry. The corm should then be dug and repotted in midsummer and placed in a warm place so it can establish roots before returning it to a cool 55 – 60˚ F. to encourage flowering.

Light

Give cyclamen bright, indirect light in the winter when they are actively growing. In summer, it is best to keep cyclamen in a cool, dark spot with good air circulation. You can also move it to a shady spot outdoors in summer. Just make certain it is not getting too much water.

Soil

Cyclamen persicum does best when planted in a soilless-based potting mix, with the top of the tuber just slightly above the soil line.

Water

When leaves are present, the plant is actively growing. Water whenever the soil feels dry about an inch below the surface. Avoid getting water on the crown of the plant, which could cause it to rot.

As the flowers begin to fade, gradually allow the plant to dry out for two to three months. It is going into a dormant stage, and any excess water will cause the tuber to rot. If you put it outdoors during dormancy, be sure to turn the pot on its side to keep the rain out. A little water is not harmful, but you don’t want the soil to remain wet.

Temperature and Humidity

Cyclamen do not like extreme heat, drafts, or dry air. They do best in a climate that replicates their native environment, between 50 degrees Fahrenheit and the mid-60s. High humidity, especially during winter, is crucial. Keep the cyclamen on a tray of water with a layer of pebbles or gravel to form a shelf for the cyclamen pot to sit on. Do not let the bottom of the cyclamen pot sit submerged in the water or the roots will rot.

If you moved your plant outdoors for the summer, bring it back indoors before the weather turns cold. A good rule of thumb is to bring it inside while the temperature is still comfortable for you with the windows open.

Fertilizer

Feed your cyclamen plant with a diluted liquid low-nitrogen fertilizer and high in phosphorus every couple of weeks while in full leaf. You do not need to fertilize cyclamen while it is dormant.

Potting and Repotting

Cyclamen should be repotted every two years. You can re-pot while the plant is dormant, in the summer, with fresh soil and a slightly larger pot.

Fill the new container part way with potting soil.
Lift the tuber out of the original pot and brush off the old soil, but don’t rinse it. Place the tuber in the new pot so that its top is about one inch from the rim. Cover it halfway with potting soil.
Place the pot in a shady, dry spot for the rest of the summer. Start watering it around September and you should start to see new growth emerging.

Amaryllis Care Guide

Purchase large bulbs for lots of flowers.

Purchase the biggest amaryllis bulbs you can find. Jumbo, 34/36 cm bulbs will produce 3 stems

with 4 to 5 flowers per stem. Smaller bulbs will give you fewer stems and fewer blossoms.

Keep in mind that some amaryllis varieties naturally produce smaller bulbs than others. Sometimes a 28/30 cm bulb is the largest size available.

Choose several different varieties to extend the show.

There’s no way to know exactly when an amaryllis will flower, but some varieties tend to bloom sooner than others. If you want to have flowers all winter long, purchase a number of different varieties and don’t plant them all at the same time. Plant some bulbs in late fall and plant the rest in early winter.

After planting, be patient. It usually takes a month or two for the bulbs to wake up and begin growing.

Select the right pot and use good soil.

Amaryllis have long stems and big flowers. A heavy pot with a wide base will help the plant stay upright. Choose a pot that is about 2” wider than the bulb. If you are planting several bulbs in one container they can be planted about an inch apart.

Use a high-quality, sterile growing mix (to avoid fungus gnats). Moisten the soil, fill the pot a little more than half full and set the bulb on top. Add more soil, leaving the top 1/3 of the bulb exposed.

Water sparingly.

After you plant your bulbs, water well to help settle them into their pots. Then keep the soil barely moist, applying no more than ¼ cup of water per week. For best results, grow your amaryllis in a relatively cool room (60-65°F) with bright, indirect light.

The first thing to emerge from the bulb is usually a bud. Leaves and additional stems will follow. Rotating the pot every few days will help keep the stems straight.

Make the most of the flowers.

Depending on the size of the bulb, you can expect 1 to 3 stems, each with 3 to 5 flowers. All of the stems may come out at once, or they may emerge over a period of 2 to 3 weeks.

As with all fresh flowers, cool temperatures will extend their life. Amaryllis also make excellent cut flowers. Cut the stems right before the buds are ready to open, and display them in a vase with greens or other seasonal blooms.

Use scissors to clip off faded blossoms. Once the stem has finished blooming, use a knife to to make a clean cut about 1″ above the bulb.

Keep or toss the bulbs.

An amaryllis bulb costs no more than a supermarket bouquet. Yet many people find it hard to part with the bulb once the flowering season is over. If you wish, you can save the bulb and try getting it to bloom again next year. To learn more, read How to Get an Amarylllis Bulb to Rebloom.

Get an Amaryllis to Rebloom

Remove the Flowers and Stalks. Snip off the flowers as they fade and cut the stems to within an inch the bulb. If the bulb was grown in water rather than soil, plant it in a pot with a drainage hole. There should be at least 1” of space on all sides and room for the roots underneath. The top of the bulb should be above the soil surface.

Give It Sun. After the bulb flowers, it will produce several long, strappy leaves. As with other flower bulbs, amaryllis use their leaves to produce energy for next year’s flowers. Give the plant plenty of bright light to help it build up its reserves. Grow your amaryllis indoors during winter and spring. After danger of frost, you can move it outside for the summer.

Feed and Don’t Overwater. Fertilize the plant once or twice a month to keep the leaves lush and green. The bulb should stay dry and the soil should be barely moist — never soggy. If your summers are wet, you may need to shield the pot from rain.

Let It Rest. In late summer or early fall, stop watering and move the potted bulb to a cool (55°F), dry location, away from bright light. A basement or garage is ideal. The leaves will gradually wither and fall away as the plant goes dormant. Leave the bulb alone and don’t water it.

Repot for a Second Appearance. After your amaryllis has rested for 2 to 5 months, you can start again. There’s no rush, so if you have several bulbs you may want to start them at different times. Repot the bulb using fresh growing mix. Water once and move the pot into a bright, 60-65°F room. Water sparingly until the bulb is in active growth.

Planting Tulips and Caring for them

HOW TO PLANT TULIPS

When to Plant: Tulip bulbs should be planted in mid to late fall, any time after the first frost and before the ground freezes. For best results, plant the bulbs within a month after you receive them.

Depth and Spacing: Plant tulip bulbs 6″ to 8″ deep and 4″ to 5″ apart on center. You may plant the bulbs individually, or can dig out a larger area and plant a number of bulbs at once. Position the bulbs with the pointy end up and then cover them with soil. Fall and winter rains usually provide adequate moisture. Water only if the weather is very dry.

Planting Tips: Planting tulips side by side in a single row looks stiff and unnatural. For best results, plant informal groups of 7 or more bulbs. Rectangular, triangular or oval patterns will make the planting look as full as possible and ensure the flowers are visible from all angles.

CARING FOR TULIPS AFTER THEY FLOWER

Will your tulips come back to bloom again next year? This depends on the type of tulip you planted and the growing conditions in your garden. If the bulbs do produce a second year of flowers, you can expect the blossoms to be smaller and fewer in number. The best way to guarantee an impressive display of tulips every spring is to plant fresh bulbs each fall.

If you treat your tulips as annuals, you can simply remove the entire plant, bulb and all, as soon as the flowers have faded. You can also feel free to cut your tulips for arrangements and enjoy nice long stems with plenty of foliage. Best of all, you get to try new colors and styles, and compose your own unique color combinations every year.

If you want to try getting your tulips to rebloom, here are some tips:

• Darwin hybrids, Emperors and species tulips are less prone to splitting and more likely to rebloom in future years.
• Plant your tulip bulbs in a sunny spot with very well drained soil. Excess moisture encourages splitting.
• Once the bulbs have finished blooming, immediately remove the spent flowers, cutting about 1” below the bloom.
• Allow the stem and foliage to continue growing and producing energy for next year’s flowers. When the foliage has turned yellow, remove it with a gentle tug or cut it back to the ground.

All about Daffodils

Daffodils, also known by their botanical name narcissus, are easy and reliable spring-flowering bulbs. They multiply quickly and return to bloom again each spring, year after year. They are not fussy about soil, will grow in sun or part shade and are not bothered by deer, rabbits and other pesky critters.

PLAN FOR SUCCESS

Sun or Shade: Daffodils will grow in full sun or partial shade.

Hardiness Zone: Daffodils are winter hardy in growing zones 3-8 and will return to bloom again year after year.

Soil Conditions: Daffodils are not fussy about soil. They are happy to grow almost anywhere as long as the soil is not soggy.

WHERE TO PLANT DAFFODILS

Front Yards and Entryways: Planting daffodils in front of your house will let you and your neighbors enjoy a wave of welcoming spring color for years to come. To extend the flowering season, choose varieties with complementary bloom times. If you’d like achieve a relatively formal look, plant in blocks, keeping each variety separate. Combining a number of different flower shapes and colors will give you a more casual, naturalistic effect.

Perennial Gardens: Daffodils come into bloom long before most perennials. Planting daffodils in your flower beds will ensure you have flowers as soon as the weather begins to warm up. Miniature daffodils are a good choice for flower gardens as their leaves are narrower and won’t get in the way of newly emerging perennials.

Containers and Window Boxes: Daffodils are traditionally planted in yards and gardens, but they also grow well in containers. This makes it easy to add instant spring charm to porches, patios or small urban gardens. In zones 6 and colder, potted bulbs need winter protection to keep the soil from freezing.

Cut Flower Gardens: Celebrate the color and fragrance of spring with bouquets of daffodils that can be enjoyed indoors or be shared with friends and family. Planting daffodils in a cutting garden will ensure you always have plenty of blossoms to cut.

Naturalizing: Daffodils are ideal for naturalizing in meadows, wooded areas or near ponds and streams. They come back reliably every year and are not bothered by deer or rodents.One of the best varieties is ‘Ice Follies’.

Amaryllis Tips

If you buy a loose bulb, you can get excellent results

by choosing the largest bulb. These bulbs will produce a large number

of flowers and additional stalks for a longer season of bloom.

Use a pot only 2 inches wider than the bulb itself, because amaryllis

do best when they are comfortably pot-bound. A standard soil mix works

well for them. First, cut off any dead or unhealthy roots emerging from

the base of the bulb, leaving only those that look strong and are firm.

Fill the pot half full of soil mix, set bulb on it, and add enough soil so that

nearly half of the bulb will be above the surface of the soil. Place pot in

a room where it gets half to full sunlight a day. Water it thoroughly after

planting and about once a week thereafter, or more often if the soil is dry.

Rotate the pot occasionally so the stalk will grow straight.

Once the blooms are open if you want to lengthen the bloom time

it is best to keep the plant out of direct sunlight and in a cool location.

It is not unusual for the leaves to grow after, during or before the bulb has bloomed.

Saving the Amaryllis Bulbs from Year to Year

It is necessary to rebuild the bulbs energy if you want it to produce flowers

the following year. After the blooms have faded, cut off these finished flower stalks

but leave the foliage on the bulb. Place the pot back in a room where it gets

half to full sunlight a day. Use a liquid fertilizer once a month or add Osmocote

on top of the soil for a slow time release fertilizer. Continue to water

the plant once a week or as needed. The leaves should stay green and continue

to grow while re-energizing the bulb through the summer. You can also place the pot outside for the summer under a shade tree. Continue to water and fertilize.

At the end of summer when the kids go back to school, stop watering the bulb. When the soil is dry, cut off the leaves and store the bulb in a cool dark location.

The bulb needs 8 weeks of rest. Then it can be brought out.

Repot the bulb using fresh soil. The cycle begins again!

Growing Paperwhites

Enjoy Paperwhites Indoors
Paperwhites will remain beautiful throughout the holidays and beyond, making them great gifts for friends and family (and, of course, schoolteachers). Paperwhites are easy to force into bloom indoors. The bulbs do NOT need to be placed in cold storage to bloom. Paperwhite bulbs begin to grow as soon as they are planted, with fragrant flowers appearing in 4-6 weeks.

Each tall flower stem produces several small, snowy-white flowers. Make your flowers last longer by keeping the plant in a cool location. Blooms will look fresh for 3-4 weeks if kept at a maximum of 65°F/18°C.

When purchasing paperwhites choose bulbs that are firm, not soft or mushy. There are a couple popular varieties I recommend: ‘Ziva’ is a prolific bloomer… and ‘Erlicheer’ is a multi flowering double daffodil with white petals and creamy yellow centers. Brighten your home in the winter months by pairing Paperwhites with Amaryllis bulbs.

Steps to Forcing Paperwhites in Soil

Plant paperwhite bulbs in a shallow pot filled with potting mix. Set as many bulbs as will fit in the pot, as close together as possible without touching. Top with potting mix, leaving the tips of the bulbs exposed.
Water thoroughly to moisten the soil.
Place in a cool (50-60°F/10-24°C) low-light location until shoots appear, usually in 2-3 weeks. Then move pot into warmer temperatures and a brighter location, but out of direct sun. Turn the pot once in a while so that all the stems get equal light. They’re fast growers, with blossoms appearing in 4-6 weeks from time of planting.

How to Grow Paperwhites in Pebbles

Cover the bottom of a shallow container with pebbles (or glass marbles) about 2-3 inches deep. Set the paperwhite bulbs on the pebbles with their tips pointed up. Cover the bulbs with more pebbles, leaving their tips exposed.
Add just enough water to reach the bottoms of the bulbs.
Set them in a cool location and give them the same care as described in #3 above.

Paperwhite Tips Indoors, you may need to stake your paperwhites at some point. These flowers can get leggy with insufficient light. Stake with bamboo or cut branches from your garden. American sweet gum (Liquidambar styraciflua) creates a rustic look, and redtwig dogwood (Cornus sericea) offers bold, Christmas-red stems. Use willow (Salix sp.) after New Year’s, as the yellow-green stems help warm up the winter months.

Keeping Paperwhites Short with Alcohol

When paperwhite bulbs are grown in a dilute solution of alcohol, the plants reach a height of 1/3 to ½ their normally expected growth – but the flowers remain normal size and last just as long. Why they thought of giving their paperwhites a nip remains a mystery, but it appears that the resulting water stress on the plants is just enough to stunt their growth, but not interfere otherwise.

The alcohol content needs to be less than 10%, or your plants will overdose and severe growth problems will occur. Check the bottle for the percentage alcohol. Many liquors are only labeled as “proof”, not percentage of alcohol. Don’t confuse the two. To determine what percentage alcohol you have, divide the proof in half, So and 86 proof bourbon is 43% alcohol.
You can use any hard liquor (vodka, tequila, whiskey…) or rubbing alcohol. Don’t use wine or beer because they are too high in sugar.
You will have to do some math to get the different concentrations of alcohol down to 4-6%.
To convert your booze to 5% alcohol, just divide the percentage alcohol by 5 and then subtract 1. That will tell you how many parts water to mix with your 1 part alcohol. Ex: 40 divided by 5 = 8: 8 minus 1 = 7… 7 parts water to 1 part alcohol.

10% Alcohol = 1 Part Water to 1 Part Alcohol
15% Alcohol = 2 Parts Water to 1 Part Alcohol
20% Alcohol = 3 Parts Water to 1 Part Alcohol
25% Alcohol = 4 Parts Water to 1 Part Alcohol
30% Alcohol = 5 Parts Water to 1 Part Alcohol
35% Alcohol = 6 Parts Water to 1 Part Alcohol
40% Alcohol = 7 Parts Water to 1 Part Alcohol

Paperwhite Bloom Calendar

Planted Week of Blooms week of

November 5 ………………………… December 17

November 12…………………………December 24

November 19…………………………December 31

November 26…………………………January 7

December 3………………………….January 14

December 10…………………………January 21

December 17………………………..January 28

Fall is for Planting!

Fall Planting is all about lessening stress. Less stress for gardeners, plants, and pollinators!

Many people only think about planting in the spring, yet there are so many reasons to plant in the fall, here are our top 5.

1. Get a Jump Start on Spring Growth

Planting perennials in the fall gives them a head start on growth the following spring. Root systems will start to grow once the ground thaws, long before the soil can be worked by human hands and any new plants can be put in. This early start means first-season perennials that can actually show their flowers!

2. The Cool Weather

If the hot, sweaty weather isn’t for you, try gardening in the fall! The crisp, cool air makes for an enjoyable, leisurely experience working in the garden.

3. Crucial Support for Pollinators

With earlier blooms comes earlier nectar sources for pollinators, who struggle to find food at the end of the gardening season. Anytime that you can provide early-spring (and autumn) food supplies for birds, bees, and butterflies, you’ll be doing your part to protect the human food supply as well, as we rely on pollinators to put food on our own dinner tables!

4. Less Water

The colder weather helps to eliminate evaporation and shorter days mean that photosynthesis actually slows down, resulting in your new plants requiring less water than if planted in the spring.

5. Camouflage Early Spring Blooming Bulb Foliage

By partnering fall planting, spring blooming bulbs with perennials, the dying bulb foliage will be engulfed by the perennial and allow them to naturally die back to provide strength for next year’s bloom. When most fall bulbs are blooming, perennials are in their dormant stage. As the bulb nears the end of its bloom time, the perennial will start to grow, and subsequently cover the bulb tops when the bloom is gone. It also saves time by digging a hole once and getting 2 seasons of color.

It’s Pansy Season!

Growing Tips

Easy to grow, Pansies are one of the first flowers to welcome spring and if you follow these tips you can grow perfect Pansies. Choose plants with an overall deep green color with plenty of buds for the best results and fastest blooming. Plant in fertile soil where the plant will receive 6 hours of daily sunlight. Use a liquid fertilizer (Jacks Blossom Booster) when planting and fertilize every week to maintain vigor and color. Replace with petunias in the summer when it becomes too warm for pansies.

5 quick tips for Perfect Pansies

Pansies will have prolific blooms when planted in full Sun. (Yes they can grow in part shade)
It is important to fertilize Pansies for maximum wow color. We like putting a granular down like osmocote at time of planting and then 1x a week water with a liquid fertilizer like Jacks classic.
Plant in rich soil that retains moisture but also drains well. For containers we love Gardner’s Gold potting soil. When planting in the ground we mix in Bumper Crop compost.
Keep Pansies pretty by pinching them back. Remove dead/spent flowers by pinching the stalk back to the next set of leaves.
Water when they dry out. Pansies respond well to cool moist weather, so check them frequently for moisture.

Pansies grow well in rain or cold. In fact, it easily overwinters in many areas. This three-season performer may be planted for fall color, overwinter, and then perk up again in early spring providing an early punch of pizzazz. If it becomes too leggy, just cut back the foliage back to 3 inches tall and fertilize. In a couple of weeks, it will be smiling up at you.

When planting in containers, consider the flower and container colors to maximize the visual effect. Interplant with other textures and colors for an eclectic rainbow of vibrance. When planting in fall, add spring blooming bulbs, as they’ll easily grow through the pansies to create a riot of spring color. Spiky grasses provide a tall and contrasting effect to the pansy’s trailing tendrils, especially in larger containers.

With so many stunning options and new colors to embrace, there’s sure to be a Pansy perfect for all your flower planting desires!

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Fall Bulbs 101

Fall Bulbs 101

What You Need to Know to Be Ready for This Fall Season

Fall-planting bulbs are some of the easiest flowers to grow with some planning and a little patience.

What are fall planting bulbs?

Simply put, fall planting bulbs are flower bulbs that are planted during the autumn to provide color and flowers the following spring. Crocus, hyacinths, narcissus, and tulips are all representative of fall planting bulbs. These bulbs need the cooling period of winter in order to bloom, but also need time to establish a healthy root system to survive the winter frost. Fall bulbs need to be planted after the temperature reaches 65 degrees, or lower, but at least 6 to 8

weeks prior to a hard frost. Bulbs do best planted in the ground, especially ones that naturalize, but can easily be grown in containers as well with extra maintenance. Planning a bulb garden is not essential; however, with a little research and thought, a showy spring garden can easily be attained.

Know Your Hardiness Zone

Proper knowledge of the zone where the garden is located will eliminate failure and frustration for gardeners when spring arrives. It is important that your customers familiarize themselves on what zone their garden occupies, especially first time gardeners, in order to get the best results. Our local zone ranges from 7 to 6, depending on how far north you are. Bulbs planted when it is still too warm often sprout prior to the hard frost, and freeze during winter. Within colder regions, such as zones 1 through 4, or a mountainous region, additional mulch to protect against severe freezing temperatures (20 degrees below zero) is recommended; alternatively, heavy mulching will need to be removed in spring to ensure the flower can bloom and grow to full potential. A first time gardener with a successful spring bouquet will most likely return to purchase bulbs in the future, and part of the success is knowing when and how to plant.

Bulb Storage

Bulbs need to be kept in a cool and dry location prior to planting. The warmer temperatures in spring along with healthy rain activate bulbs, so storage in areas that have higher moisture and heat will trigger the bulbs to grow. Bulbs with sprouts can still be planted, but the sprout should not be damaged or removed, or else, the plant will not grow. Bulbs are alive when they reach a garden center, and will carry a shelf life of 6 months before they can no longer survive. Customers can purchase bulbs early in the season and store them at home in the same conditions: a cool, dark, dry location. Storage can be done in an open paper bag, in a dark

place like a closet. Earlier in the fall season, the variety of bulbs will be much greater, so you may want to encourage your customers to shop early and store them at home until they are ready to plant to get the bestvariety for their garden.

Bulb Selection

Bulbs should be firm when selected, not mushy or soft as that signals a dead or bad bulb. Occasionally mold may form on the outer skin, but can easily be brushed off and causes no harm to the bulb. Many bulbs will naturalize, and if cared for properly, will return and bloom the following spring: daffodils, crocus, hyacinth, muscari, and alliums, are varieties that will naturalize in the garden. Tulips, unlike other fall planting bulbs, are not native to American gardens, and will not return the following year; they are best pulled and new bulbs

replanted the following fall. Gardeners who deal with deer and rabbits can use deer resistant varieties to help curb destruction in their garden: scilla, snowdrops, daffodils, hyacinth, allium, are not favored as meals by wildlife; however, a hungry animal will eat anything if hungry enough. Bulbs bloom at different times throughout the spring, so with some research, an amateur gardener can make a show-stopping display that continues after each flower is spent.

How to Plant Bulbs

Good soil preparation is the key to planting bulbs; some gardeners dig up a larger space to facilitate planting arge numbers of bulbs, while others use garden tools to create holes into which the bulbs will spend the winter. Bulbs are generally planted about 8” deep for larger bulbs, and 5” deep for the smaller varieties; the general rule of thumb is that the depth of the bulb should be 3X the diameter. Bulbs prefer good draining soil, and donot like wet feet, so areas that collect heavy water are not ideal. If using containers, bulbs may be planted in

layers based on size. Always place the bulb with the pointed side up, and the flatter side (often with tiny roots) down, cover with soil, water, and let the winter rains and snow take care of watering until spring. Plant bulbs in clumps, or staggered, to create larger washes of color. Paying attention to bloom times when planting can help fill in spent blooms in the garden and create a show of color that lasts all spring.

After-Care

Fall planted bulbs will flower at different times in regard to the varieties planted. For example crocus will appear first, followed by daffodils, and finally tulips. After the flower has bloomed and faded, do not cut down the leaves and stalk. Let the plant die back naturally and brown out over the course of late spring and early summer. During this period, the flower bulb will gain back all of the energy spent in flowering, and continue its life cycle. A popular belief is that bulbs should be tied back, however, it is better to let them be so that they can prepare for

the next season. Once brown, remove the spent leaves. Many bulbs, like crocus, narcissus, and hyacinths, will naturalize and need this period to prepare for the next spring. Some, like tulips, are not native and will not return the following year and should be pulled to prevent problems in the garden, and new bulbs should be planted the following fall. While tulips will not naturalize crocus, muscari, hyacinths, and daffodils, will bloom each spring if left to fade. Some bulbs, after time, will need to be dug up and divided, to ensure flowers. Fertilizer does not

need to be applied in the first year, but down the road, bulbs benefit from a feeding using a specific mild fertilizer designed for bulbs. Most general fertilizers are too harsh for bulbs.