Mother Nature has created an amazing number of ways for plants to survive harsh conditions. Many plants have developed elaborate food storage systems. Corms, rhizomes, tubers, tuberous roots and bulbs are either swollen stem or root systems by which plants store food. Most people collectively refer to all of these systems as "bulbs." Think of bulbs as the "camels" of the plant world.
Early Spring
FEBRUARY
Mid-Late Spring
APRIL
Summer
JUNE
The first thing to do is to purchase top-size, good-quality bulbs from your local garden center. Flower bulbs already contain everything they need in order to grow, all we have to do is to trick them into doing it. Since bulbs need cool soil temperatures in order to produce roots it is our job to fool them into thinking that they have experienced a cold winter. This is called "chilling" your bulbs. You can "chill" your bulbs either before or after you have planted them. Bulbs must be chilled 12-14 weeks. Some bulbs are labeled as "pre-chilled." Pre-chilled bulbs still need an additional 10 weeks of chilling in order to bloom well. Stunted or poorly developed flowers means that they were not chilled long enough. You can chill your bulbs either outside, in a cold garage or cold frame or in the vegetable bin of your refrigerator.
Next, we need to select the proper type of pot. The best containers for forcing are shallow pots called 'bulb pans' or 'azalea pots.' These pots are not as deep as a regular flower pot. Your container must have drainage but can be either plastic, clay or ceramic. Remember to use a good quality potting mix. Bulbs forced in soil may be planted outside after they have bloomed. Bulbs can also be forced with only gravel and water but these bulbs should be discarded after flowering.
Bulbs can be planted very close, even touching each other, in pots. When planting tulips place their flat side out towards the rim of the pot. This way the first leaves that emerge will drape attractively over the rim of the pot. You can plant several types of bulbs together for a "miniature" garden effect. Once planted, water your bulbs well before chilling. Your bulbs must be chilled between 35-48 degrees F. If chilling your bulbs potted in your refrigerator, place the pot in a plastic bag to prevent dessication.
After 12-14 weeks bring your pot indoors into a warm location and water. No fertilizer is needed at this time. Once you begin to see growth move your pot to a sunny location. In about 3-4 weeks you will then have a blooming pot of spring flowers. If you are the impatient sort, try forcing Paperwhite narcissus or Amaryllis bulbs indoors. These warm climate bulbs do not need to be chilled, thus saving you that 12-14 week waiting period!
Tulip Varieties:
Apeldorn - orange/scarlet
Apricot Beauty - salmon/rose
Attilla - purple violet
Bellona - golden yellow
Blizzard - creamy white
Christmas Gold - deep yellow
Christmas Marvel - cherry pink
Couleur Cardinal - cardinal red
DeWet (General) - orange
First Lady - reddish/violet
Garden Party - white-edged red
Gudoshnik - pale yellow streaked rose pink
Jewel of Spring - yellow-streaked red
Kansas - white
Make Up - white with red edge
Merry Widow - red with white edge
Olympic Flame - yellow-flamed red
Orange Nassau - double-orange scarlet
Orange Wonder - bronzy-orange
Paul Richter - scarlet red
Peach Blossom - double deep rose
Preludium - salmon w/white base
Queen of Sheba - mahogany-edged organge
Westpoint - yellow
Hyacinth Varieties
Anne Marie - bright pink
Delft Blue - porcelain blue
Jan Bos - red
L'Innocence - white
Carnegie - white
Myosotis - pale blue
Ostara - dark blue
Pink Pearl - pink
City of Haarlem - yellow
King of the Blues - deep blue
Lady Derby - rose pink
'Elephant Ear' is a common name given to plants in the Alocasia & Colocasia plant families. These plants thrive in hot humid locations and can be planted in full sun or bright shade. They prefer a deep, rich, evenly moist soil and dislike windy, dry sites.
Elephant Ears anchor this flower bed. Shelter Gardens, Columbia, Missouri.
In areas with cold winters, you can carry the beauty of summer-blooming bulbs from year to year by taking a little time each fall to dig up these bulbs, a process called "lifting." Some plants that will need to be brought in are cannas, tuberous begonias, dahlias, gladiolus and calla lilies.