Angela O'Callaghan

Thu, Nov 20, 2008 (midnight)

Angela O'Callaghan

Autumn is the time to get bulbs into the ground for a vivid display of beautiful spring colors. Bulbs demonstrate that gardening is not for immediate gratification, but for people who like anticipation.

Many bulbs do well if they have the opportunity to establish their roots and experience a chilling period before spring.

The planting spot has an enormous effect on how well bulbs perform. Those in a warmer, brighter spot, like a southern exposure will begin flowering earlier than if facing north. But wherever you choose, make sure it is a well-drained spot. Nothing upsets a plant more than being stuck in a mucky, airless hole.

Preparing the soil is the most important task. It should be turned deeply: up to a foot, if possible. Create an area where the bulb can send out a supply of healthy roots. Get rid of any trash, but just incorporate any dried plant material that will break down. Add organic matter since our soil is so infertile. About a pound of fertilizer for every 50 square feet of planting bed can also be put in the top six inches or so. Bulb fertilizer is low in nitrogen — the first number on the container — and higher in phosphorus and potassium — the second and third numbers. This encourages the plant to produce roots and pull up water.

Planting depth depends on the size of the bulb itself. If planted too shallow, there's a chance that a bulb could actually be pushed out of the ground if we have a frost. This is called "frost heaving." A rough rule of thumb is to plant at a depth two or three times bulb diameter. So, a two inch bulb should go about four to six inches deep. The package the bulb came in might have been written for conditions in Holland or Minnesota, so talk with an experienced grower. Call the Master Gardener help line for information.

Once the bulbs have been put in the bed and the soil smoothed over, water it thoroughly. After that, cover the whole bed with a couple of inches of organic mulch — shredded bark, straw, whatever you choose. Bulbs generally should not have rock mulch. The irrigation method is your choice. I use a leaky hose, which gives a reasonable amount of moisture to a narrow area. Other people use drip emitters.

They do not need much water in winter, as long as the bed does not dry out completely. In the spring, you can pull the mulch back a bit from the plants' new top growth to prevent blanching of the foliage from lack of light. This is not a critical step, though, and the plants will probably be perfectly fine without it.

These instructions hold true for planting garlic. You will not get flowers but you will have a healthy crop of garlic by the beginning of summer. Make sure to find a variety that will do well in this climate; not all of them will. We have varietal suggestions at the Cooperative Extension office.

Angela O’Callaghan is the area specialist in social horticulture for the University of Nevada Cooperative Extension. She can be reached c/o the Home News, 2360 Corporate Circle, Third Floor, Henderson, NV 89074, or TheNews@hbcpub.com.