5 Best Bulbs for Fall Planting
Find out the best bulbs for fall planting. Five favorites to plant in the fall months for spring and summer blooms. Includes tips and advice from a DIY gardener.
In order to enjoy late spring and early summer flowers in your garden, you have to do a little work in the fall, and plant some bulbs. Even a beginner gardener can do this easy task. All you need is a shovel (or a bulb planter,) flower bulbs, and a lovely autumn afternoon. Here are some tips for planting bulbs in the fall.
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Fall Planting Tips
- If you are planting a variety of bulbs, make sure to keep the labels with the bulbs so you know what you are planting. Bulbs vary by size and shape, but they are very easy to mix up. Take it from someone who got her bulbs mixed up…keep them in order!
- Plant high-quality bulbs in soil with good drainage. Most bulbs bloom in early to mid-spring, before the foliage appears on the trees. This allows you to plant almost anywhere, even areas that are shaded in summer.
- Plant your larger bulbs between 8 and 10 inches deep. Smaller bulbs need to be about 5 inches deep. Make sure to set the bulb down into the hole with the pointy side up.
- Cluster several bulbs together when planting. The flowers will come up as little groups, and make more of a statement.
When should I plant fall bulbs?
In zones 1 – 7, the best time to plant your bulbs is when the temperature dips to about 50 degrees F at night. Depending on your zone, those chilly nights begin in late September, or early October. By waiting until the temperature drops, you will guarantee that the ground is cool and ready. In zones 8 – 11, bulbs will need to be pre-chilled in a refrigerator for about 6 weeks before planting. You can also purchase pre-chilled bulbs. Plant during the coolest time of year.
Where can I buy spring-flowering bulbs?
Bulbs begin to appear in garden centers in late summer. The most popular varieties can be easily found at places like Lowe’s or Home Depot. They can also be purchased online. A simple Google search will result in many sites that sell just about any bulb you want. Two of my favorites are Wayside Gardens and White Flower Farm. Bulbs come with instructions that provide planting depth, along with climate and moisture requirements. Now on to five great choices for planting bulbs in the fall.
Anemone blanda (common name Windflower)
With blooms that resemble daisies, these delicate flowers grow up to six inches tall and don’t require much water. Anemones make great ground cover, and will naturalize beautifully in good garden soil. Bulb depth is only about two inches, so there isn’t much digging, which is always a good thing!
Anemone blanda bulbs produce the loveliest periwinkle blooms with yellow centers, and thrive in zones 5 to 10. They are deer resistant, and enjoy partial shade.
Allium
I am obsessed with allium right now. Believe it or not, allium is a member of the same genus that includes garlic, onions, and chives. Some varieties grow up to 3 feet tall. The ‘Globemaster’ bloom is a soft lilac color, and spans about five inches wide. Plant both spring and summer varieties of allium in full sun for months of color in your garden. If you have a problem with deer, this is the plant for you. They are deer-tolerant, make a lovely cut flower, and even attract some birds.
When we lived on Sutton Place, my neighbor had the most amazing allium, so one fall I ordered 8 bulbs, and got them in the ground just in time. I planted them at the end of October. The following spring, they produced the most beautiful blooms. (Pictured above.)
Update 2023
The first growing season in our current home was in spring and summer of 2022. I didn’t really know what to expect in regards to the landscaping. I was hoping blooms would appear from bulbs planted by the previous owners, but sadly that wasn’t the case. So in the fall of 2022, we planted Allium ‘Millenium’ which presents a smaller bloom than ‘Globemaster’. I have seen them in and around our neighborhood, and they are so pretty.
This summer, my Allium ‘Millenium’ came up, and bloomed! Each bulb produced about 8 to 10 blooms, so I’m hopeful next year will be even better. They are planted in between purple Speedwell, as you can see in the image above.
Tulip ‘Pink Impression’
Planting tulip bulbs has been an American autumn tradition for decades. Picking a favorite tulip is not the easiest thing to do. There are SO many to choose from. One of the prettiest by far is the Pink Impression tulip. It was introduced in the late 1970’s, so it’s been around for a while. If left uncut, it is a true perennial. However, that’s hard to do because the beautiful, big blooms sit atop strong, tall stems…and they make lovely cut flowers. This tulip is easy to grow in well-drained soil, and blooms in mid-spring.
Muscari armeniacum (common name Grape Hyacinth)
Grape Hyacinths are easy to care for bulbs that multiply and spread easily. They have a lovely scent and bloom in early spring. Growing from 6 to 12 inches tall, they make a great border and are the perfect height to be planted in front of tulips or alliums. Grape hyacinths have been known to show up through an early-spring layer of snow.
Trumpet Daffodil
Trumpet, or large-cup daffodils are reliable bloomers and multiply each year. One of the reasons they spread so nicely is because deer and rabbits don’t like them. The blooms are left to fade, and as they die down, the bulbs are re-energized for a colorful display next spring. The “cup” in the middle, or trumpet, is longer than the actual petal. This show-stopping flower has one bloom per stem.
Other Colorful Spring Flowering Bulbs
- Snowdrops
- Bearded Iris
- Gladiolus
- Crocus
- Fritillaria
- Lily
- Freesia
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- The Complete Guide to Limelight Hydrangeas
- 10 Gardening Tips for Beginners
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