Newbie bulb questions

I just bought a house, and for the first time, I have a yard. I definitely want to plant some bulbs this fall for spring blooming. When should I order them? I am thinking of planting daffodils, tulips, irises, crocuses, and also some garlic bulbs. There are a couple vacant places next to the fence where I could put them, and I'm thinking of putting the garlic in a raised bed. By one fence they would get full sun. The other fence gets partial sun, but it would be cooler.

Any advice for a newbie would be appreciated. I'm looking forward to this.

You can order about any time as long as you have some control over shipping time. I don't like bulbs (other than iris) to be shipped before about mid-September and then I keep them in the cool basement until planting, which is sometime around the first part of October.

Last year I planted tulips on October 15. Here's a picture of how they turned out. Iris are a different and need to be planted earlier. Someone else will help with that, or you can check out the iris forum. Last year someone gave me some in November (if you can believe that!) and while they lived, they didn't bloom this spring. Maybe next year.

Hi, Whitehydrangea--

Good luck with your bulb project and your new house. I love bulbs too and can't wait to hear about your garden plans.

FYI Be sure to send away for 'Brent & Becky's Bulbs' and 'Scheepers Catalogs' for the pictures and info. You can find their websites in Garden Watchdog. They have a great range and give lots of details about bloom times and other bulb partners. Also 'Color blends' is good for bulb partner suggestions and also White Flower Farms.

That is not to say you should order from them--you may have other local sources or share bulbs with friends or garden clubs. I would be careful, though, that you choose a quality supplier. Some of the catalogs you find in your mailbox are from disreputable outfits so be sure to check Garden Watchdog.

I buy from B & B, Scheepers/Van Engelen, Touch of Nature and some specialist suppliers. If you sign up for their e-mails, they will send you sale announcements. I try to wait until the Thanksgiving sale for B & B. And watch the co-ops on DG, too.

If you buy from the big box stores, be sure to check for quality, freshness, mould, etc. You can get good filler bulbs at end of season prices there, but it's definitely 'buyer be ware'.

If you have Deer visitors or squirrels, voles, and moles in your garden you may have to choose bulbs that are not so tasty to them. There are lots of threads on DG that discuss critter proof bulbs and critter deterrents. In our case, we find daffodils, allium, muscari, and fritilaria pretty deer proof. Tulips are like candy to critters.

I will watch DG for the follow up on your new house and your garden projects. I am very happy and excited for you!

You have a great opportunity, and I understand your enthusiasm. Go for it!

Some bulbs 'naturalize' well and should be kept in a spot where they can be left over the years. Daffs and other narcissi, jonquils, muscari, squills and such are in this group. Tulips, most of them, are only good for a year or so unless you get into serious replenishing (a long story, which you will discover as you read more here on DG).

Good luck!

When I bought the house this spring, it had been on the market for a year, totally uncared for, nothing ever watered. The lawns, back and front, had essentially died. (I'm still the neighborhood eyesore. I think I'll have to save up money to get a professional landscaper/garden designer/xeriscaper come in.)

The only flowers I had were a row of tulips along the front walk up to the door.

So those tulips, at least, were pretty hardy. (Unfortunately, they had faded by the time I finally moved in.)

I have some spots picked out. One gets full sun. One gets about half sun. Well, I should amend that. The full sun spot gets sun for almost the whole day, about ten or so hours. The half sun gets sun for maybe 4-6 hours.

I also have a totally bare spot under a peach tree, but that's almost entirely shade. Be nice to see some blooms peeking out from under there, though.