ease of naturalizing?

Hi -

I'm a beginning bulb gardener and am planting a number of bulbs that I've read do well in the Chicago area. I am planning to treat the tulips essentially as annuals, but would really like my other bulbs to persist year after year. I know they like to be relatively dry during the summer, but I was wondering how sensitive they are to this (since I'm planting them between perennials, I have to do SOME watering, plus we get a fair amount of rain) and whether I could expect a decent return on some of them. Given that they're supposed to be good naturalizers, I'm not sure how foolproof these bulbs generally are!

I have narcissi like Ice Follies, Fortissimo, and Cheerfulness, as well as some Siberian squill and Muscari armeniacum. BTW, I got these from John Scheepers and many if not most have baby bulbs already, so seems like we are getting almost twice as many! They look very healthy, even considering I have no reference point.

Thanks in advance for any input!

as long as they're planted deep enough, good drainage and allow the foiliage to ripen they should do well. You might try planting some tulips around some trees, as long as it's not in a forest and they get sun. the trees will siphon off the water in the summer and keep them dry.

I've had good luck with Daffodil Ice Follies returning for close to 15 years now. Tulips I treat as annuals (except the species type which I am seeing if they return or not -- I planted them last year). Len123 above comes right to the point on what they need.

I grow all the varieties you mentioned in parts of the garden where I water in summer and they've perennialized well. I've found tulips to be the most demanding of dry dormancy, and hyacinths seem to appreciate it too. Specie tulips have been perennial for me for 3 years now, and I've had pretty good return on Darwin Hybrids and Single late varieties. I did a little experiment last year and put some Darwin hybrids in an area that gets summer moisture, and others from the same bag in a dry area. The ones in the dry area bloomed well the 2nd year, but the others had only leaves.

When we're talking about "dry" areas for tulips, does that mean they shouldn't be watered at all during the summer, or just watered minimally? I'm planning to plant my tulips along with some fairly drought-tolerant plants like echinacea and salvias, but they will still have to get a deep drink of water every week or so during the hottest part of the summer. Plus I have a few others mixed in there that are not quite that tough, and may have to get a little more water.

The tulips I'm planting are Pink Impression, Negrita, Eternal Flame and Angelique. I figure the doubles probably won't come back another year, but I was hoping Pink Impression and Negrita would stick around a while.

Make sure you fertilize them a few times!!!

When and with what do you fertilize, Bert?

I put high-phosphate "better than blood meal" bulb food in when I plant, but I'm never quite sure what to add in spring. Ideally, I need a fertilizer that I can sprinkle on top of the bed rather than tilling it in, because by the time the bulbs are done blooming I've got many other sprouts and seedlings coming up!

I just use some 10-10-10 after I've planted the bulbs, then again when they just come up in the Spring and then 1 more time right after they have flowered. The the following year just in the Spring and after flowering. Indeed, just sprinkle some on top of the soil, water will bring it down to the roots.

Just make sure that no fertilizer winds up in between the leaves....it will leave burn spots.

Thanks, Bleek!

That's the straight, granular 10-10-10, not the time release stuff, right?

Same stuff you fertilize your lawn with

OK, thanks!