JoAnne Skelly: Its bulb-planting time

I asked for daffodil bulbs for my birthday this year. Since my date is in August, the bulbs came just a couple of weeks ago, which is perfect. I have been waiting for some cold weather before planting them, because I don’t want them to start growing now. With the recent freezing nights, I’m ready to plant.

I requested daffodils because the ground squirrels don’t dig them up or eat them. I have tried tulips, which were lovely lining my walkway to the street, but the squirrels found them delicious. I have had some success with hyacinths, but that might be a fluke because the bed where I planted them is next to the back door. I think perhaps the heavy traffic deterred the pests there. I have read daffodils are also deer-resistant, which is a plus.

I love daffodils because they are easy and forgiving. With mostly full sun and well-drained soil, they thrive and bloom year after year. Usually, they bloom before the trees have leafed out, which means they can be planted under deciduous trees and still get the six to eight hours of sun they need each day, adding early beauty to later shady beds.

I have read differing opinions on how deep to plant bulbs, from two to four times as deep as the bulb is tall. Breck’s, a renowned bulb retailer, says large daffodil bulbs should be planted six inches deep. They write “When determining how deep to plant tulips, daffodils, and other bulbs, the depth should be measured from the surface level of the soil to the shoulder of the bulb and the eyes or crowns of the perennials. Distance between plants is measured from the center of one plant to the center of the next.”

Planting depth is important so that the bulbs don’t start growing too soon in winter. The end that goes up is pointed and the bottom end is flattened somewhat.

After ensuring the area where you want to plant drains well, you can dig a hole for each bulb, or dig a planting bed to the correct depth for multiple bulbs. By loosening the hole deeper than the ideal planting depth, you can mix in bulb food below where the where the bulb will sit. It is important to tamp down the soil firmly around each bulb after placing in the hole to remove air pockets. As the colder temperatures arrive, I’m already preparing for spring.

JoAnne Skelly is Associate Professor & Extension Educator Emerita at University of Nevada Cooperative Extension. Email skellyj@unr.edu