In my experience, fall is the perfect time to plant bulbs. The cooler weather is more conducive to lawn work and the efforts often result in an amazing display of color in the spring. With that said, here’s a quick look at my picks for five of the best bulbs to plant in the fall:
Dutch Iris
Dutch irises are beautiful flowers that grow roughly two feet tall. I have found that the best time to plant them is in the early fall. I tend to plant my Dutch irises three to four inches deep in well-drained soil. I adore their vibrant colors. One of my favorite is the Purple Sensation. It has a gorgeous magenta and yellow color combination that is guaranteed to brighten up a person’s day. Other Dutch irises that I’d suggest that you contemplate planting this fall are the Eye of the Tiger, Oriental Beauty and the Bronze Queen.
Tulips
Tulips are definitely another flower that you should consider planting this fall. I have found that some species of tulips grow up to 9 inches tall. I like planting my tulip bulbs in six to 10 inches of well-drained soil. Personally, I love the Pink Impression Darwin hybrid tulip. It has great coloring and makes a visual impact when planted next to Blue Parrot tulips. Other tulips to consider planning this fall are the Red Oxford, Red Riding Hood and the Blue Moon.
Apricot Whirl Daffodils
In my experience, fall is also the time to plant Apricot Whirl daffodils. They have a wonderful apricot colored cup and tend to develop 14 to 18 inch stems. I like to plant my daffodils four to six inches apart in 12 inches of well-drained soil. Other varieties of daffodils to consider planting this fall are the Trumpet Master, Vanilla Peach and the Scarlet O’Hara.
If you want to add variety to your spring garden, I’d suggest that you contemplate planting Allium in the fall. Alliums can grow up to four feet tall. They produce adorable orbs of bright colored flowers. They are also deer resistant, which is important to me because deer frequent my backyard. I tend to plant my Alliums in eight to 10 inches of well-drained soil. The Alliums that I find the most appealing are the Gladiator Alliums, the Purple Sensation Alliums and the Mount Everest Alliums.
Hyacinths
Last but not least, fall is the ideal time to plant hyacinths. Hyacinths often grow up to four feet tall and start blooming in May. I like planting my hyacinths in clusters. I will also place the bulbs in 12 inches of soil. In my opinion, they tend to grow better and have a bigger visual impact that way. Hyacinths that I enjoy the most are the Jan Bos, Blue Jackets, Miss Saigon and Carnegies. Collectively, they produce purple, white, blue and red flowers.
Source: Personal Experience
Killeen Gonzalez has a history of completing home gardening projects with her family.
