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Bulbs/planting hyacinth bulbs

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Expert: Long Island Gardener - 11/11/2006


Question
I recently purchased some hyacinth bulbs from HD and was going to plant them this weekend. Do I need to do anything in preparation? This is probably the last "warm" weekend of the fall for us. I live in the Piedmont area of NC (Wake Forest)

Answer
You're asking whether or not your bulbs should be chilled before planting - this is something you would only need to do if you lived further south, M.A. -- MUCH further south.  It's a legitimate question but not something I would bring up unless you asked about it.  I'm concerned because I think you need maybe more details here ... but I'm not sure what they are.  If you would like some more information, just ask - I'm happy to elaborate on my favorite subject!
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Make sure the soil you are putting them in is well drained and healthy.  The bed should be deeply prepared to keep them from rotting during the winter.  Plant them 6-11 inches deep and throw in a few handfuls of Bone Meal before you set them down.  Bone Meal won't burn the roots and it is great for the soil and the flowers.  It's a fairly simple but backbreaking exercise.  Thanks for writing.

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Long Island Gardener

Expertise

Growing Tulips? Dahlias? Daffodils? Gladiolus? It doesn't get easier than bulbs and tubers. Once in a while, something goes wrong: The dreaded Narcissus Bulb Fly, which resembles a honeybee. Mosaic virus, which can ignite a field of tulips in a single season. Nematodes, lurking underground. Here on the North Shore of Long Island, the garden is full of surprises. If you live in the Northeast/Atlantic Coast, I can help you pick the right bulb for every season, indoors and out, and help you fertilize, bloom and harvest for home or work. How: I have degrees in related fields, but my best understanding is all learned from trial and error. For most of my 53 years I have been gardening somewhere. No matter what the problem, I've learned the best answers are always Organic -- Earth friendly, less expensive, healthier for people and pets, easier and cleaner than toxic liquids and powders that big chemical companies sell so smoothly.

Experience

Besides degrees in related fields, and a few favorite horticultural societies, I work as a docent at our local botanical gardens -- but it's the years of work in the garden that's the real test.

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