How To Easily Plant Flower Bulbs

Following is a quick primer from the Netherlands Flower Bulb Information Center in New York City to help anyone to plant flower bulbs like an expert.

When the bulbs arrive. Bulbs should be planted as soon as the ground is cool. In most parts of the country, this would be around the time of the first frosts, when evening temperatures average between 40° to 50° F. But you must plant at least six weeks before the ground freezes. You can, if necessary, store bulbs for a month or longer, if you keep them in a cool dry place. When in doubt, however, the bulbs belong in the ground. They won’t last till next season.
Read the label. Whether the bulbs come in the mail, or from the local garden center, they usually come with instructions. Read them. And keep the label together with the bulbs until planting. Without the label, you can’t tell the red tulips from the white ones just by looking at the bulbs.
Where to plant. You can plant bulbs just about anywhere in your garden — so long as the soil drains well. The Dutch say, "bulbs don’t like wet feet." So, avoid areas where water collects, such as the bottom of hills. Bulbs also like sun. But the spring garden is very sunny — the leaves aren’t on the trees yet. Get creative!
Prepare the planting bed by digging the soil so it’s loose and workable. If it’s not an established garden bed, chances are the soil could use the addition of some organic matter such as compost or peat moss. These are available at most local garden retailers.
Plant the pointy end up. That’s about all you need to know. It’s easy to spot the pointy end of a tulip. Tougher with a crocus. But in most cases, even if you don’t get it right, the bulb flower will still find its way topside.
Plant big bulbs about 8-inches deep and small bulbs about 5-inches.
No fertilizer is necessary for the first year’s bloom. Bulbs are natural storehouses of food. They don’t need anything to flower the first year. For bulbs that are intended to naturalize or perennialize (return for several years) or for bulbs that are coming into their second year, spread an organic fertilizer such as compost or well-rotted cow manure, or a slow release bulb food on top of the soil.
If you do fertilize, never mix fertilizer in the planting hole. It can burn the roots. Also don’t follow the old adage of adding bone meal. Modern bone meal adds little nutritional value. It can also encourage pests and even dogs to dig up your bulbs looking for bones!
Plant bulbs in clusters. Don’t plant one bulb alone, or make a long thin line along the walk. Clusters give a concentration of color for greatest impact. Even if you don’t have enough bulbs for a big bed, small clusters can make a super spring show.
Plant low bulbs in front of high. This is a good general rule for bulbs that bloom at the same time. The label will give you the height of the plant and it’s approximate flowering time. Of course there are times to break this rule. For example if the low growing bulbs bloom early and the tall bulbs bloom late, plant the tall in front. Their display will camouflage the dying foliage of the smaller bulbs!
Try a double-decker effect. You can plant small bulbs in a layer right on top of large bulbs. If you plant bulbs that flower in the same period you can create an interesting double-decker effect (picture bright pink tulips blooming above cobalt blue muscari). Or you can stagger the bloom time by planting mid- and late-season bloomers together, creating a spring display that blooms in succession, for a whole season of color!

Here are ten tips that should ensure success with spring-flowering bulbs:

Unpack the bulbs as soon as you get them home or they arrive. If they can't be planted immediately, store them in a cool, dry place with good air circulation. Bulbs are not dormant, they are living plants. Some bulbs, such as Galanthus, Fritillaria, Lily, Erythronium dens-canis, and Leucojum should be protected from drying out.
In borders where tulips have been planted for several years, fungi could be present. Renew the upper layer of soil (plus or minus ten inches) or disinfect with Rhizolex. Rotation is, of course, the organic alternative.
Plant in areas that drain well. Standing water rots bulbs. Conversely, however, bulbs do not root deeply and need soil that retains moisture well. It may be desirable to amend the soil with sand or peat. A pH between 5.5 and 7.5 is ideal.
Fertilizing is not vital but is often advisable, especially in new beds with poor soil. Slow release, low nitrogen fertilizer or compost are best. Each year when the bulbs break through, added potash may help achieve top performance.
Bulbs can do well in many areas where herbs and grass can't, such as woody areas. Here it is not advisable to work the soil too well for this promotes weed growth. If weeds have already taken over a newly laid-out area, these competitors should be removed.
Bulbs must be planted deep enough. A planting depth equal to twice the height of the bulb is a good rule of thumb. Planting too deep slows emergence and flowering. In areas with heavy clay soil, add a layer of lightly structured topsoil.
Plant bulbs before ground-freezing frosts arrive. If ground has frozen and then thawed again, bulbs can be planted. They need several weeks to establish roots however. Root growth is optimal in ground that is 41 to 50 degrees F. Some bulbs that are especially frost sensitive will do well with a layer of mulch.
Bulbs planted in grass need an average of six weeks for die back. If this interrupts your mowing schedule, perhaps opt for taller bulbs planted along the edges of grassy area.
Be careful with chemicals. Bulbs are very sensitive to most herbicides.
Cluster-forming bulbous plants, such as daffodils, can be split after they have rooted a few years. This encourages growth in Galanthus, Narcissus, Anemone, crocus and tulip among others. Plants that form rootstocks can be spurred to regrowth after several years through tillage.