The Best Bulbs for Early Spring Color
You’ll see them in early spring, often blooming through the snow. Brightly colored crocus flowers are a sure sign that spring is on its way. Crocus blooms are soon followed in succession by other small bulbs (called minor bulbs) including grape hyacinths and Scilla, then the major bulbs including daffodils, tulips and hyacinths. These are hardy bulbs, meaning they will survive our winters and bloom season after season, with just a little care. As a rule, plant bulbs two to three times their height. A two-inch bulb should be buried five to six inches deep. It is possible to influence the bloom time by varying the depth you plant each bulb. Shallow planted bulbs will bloom earlier; deeper bulbs will bloom later in the season. The risk with planting too shallow is the bulb may not survive the winter. Another trick to control bloom time is to add two or three inches of mulch to the bed. This will keep the ground cold and slow bloom time. All bulbs will do best when plante...