Enhance Your Garden With Fall Bulbs
 The coming of autumn doesn't have to mean you have to
hang up your garden shears and garden gloves for the
year. Autumn is actually the time of year when many of
the most popular bulbs bloom and planting fall bulbs can
provide your garden
with color almost until the first snow
falls.
Fall is also one of the most pleasant times
to work in your garden, since the heat of summer has passed.
In fact, many gardeners love spending the late summer and
autumn days working in their garden.
In addition,
fall bulbs are a great investment for the home
gardener. After all, the great thing about bulbs is
that they remain in the ground ready to spring forth when
their optimal growing conditions are met. Even when they're
not growing and
blooming, the bulbs are still there, readying themselves for
the next season.
When planting fall bulbs, one of the
most important considerations is finding a suitable location
for them. Even though bulbs are very hardy, specific bulbs
have their own  requirements, and those special requirements must be
met in order for the bulbs to thrive and show their best
blooms. Soil is probably the most important
consideration. Bulbs always do best in a well drained
soil and when bulbs fail to grow, it's usually
because they've rotted due to overly wet
soil.
Most bulb varieties grow best in full
sunlight and it's also important to properly prepare
the planting bed. Many
experienced gardeners prefer to excavate the area to a depth
of between 12 and 15 inches, and then lay down a layer of well
aged manure or compost. After this
layer is down and the bulbs are spaced properly,
then cover them with either the original soil or with a
good quality compost or potting
soil.
While this method is a great way to plant bulbs,
it's also a very time consuming one. If you're looking for a
less time consuming method of planting fall bulbs, you can use
a bulb planter to make three to four inch wide holes. To use a
bulb planter, you simply use a twisting motion. After the
proper depth has been reached, the bulb planter is removed and
the bulb can be planted. Even though bulb planters are
a time saver, for most gardeners, they don't perform
well if the soil is rocky.
The most
popular types of bulbs to plant in the fall season are
tulips, daffodils and
crocus. In addition to these well known
varieties, however, there are a number of other choices as
well, including hyacinths, iris and
alliums. These types of bulbs are easy to
grow and they bloom beautifully.
The chionodoxa is another popular fall bulb,
and even though its earliest blooms are only a few inches in
height, as it matures its blooms become ever larger. In
addition, chionodoxa are resistant to deer, so they are
favored by gardeners whose gardens are often visited by these
creatures.
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