Progress in the Fields: The Farm Gets Bulbs

So yes, we’ve been living (and gardening) here at the farm since 2002 — eight years. And yet, somehow, each fall, we neglect to add bulbs that will make us happy in the spring. This year, finally, we have changed our tune. A lovely gift from Diane — six dozen tulips! — plus some crocus, hyacinth and tulips from White Flower Farm. Now we’re cooking!

Here’s our Japanese anemone, which brings a bright smile to the fall garden:

I decided I would plant the tulips sent from Diane back behind the big rock. In the early spring, the grape vine will still be pretty bare, so there will be plenty of light to help the tulips along. Also, because the vine is bare and the butterfly bush is still small that time of year, the tulips will bring some much needed color to that corner of the yard.

But first, I had to pull up the gladiolas:

They tell you to wait until frost kills the greenery before pulling them up, but I didn’t have time because I needed to plant the tulips.

So now that the glads are up, I can dig for the tulips:

Here’s the fertilizer I mixed in. I know it’s not organic. I wasn’t too keen on that, but that’s what Greg brought home from Lowe’s. I don’t like going to Lowe’s so I try to avoid it at all costs. And this is what I get for that:

The bulbs from Diane were from Wooden Shoe Tulip Farm.

Here’s the layout:

In the way far back, we have the tallest, Queen of Night — an almost black tulip. They will bloom late and grow 2 feet tall:

Then we have La Courtine, which is gold with a red flame. It blooms late and will get a little over 2 feet:

In the middle, there is Gudoshink. It will bloom in mid-season and get to be about 20 inches. It’s yellow with red airbrushes:

A little closer to the house we have Daydream. 20 inches tall, yellow turning to orange. Mid season bloom. Sounds pretty.

Couler Cardinal. Sounds red, and it is, with a purple flame. This is an early season tulip and it growns 14 inches tall:

And, in the very front, we have the shortest and earliest tulips, the Stresa. Red with yellow edges, 10 inches taoo:

Planting bulbs is easy. Dig your hole. Dig it deeper than your bulbs need to be planted (usually double their height) and mix in some fertilizer and compost.

Make sure the earth under the bulbs is loose, so their roots will be able to grow through it. Then place them in the ground. Not in rows, unless you’re going for that look of a single line of one color: