Veseys

Fertilizing & Watering

Once planted, bulbs are very easy to care for. Most bulbs will multiply and reward you with increased bloom in years to come. In subsequent years, work some 5-10-5 fertilizer into the soil around summer flowering bulbs several times during the growing season. Fall planted bulbs such as tulips and daffodils will respond well if you feed them every autumn with a slow-release fertilizer like Veseys Bulb Fertilizer. Work it into the soil surface and the nutrients will be released to the bulbs during the entire fall and spring growth cycle. Be sure to water well after these feedings to get the nutrients down to the bulb. You can also use a water soluble fertilizer directly on the foliage for a quick energy boost. If the season is rainy, give your bulbs an extra dose to compensate for leached-out nutrients. Indoor pot-grown bulbs do best if a houseplant fertilizer is applied weekly during active growth. Please Note: There is no benefit to fertilizing fall planted bulbs while they are flowering or after flowering. Excess nutrients at this time can in fact lead to fusarium bulb rot, which is the number one cause of bulb loss.

In dry conditions, give your bulbs adequate water. Water deeply enough to reach the roots. This is especially important after rapid growth begins. Compost or other organic material applied 2"-3" deep as mulch around new shoots will help greatly to conserve moisture.

Important!

It is critical in caring for your bulbs to allow the foliage to mature naturally. The leaves are the bulbs’ principal source of energy for next year’s bloom and must mature for several weeks. When the foliage withers, you can cut it off at the base. Adequate moisture while the foliage is ripening is also important.

Dividing Bulbs

If, after several years, your bulbs have formed large clumps but blooms are sparse, they most likely have run out of space and are competing fiercely for the available light, water and nutrients. This is a sign that you should divide them, and is best done right after flowering. When the foliage is ripening, dig up the clump, break or cut it apart and replant where you want a good show. You may find smaller bulblets or tubers adhering to the parent bulb. These may be discarded or replanted where they can grow to blooming size in a couple of years.

Animal Pests

If wild animals like squirrels, chipmunks and mice are dining on or carrying off your bulbs, try the following:

• Put sharp gravel around the bulbs when you plant. Improves drainage and deters critters.
• Cover newly planted bulbs with very small wire mesh. Remove in spring.
• Interplant daffodils and frittilaria among your tulips and crocus. Squirrels hate them.
• Clean up bulb debris (Tunics, etc.) after you plant, so pests aren't attracted.
• Feed the squirrels in fall and winter. The White House puts out six peanut feeders every year to keep the critters away from the new plantings.
• Mothball flakes, human or pet hair, or pine needles sprinkled on the ground may work. *Cayenne pepper works, but is considered inhumane. The squirrels get it in their eyes, which causes temporary blindness and extreme discomfort. It's better to humanely trap, shoot or poison them.
• Do not put winter mulch on your planting until after the ground has frozen in December or January. If you put it on earlier you are creating warm, winter nests for rodents looking for winter homes!
• Try a commercially prepared repellent, such as 'Ropel'. This product leaves a very bitter taste on your bulbs or plants.