In the Garden:
Fall Planting for Spring Beauty

By Theresa Beaver, from the October 2005 Newsletter

Last month I talked about the small early flowering bulbs that will brighten your spirits at the end of a long winter. These little guys will bring you lots of enjoyment, but they are just setting the stage for the coming of the real stars of spring—daffodils and tulips!

Daffodil is often used to refer to the larger flowered types and jonquil to the small types, both are in the genus Narcissus, so I refer to all types as daffodils. There are so many to choose from! We think first of bright yellow, but looking closer, some have white outer petals (perianth) and a yellow center tube (corona), or the reverse. And then there are salmon colored daffodils, orange and yellow ones, ones with long coronas, short corona—the list goes on and on, as you will see when you visit your local nursery.

My favorite daffodil is February Gold because it is so early. The yellow flower grows 10-12” high with slightly reflexed petals, giving it a look of stretching its wings back and blowing its trumpet. Last year it was already blooming on the south side of our house the last two weeks of February.

By late March, the daffodil season begins in earnest with the most commonly seen large, yellow, quintessential daffodils. A variety called ‘King Alfred’ has held the reign of this group for some time. But with all the daffodil breeding going on, there are now so many daffodils to choose from, so have fun shopping around.

A favorite daffodil of mine, because of its sweet fragrance, is the poeticus type—found under the name ‘Actea’ or ‘Pheasant Eye.’ It has white outer petals with a very short, almost flattened center tube that is rimmed in bright orange. You may have seen this old classic around abandoned farmsteads, because daffodils are very long-lived. And best of all, deer do not like daffodils.

Tulips, however, are another story! Deer love them, and they are not as long-lived as daffodils. But, oh the colors! They come in practically every color except true blue. There is even a purple so dark it almost seems black, called ‘Queen of the Night.’ This one is stunning combined with white tulips or the white daffodil called ‘Mt. Hood.’ My favorites are the Darwin or Triumph types; these are the standard, tall tulips in bright colors. ‘Pink Impression’ is one I grow a lot of because it is not only beautiful, but it has a long blooming season and the flower continues to grow larger once it has bloomed. At that point it looks like a tulip on steroids. It makes an incredibly long-lasting cut flower when picked young, and continues to enlarge in the vase—wow! And there are other types of tulips—ones with ruffled edges called parrot tulips, and others, called peony-flowered, that have double petals. So if Bambi does not plague your yard, I encourage you to plant lots and lots of tulips!

Tulips and daffodils both come in a variety of heights and blooming times ranging from early, mid, to late season. The later ones are blooming with early perennials, so there are great combinations you can make, such as the ‘Merry Widow’ tulip (dark pink cups with white edges) near a bleeding heart, with its pink and white heart-shaped flowers. Get creative! As with the small, early bulbs, tulips and daffodils are best planted in large groups to make the biggest impact.

Planting depth for bulbs is generally three times the diameter of the bulb. For tulips and daffodils this is usually about 6-8 inches. They will still bloom if planted more shallowly, but with the freezing and thawing of our winter soil, you run the risk of them being heaved to the surface where they will dry out and die.

Get your bulbs purchased and planted soon. October is the perfect month. However, if you can’t get them planted right away, just put them in the refrigerator so they can start their required chilling cycle. But, if you forget them in the refrigerator, don’t worry—next month I will talk about forcing bulbs indoors.

Theresa Beaver grows cut flowers in Moscow and can be found selling bouquets at the Moscow Farmers’ Market.

© Copyright on articles, recipes and images are jointly held by the Moscow Food Co-op and the respective contributors, except were otherwise noted.

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