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Now is the time to plant spring bulbs By Mare Hill f you haven‘t planted your fall bulbs, Iwait no longer. Now is the best time to start planning your garden for next spring and summer. Whether you have a small or large garden, expert and novice gardeners. agree that flowering bulbs should play a large part in your planning and planting. Especially this year, since gardeners around the world are celebratâ€" ing "Tulip 400," marking four centuries of tulip cultivation in the Netherlands. By now, your local garden centre has a full supply of flowering spring bulbs in stock. The most common of these include tulips, daffodils, crocuses, hyacinths, alliâ€" um, snow drops, galanthus, fritillaria, some irises, muscari, narcissi and scilla. According to experts, bulbs are easy to plant and require minimal maintenance. "With a little effort, planning and care, you can achieve budding results," says Audrie Vanderwerf, a horticulture expert with The Home Deport, Canada‘s home improvement warehouse. "Bulbs are among the easiest of plants to grow sucâ€" cessfully. The fact that they thrive in all types of soils and gardens is another guarâ€" antee of their lasting and increasing popuâ€" larity." â€"The best time to plant is October through the end of November, when the weather is cool. Bulbs planted when there could still be prolonger periods of warmer weather may rot (especially tulips, which should be planted just before the ground freezes). The location of bulbs is vital to their success," says Vanderwerf. "Just as a beautiful landscape requires a plan, a bulb design may be beneficial, timeâ€" and costâ€" saving, giving you gratifying and colorful results." Experts like Vanderwerf are able to help you choose the colorful bulbs that will complement the space you‘ve chosen and match the bulbs with their need for sun or shade. Planting bulbs in the lawn is a popular way of achieving a natural or woodland effect. Vanderwerf suggests planting bulbs â€"like crocuses, narcissi and snow drops, since they flower before grass grows, making them safe from your lawnâ€" mower. Considering that bulbs will stay in your soil for a few years to come, it‘s a good idea to prepare the growing space by breaking it up well with a pitchfork. Make sure that the soil is loose, rich and porous. Add some sand or perlite if your soil contains too much humus and tends to stay wet, or improve the quality of your Keep in mind that bulbs root downâ€" wards; the quality of the soil beneath them is more important than that of the soil above them. Roots require phosphoâ€" rus for successful growth and it is imporâ€" tant to mix some into the bottom of the hole for easy access to roots. Phosphorus is the middle number of the three numâ€" bers on all fertilizer packages. Higher phosphorus is available in bonemeal, super phosphate or "bulb food" widely available with bulbs. When planting your bulbs, the general rule of green thumb is to plant them 10 to 15 centimetres in the ground, about 20 centimetres apart. Although the task of planting bulbs is a little hard on the knees, Vanderwerf suggests using tools such as bulb planters or weed removers to make planting bulbs less strenuous. old, parched soil with topsoil and peat moss. The same care should be taken for bulbs being planted beneath turf. To protect your hard work from becoming a snack for squirrels and rabâ€" bits, Vanderwerf recommends sprinkling bloodmeal over the entire planted area after the bulbs are in. "Bloodmeal has an odor that is slight to us but repulsive to pests." Bloodmeal contains a high perâ€" centage of nitrogen, some potash and a small amount of phosphoric acid. Normally it comes in powder form and is packaged in small or large boxes. Vanderwerf also offers the following advice to prevent the early demise of bulbs: 1) handle bulbs gently without denting or scarring; 2) keep your garden free of weeds and diseased leaves; 3) amend soil as required; 4) watch for pests and take appropriate action; 5) put a layer of mulch over flower beds to protect from freezeâ€"thawâ€"freeze type weather. The nicest about bulbs is that they‘re hardy enough to leave in the ground, they last four to five years and require minimal maintenance. * Meake sure the soil is loose, rich and porous. Add sand or perlite to soil that tends to stay wet and contains too much humus. Improve old, parched soil with topsoil and peat moss. * Generally plant bulbs 8 to 10 cm deep in the ground and about 20 cm apart. Mix a little phosphorus in the hole to ferâ€" tilize. Do not pack the soil too tightly. "Flowering bulbs are always the first sign of spring," says Vanderwerf, "and with the winter months ahead, it‘s comâ€" forting to think of spring a you plant your bulbs." Quick tips for planting bulbs: * Handle bulbs gently; avoid denting or scarring them. * Plant bulbs in early October through the end of November, before the ground freezes. Bulbs planted during prolonged periods of warmer weather may rot. * To protect your bulbs (especially tulips) squirrels and rabbits, sprinkle some bloodmeal over the entire bed after you have planted them. deal 4â€"bedroom family home on quiet court, ast Oakville, double spiral oak staircase, marble tile, skylight, large euroâ€"greenhouse itchen ?rofessmnally landscaped, spacious! Price $275,900. For appointment cal HELEN ARTHUR Sales Rep. Royal Lepage Real Estate Services Ltd Bus. (905) 639â€"8004, Res. (905) 639â€"6297 â€" 24 hr. pager e ||||||||1 1| 1111111111111