By Elizabeth Rome

Daily News-Record

It takes more than April showers to bring May flowers. Rain or shine, to get a gorgeous garden in the spring it takes planning — and planting — in the fall.

“Now is the perfect time [to plant] because the soil is still warm,” said Arlene Reid, who owns Glenhaven Greenhouses in Broadway with her husband Glenn. “It’s pliable. You can still have time to play in the dirt before the ground freezes.”

Ava Dove, garden center manager at Rodamer’s Landscaping in Harrisonburg, and Reid both recommend planting bulbs such as daffodils, jonquils, tulips, hyacinths and crocuses. “They’re just good for our area,” said Dove. “They’re very hearty. They come back very well.”

Reid added, “Those would be some of the more traditional bulb plants that people are interested in that will really do well in the winter.”

When digging up soil to plant bulbs, the most common mistake people make is not digging deep enough, said Chad Comer, co-owner of Blue Ribbon Nursery & Landscaping in Broadway.

The depth necessary for the bulb to thrive varies depending on the type of flower.

Comer recommends checking the bulb’s packaging for instructions. For example, “Irises are shallow and daffodils are deeper,” he said.

As a rule of thumb, Dove plants crocuses about 4 inches under the soil, and tulips and daffodils about 6 inches deep.

Planting deep into the soil ensures protection from animals such as mice and squirrels, as well as protects the bulb from freezing in the winter, said Reid.

However, if an animal does dig up your bulbs, they can often be replanted. “If the bulb hasn’t shriveled or rotted, it can go back into the ground,” said Dove.

In fact, bulbs are resilient enough to be planted well after the first frost. “You can plant bulbs all the way into October, November, even December if the ground isn’t frozen,” said Comer. “They’ll still come up just fine.”

Using a fertilizer along with the planting soil will give bulbs extra nutrients as well, said Comer. “When I’m planting bulbs I always use some good fertilizer like Bulb-tone,” he said.

“You can mix it in the dirt when you cover [the bulb] back up. When it’s wet, [the fertilizer] starts breaking down.”

For an increased level of protection, Reid will add a layer of mulch on top of planted soil. But, “not too heavy because they need a chance to break through the mulch for the spring,” she said.

Dove says to expect crocuses to come up in March, daffodils in April and tulips around April or May. But if you don’t see them right away, don’t panic. “The seasons are going to vary a little bit as far as the time they come out of the ground,” she said. “They’ll come when it’s time. Just leave them and they’ll come up.”

Can’t stand the wait? In the meantime, get some instant satisfaction with already blooming fall flowers. Comer says chrysanthemums are the most popular choice for the season. “Mums are fall,” he said. “I get them for their fall colors.”

Other options include asters, ornamental kale and flowering cabbage. “Those,” he said, “will last most of the winter.”

Contact Elizabeth Rome at 574-6276

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