The spring flowering bulbs that grow in so many Canadian gardens this time of year are a wonderful and refreshing change from the long, white winter. Colour – finally! Often I am asked what one should do with the narcissus, tulips, hyacinths and the like while they are in bloom.
The short answer is ‘nothing'. Mother nature designed the spring flowering bulb to bloom on it's own, without any help from us, once they are planted. Cut them and bring them indoors to enjoy, is the best advice that I can offer.
But after blooming it is very important to leave the leafs of the plants in tact for 6 to 8 weeks or until they turn yellow. The leaves are converting the energy of the sun into plant sugar and pushing it down into the root zone of the plant [the bulb itself] to ‘beef it up' for reblooming next spring.
As for fertilizer, it is helpful to fertilize bulbs at the time of planting –in the fall- with Holland Bulb Food."
Mark
