When to Plant Flower Bulbs:
Northern Pacific Coast
Optimum Planting Time: October 1st - December 1st
USDA Hardiness Zones: 8
Region "N" — Northern Pacific Coast
With long cool, wet winters and springs, followed by dry summers and falls, your
region is close to perfect for many spring-flowering bulbs. This climate is about
as close to the English countryside as we have in the USA.
General Instructions:
Plant bulbs in the fall starting when nighttime temperatures stay between 40-50°F.
But, be sure to plant approximately six weeks before the ground freezes to allow
sufficient time for rooting. Bulbs will root best in cool soil and once rooted undergo
natural changes that keep them from freezing. Water your bulbs after planting to
help them start the rooting process.
After planting, apply slow release "bulb food" fertilizer on the top of the ground
to supply nutrients for the second year's bloom. (Bulbs are already fully charged
with energy for peak flowering performance in their first spring bloom season.)
Do not put the fertilizer in the hole with the bulb as this may burn the bulb's
tender roots. PLEASE NOTE: Modern bone meal generally has little value as a
bulb fertilizer and often draws rodents and dogs that dig up the bulbs looking
for bones!
After the ground cools or freezes, cover your bulb beds with a lightweight
mulch (pine needles, buckwheat hulls, straw or chopped up leaves) 2 — 4 inches
thick to help keep down weeds and maintain a consistently cool soil temperature.
Special Note: Begin to plant when the soil cools off but before the weather
becomes too wet and uncomfortable, making planting a chore instead of a pleasure.
Because your zone 8 looks to be warm on the USDA Hardiness Map, be sure to let
mail order companies know you need your bulbs delivered before the heavy rains
come. Provide a specific delivery week. Otherwise, they may send your order too
late.
A Sampling of Flower Bulbs for Perennializing: (return for several years)
A Sampling of Bulbs for Naturalizing: (return & multiply)
Shop for Fall Bulbs