Do you want a simple upgrade for your lawn that will make it look like an absolute work of art? Then, you need to know about some of the best spring bulbs.
Whether you are good with planting or underskilled, there is not much you need to do with spring bulbs.
You only have to get them from the market, plant them into the ground, and wait for the beautiful blooms.
Read this blog to learn when to plant spring bulbs and which ones will look amazing on your lawn.
Learn More: Rain Garden: Transforming Your Outdoor Space
Top 6 Spring Bulbs To Plant In Canada
These are the spring bulbs in Ontario to plant:
1. Elephant Ears
Elephant ear tubers can develop incredibly slowly. Depending on when and where they are planted, it may take a month or longer to notice any growth.
This plant has leaves that look similar to elephant ears. Their large foliage makes them captivating.
These are the types of spring bulbs that need moderate care. You need to grow elephant ears in well-drained, rich soil.
Before planting, you can enhance the soil with topsoil or compost to increase its ability to hold water and add nutrients.
Elephant ears require constant moisture during the summer to grow to their maximum size. They also benefit from a liquid fertilizer application every two to three weeks.
The tubers planted in late spring will grow into massive, eye-catching plants in a matter of months. Ensure to provide them with enough space and keep them away from direct sunlight to develop to the fullest extent possible.
Not to be outdone, these plants are toxic to humans and animals when raw. So, if you have pets in the house, you may not want to put them in danger.
2. Begonia
Beautiful begonias grow best in shaded garden areas, beneath trees, or in containers positioned in parts of your porch, patio, or yard that receive afternoon sun.
These have four petals and sepals together, and the flowers can be red, white, pink, or yellow.
They do not thrive in soggy soil but grow best in light, healthy, well-drained soil. As these can’t tolerate extremely cold temperatures, keep them inside your house when there is a threat of frost.
If you see water puddles five to six hours after heavy rain, look for another location or amend the soil with organic material like compost, finely crushed bark, or composted manure.
After slightly loosening the dirt, plant your tubers by tucking them in but not covering them entirely. Plant the tubers 8 to 12 inches apart, with the indented side facing up.
After planting, give the tubers plenty of water to help the soil around them settle.
3. Ranunculus
These spring bulbs grow flowers that look too good to be real. They look like roses on garden beds. For this reason, the plant is frequently referred to as bedding ranunculus.
Once they grow, they have tall stems, double-ruffled blooms, and a pleasant citrusy scent.
The flowers of this plant are often used in bouquets. They come in multiple colours, such as pale yellow, pink, red, cream orange, apricot, and burgundy.
Flowering can occur anywhere from late spring to early autumn, depending on when the tubers are sown.
The flowers are pretty delicate, so you need to protect them from cold temperatures. Planting ranunculus in the spring will result in flowers in the late summer.
4. Daffodils
Narcissus, often known as daffodils, are hardy plants that thrive in nearly any location when given a sunny, stable, and robust habitat early to mid-spring.
Less maintenance is required to care for these bulbs, and they are easy to plant.
These spring-flowering bulbs have exquisite blooms that grow into large clusters every spring.
Daffodils are spring bulbs with a wonderful, sweet scent and bring a pop of colour to your lawn.
They last for years, and the number of flowers keeps increasing with time.
5. Gladiolus
These beautiful flowering plants, which belong to the iris family (Iridaceae), come in various colours and sizes.
From the smaller hybrids that look great in containers to the large-flowered Grandiflora hybrids that produce enormous spikes of flowers.
They grow to a height of two to five feet. Their flowers vary greatly in size, from miniature blooms less than three inches in diameter to giant blooms more than five inches.
If you plan to plant these spring bulbs, take them out in early fall and store them over the winter. After the risk of frost has passed and the soil has warmed to at least 13°C, begin planting gladiolus corms in the spring.
Plant a new set of corms approximately every ten days from the date of your last frost until early summer.
The time it takes for the corms to root, mature, and bloom after glads are planted varies according to the variety.
For the finest blooms, plant glads in well-drained, somewhat fertile soil with six to eight hours of sunlight per day.
They won’t thrive in dense, wet soil. To increase fertility and consistency, add humus or compost to your soil. Apply a 2-inch layer of mulch to the spring bulbs to retain moisture and suppress weeds.
If you have an ongoing weed problem in your lawn, you can use several organic methods for weed control.
6. Canna Lilies
This vibrant perennial floral plant has enormous paddle-shaped leaves in stunning red, orange, yellow and white shades.
These spring bulbs can moderately tolerate droughts, so they grow fine when you forget to water them sometimes.
Canna lilies may have bronze, purple, green, dark red, and burgundy foliage. Due to their cheery colours, you can have them on borders and hedges.
If you want vigorous growth, you can use a slow fertilizer when you plant them in your lawn.
After that, every four weeks, you can apply a liquid fertilizer. In the beginning, you need to water them frequently. Once the spring bulbs start flowering, you can reduce watering.
When to Plant Spring Bulbs
Spring bulb planting timings differ significantly based on when they bloom. It is a good idea to plant spring-flowering bulbs from early September to early November.
This allows them plenty of time to grow new roots before winter arrives and the earth freezes.
To be on the safe side, plant bulbs six to eight weeks before the first hard frost in your area.
Spring bulbs are susceptible to tulip fire, botrytis blight, and downy mildew. You should use sanitation practices and the right plant spacing to prevent infestation.
Deciduous trees provide an excellent place to put early-spring bloomers so they can receive enough sunlight to open before the leaves of the tree obstruct the light source.
To store the spring bulbs, make sure they are cool and dry. During winter, you need to prevent them from freezing, as this can kill the plant. As you lift them up the ground, place them in breathable material like paper bags or mesh bags.
The spring bulbs won’t get enough air if you don’t use a breathable material. Proper air circulation prevents mould and fungal growth when the plant is in the dormancy phase.
Moreover, the place where you store them needs to be dark so that there is no premature growth.
If you miss the suggested planting time for spring bulbs, you can still plant them. Just make sure that the ground is not frozen. If it is too cold outside, you can plant them in containers and put them inside.
Tips For Planting Spring Bulbs
There are numerous methods to plant bulbs, including formal gardens, meadow gardens, lawn scattering, planting beneath trees, and thoughtfully placing across beds and borders.
A single bulb can naturally proliferate in an area and return year after year. If you want a colourful display, you can plant the spring bulbs in groups.
So, make sure you plan ahead according to the result you want.
- Consider the bloom period.
- When low-growing bulbs reach their peak, cover their withering foliage with taller bulbs planted in front.
- When you plant cultivars that will flower simultaneously, it is best to arrange the plant heights in layers from front to back.
- Many bulbs are ideal for container gardening; display them when they bloom and move them out of the way when the foliage is dormant or wilting. When growing in pots, space them closer together than when planting in the ground.
- Consider how the vivid, bright colours these bulbs can produce will mix in with their surroundings.
- Remember, animals love to eat bulbs in the fall, so preparing for scavengers is also important. When planting, spring bulbs thrive in soil supplemented with nutrient-rich organic fertilizers. Not only do the bulbs flourish due to their nutrition, but squirrels and chipmunks are put off by the smell of both fertilizers.
To understand which fertilizer will work best, here is a blog for you.
How To Choose Spring Bulbs
Once you are ready to pick one of the best bulbs for your lawn, you need to be mindful of a few things.
Firstly, don’t go for the spring bulbs that have wrinkles or weigh too light. Secondly, if you want the bloom to be big and noticeable, select spring bulbs that are big in size.
That aside, when purchasing, look closely to find out if there are any mold patches or soft spots on the spring bulbs.
Ideally, you can get them in late August. If you get them in summer, keep them in the correct conditions until you are ready to plant them.
FAQs
How do you plant bulbs in spring?
Choose Bulbs: For spring planting, select appropriate bulbs.
Soil Conditions: Make sure the soil is rich in organic matter and has good drainage.
Select your spot: full sun or little shade.
Planting Depth: Sow bulbs two to three times their own height.
Spacing: Adhere to the recommended bulb spacing guidelines.
Watering: After planting, give the earth a good soak to keep it hydrated.
Mulching: Cover your lawn with mulch to keep it moist and keep weeds out.
What bulbs to plant in spring?
Examples of good spring bulbs in Canada include Tulips, dahlias, begonias, and gladiolus.
How deep should spring bulbs be planted?
Plant the spring bulbs in Canada two or three times as deep as their height. For instance, if a bulb is 2 inches tall, plant it 4 to 6 inches deep.
What kind of soil works best for bulb planting?
The ideal soil is loamy, well-drained, and rich in organic matter. To improve drainage, add sand or compost.
When should I get rid of spring bulbs’ fading leaves?
Let the leaves fully ripen and then naturally fade. If their appearance is too distracting for you, plant something that will stand out when the bulb leaves disappear. The leaves are vital because they nourish the bulb and help it develop into the leaves and blossom buds of the following year.
The Bottom Line
This was our list of the best spring bulbs in Canada that will produce plenty of blooms. You can have them in the widest colour ranges, and you won’t be able to stop yourself from falling for these beauties.
Depending on the type of setup you are working with, you can choose the best one for your lawn.
Although these bulbs are low maintenance, make sure to place them in an area with adequate light and the right soil conditions.
If you want help with landscaping, Falcons Landscaping is always at your service.