[GPI]

Buying Flower Bulbs in Autumn
By Doug Green


Photo / pic / image of flower bulbs grown in Ireland.
_______________________________________________________________

When you are dreaming about next spring, bulbs have to be a major consideration in your garden planning.
And selecting those bulbs is as much fun as actually growing and seeing them bloom.
This is the start of next year’s garden dreaming.

It is important to select excellent bulbs for your garden.
Look for bulbs that are large; larger bulbs produce bigger flowers or more of them. Small bulbs typically sold by discount merchants sometimes only produce leaves in their first year in your garden. Look for bulbs that are firm and not soft. Soft bulbs should be avoided as the soft tissue indicates rotting. The bulbs should not have any brown spots on them indicating a disease or tissue damage. They should be firm and without blemishes.
If you are not sure, do not buy.

There are three sources for purchasing bulbs and each has its advantages and disadvantages.
Your local garden centre lets you see the bulbs, you can pick your own and get big, plump ones. Prices will be moderately expensive but you know what you are getting. Discount catalogs flood our mailboxes at this time of year. The advantage here is that the bulbs are outrageously inexpensive. But they are always small and you do not receive much in the way of selection.
You also do not have much control over the quality of the product.

The third way is the internet.
Reputable growers have amazing choices of high quality bulbs that they have produced themselves.
You get great selection and sizing from these specialty growers but you may have to pay a few cents more per bulb (comparable to local garden centres).

Whatever you do, dream a few bulbs this coming spring. You’ll be glad you did.

Doug Green, award winning garden author of 7 books, answers gardening questions in his free newsletter at http://www.beginner-gardening.com/gardeningflowertips.html
_________________
Remember, a weed is just a plant in the wrong place.

Garden Consultation & Design in Ireland!