The Best Time Of Year To Buy Bulbs For The Biggest Savings

The term "bulbs" covers a huge range of (mostly) perennial plants which grow out of nutrient-storing structures underground. These structures sometimes hold their place in dormancy at the end of each growing season. There are a variety of bulb types out there, including "true" scaly bulbs, tunicate bulbs, tubers, rhizomes, and corms. If you're looking to flesh out a new garden, it's important to know the differences between growing these bulbs. For example, some will be hardy, while others will be tender. The main difference is that tender bulbs are less likely to survive being buried in cold winter soil. With growing times that differ between various species, you may question when you should be picking up your bulbs to plant. It's an easy choice: buy your bulbs at the end of the growing season for the biggest savings.

Knowing the distinction between hardy and tender bulbs is important for how you're going to overwinter any given plant. Hardy bulbs can be planted in the fall and left alone, as they require winter chill to signal when it's time to blossom again come springtime. Meanwhile, tender bulbs have to be dug up, stored inside during the winter, and then replanted when spring (or summer) hits. Both cases draw the same conclusion: buy your bulbs late in the fall when store prices are dropping, then sort through which ones you can plant immediately and those you need to hold onto for a few months.

You can strategically plant bulbs during fall for maximum bloom appeal in the spring, and there are ideal planting characteristics shared across hardy and tender bulbs. They grow best in well-drained soil with lots of organic matter (but not much debris like rocks) and require plenty of sunlight. Even when your bulbs have flowered, they will still be collecting light energy through photosynthesis and storing it in the bulb structure to encourage new growth. You'll want to pick a planting site where there is full sun, shelter from heavy winds, and no lingering frosts that might damage the bulbs when they bloom. Tubers in particular could rot if left in soil that hasn't begun to warm up.

It's also important to inspect the bulbs you're buying. They'll be cheaper late in the season, but the best ones have undoubtedly been picked through, and unhealthy bulbs are likely to be stunted — if they grow at all. Healthy bulbs will be hefty (the larger, the better) and firm when squeezed, whereas signs of disease or infestation include being dried out, soft, or visibly molding. Once you've picked out your most affordable, late-season bulbs and have found a place for planting, be sure to bury them about twice the depth of their current size with the root plate facing down and the older stalk facing up. Lightly work some fertilizer into the soil's surface after blooming starts, and you'll be on your way to growing a beautiful garden with soft, natural-looking bulbs.