Planting bulbs is a great way to add color and interest to your garden in Oregon. With our mild winters and wet springs, bulbs do very well here. Knowing when to plant them is key to success. This article will go over the best planting times for spring summer and fall bulbs in Oregon.
Spring Flowering Bulbs
Spring flowering bulbs like tulips, daffodils, crocus and hyacinths should be planted in the fall, typically October-November. This allows them to establish roots before winter dormancy.
- Tulips and hyacinths do best planted mid October.
- Daffodils, crocus and other minor bulbs can go in late October to early November.
Bulbs need 12-15 weeks of temperatures below 45°F to properly break dormancy. Our winter provides ideal conditions. Come spring, established bulbs will send up leaves and flowers right on schedule.
If planting later in fall, choose minor bulbs like crocus, grape hyacinths or species tulips. These need less chilling time than major bulbs. Purchase pre-chilled bulbs from nurseries after Thanksgiving to plant in December. Add bone meal to the soil to promote good root growth.
Spring bulbs emerge early in Oregon February-March. Pick sunny spots protected from late freezes. Avoid planting under eaves where ice can damage emerging leaves and blossoms.
Summer Flowering Bulbs
Warm weather bulbs like dahlias, gladiolas, lilies and cannas are planted in spring once frost danger has passed.
- Dahlias and glads go in April-May.
- Most lilies in April.
- Cannas and other tropical bulbs after mid-May.
Prepare soil well with compost and Bulb Booster fertilizer. This gives bulbs nutrients to establish quickly in warmer soils. Plant at proper depths according to package directions.
You can continue planting lilies and glads into early summer. Stagger plantings every 2-3 weeks for continuous color. Keep soil evenly moist especially for the first month. Mulch to retain moisture during hot spells.
Fall Flowering Bulbs
Hardy fall bulbs like colchicum, sternbergia and saffron crocus are planted in early spring. This allows foliage to fully emerge and nourish bulbs through summer.
Plant March-April while soil is still cool. Hardy fall bulbs will go summer dormant once weather warms. Foliage dies back, then re-emerges when rains return in September.
For an extra boost, add low nitrogen Bulb Booster fertilizer formulated for fall blooms. This ensures abundant flowers in autumn when the bulbs revive.
If planting fall bulbs later in spring, choose minor bulbs with short chill requirements like sternbergia and saffron crocus. These need only 8-10 weeks below 45°F to bloom properly.
Other Tips for Success
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Prepare soil with compost or Bulb Booster to improve drainage and nutrition.
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Allow foliage to die back naturally after blooming. This nourishes the bulb for next year.
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Water spring bulbs regularly if rainfall is lacking. Established fall bulbs are quite drought tolerant.
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Remove spent flowers but leave foliage in place until it dies down.
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Stop deadheading and let seed heads form by early summer to feed bulbs.
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Lift and divide congested clumps after a few years to promote flowering.
Follow this planting guide for gorgeous bulbs at the right time in Oregon. With a little planning, you can enjoy continuous blooms from early spring through fall!
Tips for Fall & Spring Bulb Planting
Each type of bulb has a different planting depth; in general it’s approximately three times the diameter of the bulb. Prepare a planting hole a few inches deeper than the recommended planting depth.
Mix compost, pumice and an organic fertilizer high in phosphorus such as bone meal or rock phosphate into the bottom of the hole, then add enough soil to bring the hole to the proper planting depth. Place the bulbs root side down, fill in the planting hole and water thoroughly.
Check out this handy bulb-planting chart; keep it on hand: (Click to download)
Don’t forget bulb fertilizer and soil amendments such as compost and pumice or a bulb planting mix or to provide the proper drainage bulbs require to thrive.
If mass plantings of bulbs are planned, check out our supply of bulb augers. The augers are designed to attach to a hand drill to aid in the bulb planting process by limiting wear and tear on your back, knees and wrists.
There is something so deep-heartedly cheery about fresh flowers in the depth of winter and one of the best ways we know of to bring that beauty into your home is with Freesias, Paperwhites, and Amaryllis — force them indoors and they will bring their colorful (and in some cases fragrant) exuberance that can’t help but brighten dreary winter days.
We carry a selection of these bulbs beginning in mid-September (Amaryllis are the last to arrive around mid-October), so stop in and get some of these lovelies for the winter months. Add them to a decorative container as a gift for friends, family, or for yourself!
Amaryllis will bloom six to eight weeks after planting. Keep this in mind when preparing for gift giving and when decorating for holiday get-togethers. If you’re after unusual varieties of Amaryllis, visit us find unique varieties as well as larger size bulbs to provide repeated blooms.
Forcing Bulbs for Winter Color
Forcing is the process of hastening a plant to maturity, or of growing it to the flowering or fruiting stage out of its normal season. The notes below are excerpted from our handout: Forcing Bulbs. In the full handout, you will find more information on forcing tulip bulbs, hyacinths, daffodils and crocus in soil; forcing Hyacinths, crocus, and narcissus in water; and forcing Amaryllis in containers.
Begin in October by potting the bulbs in clean, sterile plastic pots. Do not bury the bulbs. The “noses” (where the leaves come out) should be exposed. Use high quality potting soil or mix equal parts potting soil, coir fiber and perlite or vermiculite for best results.
Plant the bulbs close together in the pot. Usually 6 tulip bulbs, 3 hyacinths, 6 daffodils, or 15 crocus, will fit into a 6-inch pot. The flat side of the tulip bulb should be placed next to the rim of the pot since the largest leaf will always emerge and grow on that side, producing a more attractive looking pot.
Hyacinths, crocus, and narcissus can be forced in water. Special glass vases are made for hyacinths or crocus. The bulb is placed in the upper portion, water in the lower portion. The vase is then kept in a cool, dark room (preferably under 50 degrees F) for four to eight weeks until the root system has developed and the top elongates.
Tips for Planting Bulbs // Garden Answer
FAQ
Is it too late to plant bulbs in Oregon?
It’s not too late in western Oregon to plant spring-flowering bulbs that will infuse color once the gray days of winter retreat. The optimum planting period depends on the hardiness of each variety. In general, it is best to plant when the soil temperature reaches below 60 degrees.
When to plant bulbs in the Pacific Northwest?
The best time to plant bulbs is in the fall when the soil temperature starts to drop below about 50 degrees. In Western Washington, this is usually in October.
When should I plant tulip bulbs in Oregon?
When to plant. The best time of year to plant in Central Oregon is the end of September through October.
When to plant iris bulbs in Oregon?
In Oregon, the best time to plant iris bulbs (or rhizomes) is generally between late summer and early fall, specifically July through September.