Want spring flowers? (Well, duh?!)
Both bulbs and wildflowers need to be planted in autumn so that the plant part of them can grow now and produce showy flowers in spring. Winter annuals are a different story (read on!).
Cover image: “Arranging Daffodils.” 1894 oil painting by Carl Thompson.
Showers Bring Flowers
Here in the Southwest that old saying about “April showers bring May flowers” is way off – but only in timing.
It is the “winter” rains that start in October (not April) that will bring wildflowers and bulbs into flower. And the flowers will not be in May. The flowers start as early as January in some places, and go through February, March, and April. By the month of May it may be 100F – and the only thing with flowers are the cacti.
Wildflowers
I have a number of posts about wildflowers.
Five Easy Steps to Spring Wildflowers, which includes some tips on how to select the right wildflower species for your area.
List of Wildflowers for the Southwest – under Resources
I have an online course all about planting beautiful Southwest wildflowers, complete with printable guides.
Bulbs are Beautiful
This is your reminder to order your spring flowering bulbs for future flowers now.
Planting Spring Flowering Bulbs
List of Spring Bulbs for the Southwest – under Resources
Some of the enjoyment can be sooner rather than later too. You can “force” bulbs for some beautiful, long lasting bouquets – inside your home! That post will be next week.
Ordering Bulbs
You can buy bulbs locally at nurseries. The bulbs at big box stores often are not ideal. They tend to be smaller and less well cared for than the premium ones from bulb suppliers. Or you can order them and help a local non-profit.
Bloomin’ Bucks with Brent and Becky’s Bulbs is a progressive fundraising program designed to earn select (generally small and local) non-profit organizations cash for every order received through the Brent and Becky’s Bulbs website.
How to use the program.
1) Scroll down (way down – close to 400 non-profits are listed!) and select the organization that you’d like to support. I hope you will support the Arizona based Horticulture Therapy non-profit Tierra del Sol Institute
2) Hit “Go.”
3) You will go to a special REMINDER page. Read it and click YES to continue. This is because if you see some sale that you want, sale items are exempt from the “Bloomin’ Bucks” program and they want to be sure you know it.
4) You will be taken to the Brent and Becky’s Bulbs website where a portion of every dollar you spend goes to support the organization you chose.
5) If you have questions, call Brent and Becky’s Bulbs toll-free: 877-661-2852. You will get to talk to a lady that lives right close by to Brent and Becky, who are a lovely, now older, couple. Their business is located on 7900 Daffodil Lane, in Gloucester, Virginia. The phone people are entirely charming. Do check the website for the on-call hours.
Note: These nice people will also help you select bulbs – based on your zipcode. As I write this they will not yet ship them to the Phoenix area – because it is too hot.
Winter Annuals
Winter blooming annual flowers, like pansies, are another topic. They will will have to wait until it is cooler for best success. As thrifty as I am, I buy the already growing ones from the nursery – but you could start them from seed. Now. While the soils are still warm. Problem (for me) is that you will have to fuss over them lots and lots to pamper the tiny seedlings until it gets cooler. For even me, I just buy them from my local nursery. This is your permission slip to do the same.
How to Grow Cool Season Annuals
List of Cool Season Annuals – under Resources
Post Script. Yes, I know the terms are confusing. Because wildflowers are also annual flowers. But they are our local wild species, not something that grows well in nurseries and is produced for big box stores.
I did mention some of this in my book
The Month By Month Guide offers tips for your landscape (yes even lawns and roses) in every month of the year. I have a few copies left and am offering them to you – my loyal readers. When you buy from me you get a signed copy!
From the review:
“A great reference book is key to successful gardening in the region where you live. Arizona, Nevada & New Mexico Month-by-Month Gardening takes the guesswork out of gardening for anyone residing in the Southwest. With this book, you’ll know what to do each month to enjoy a thriving garden all year, from January to December. Chronologically organized, this guide is full of critical gardening when-to and how-to advice, along with illustrated step-by-step instructions.
The book’s author is Jacqueline Soule, a Tucson-based gardening expert. She knows this arid region inside and out, and she’s written several articles and books packed with her gardening advice. Arizona, Nevada & New Mexico Month-by-Month Gardening showcases Soule’s expertise in one easy-to-read guide.”
Profits from the sale of this book go to the Horticulture Therapy non-profit Tierra del Sol Institute.
Legal
© Article copyright Jacqueline A. Soule. All rights reserved. You must ask permission to republish an entire blog post or article. Okay to use a short excerpt but you must give proper credit. You must include a link to the original post on our site. No stealing photos.
A simple way to improve fall bulb results is to mark the planting spot immediately with a weatherproof label and note the planting depth beside it. I also loosen only the planting pocket, rather than turning the whole bed, then add a thin mulch layer after the soil cools; that protects the bulbs without making a wet, compacted pocket. For small gardens, grouping bulbs by bloom window makes the spring display easier to plan and maintain.
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