Flowering bulbs offer beautiful indoor blooms all year long.
One thing I have learned from the endless months of pandemic is that nature has no awareness of our plight. Nothing offers hope and anticipation as bulbs appearing magically in your garden or pot or glass bowl all year long. Right now they are at reduced prices at your big box store, online or local nursery. There is no end to the selection.
I live in the desert (zone 10), so I plant South African bulbs such as zepherantes. Sternbergia and native Lycoris. Some species of daffodils do return. But, those of you on the East coast or Mid/Northwest can plant starting in October (no pre-cooling of bulbs)for spring bloom; March for summer blooms such as Lilies, Alliums; September, for Christmas blooms such as Narcissus and Amaryllis. If I must pre-cool my bulbs, I put in brown paper and into refrigerator for two weeks…not the vegetable drawer.
Ok so you don’t have a garden. Or perhaps your soil is composed of heavy clay: You can amend your soil with builder’s sand to provide sharp drainage OR plant in nice ornamental pot on deck or porch in any zone. Builders sand half way, some bulb tone fertilizer, drop in bulbs and cover. Then water until it gets real cold then keep dry. When green ears appear, fertilize again. After bloom and foliage has turned crinkly brown, cut tops and fertilize again.
Bulbs do come back. You can plant them deep and put annual seeds on top soil or plant annuals when bulbs are resting. Please do not rubber band, braid or tie daffodil foliage. It prevents photosynthesis.
Gardening is an untidy process and not meant to be pristine. Read my other pro-tip for hydrangeas
