Did you know that fall planted bulbs are the best way to ensure a beautiful spring? Many of the beautiful flowers we enjoy in spring are the result of hard work in October and November. Fall is the perfect time to plant your bulbs.
Everyone seems to love tulips in the spring, but in Alabama (Zone 8A), we begin planning for our tulips in March. As a flower farm, it is imperative that we place our order for tulips as they’re blooming in order to receive the varieties we prefer. We buy double tulips because they’re just a little more unique than single tulips. We also order pre-chilled varieties. Alabama typically doesn’t get cold enough to allow tulips the chill time necessary to grow longer stems. We have started planting every year during Thanksgiving week. Our weather is usually a little more mild at this time which is more enjoyable.
Daffodils are fall planted, too! They sometimes get a bad reputation for being the standard yellow buttercup, but I can promise that there are stunning varieties out there. White daffodils with ruffly, peachy centers are becoming quite popular. The bulbs are easy to plant, will come back every year, and the bulbs will multiply over the years.
Ranunculus and Anemones are technically corms, but we also plant those in the fall at the same time as the tulips. If we can get them in the ground a little bit earlier-anywhere from late October to the end of November-we will. If you are in a cooler zone, you may not be able to plant your ranunculus and anemones until spring. Our ground doesn’t freeze like many zones which allows our corms to establish in the ground safely.
Peonies are the other variety that we plant in the fall. These roots need a little bit of time to establish before spring. November seems to be the sweet spot for planting for us. I know people who have waited just a bit longer. It’s important to choose a great spot for these roots as they will come back every spring.