Planting Fall Bulbs: Tips from a Small Flower Farm
Pro Tips and Secrets for Planting Daffodils, Tulips, Alliums, Anemones & Ranunculus
If you’re thinking about planting fall bulbs, you’re in for a treat. There’s something magical about sticking a bulb in the ground in the fall and then watching it bloom months later, brightening your garden after a long, gray winter. But not all bulbs behave the same, and each comes with its quirks. I’ve learned the hard way what works (and what doesn’t), so here’s my real-life guide to some common gardener and farmer favorites: daffodils, alliums, tulips, and the more adventurous anemones and ranunculus.
Daffodils: More Than Highway Yellow
For a long time, I wasn’t a daffodil fan. I pictured swaths of giant, school-bus-yellow flowers lining highways or in front of office building, and honestly, that did nothing for me. But once I started digging into (pun intended!) the world of specialty bulbs, my opinion changed fast. There are frilly cups, doubles, split cups, pastel peaches, and some that smell like pure spring. At Branches and Batches, the varieties I grow are just a small sample of what’s out there, but they’re stunning and worth seeking out.
Here’s why daffodils deserve more love:
Daffodils are truly critter-proof.
I hesitate to say that about anything because if an animal is hungry enough, all bets are off. But daffodils are the exception. The bulbs and stems contain a toxic alkaloid called lycorine, which makes animals feel quite lousy after ingestion — and thankfully, critters seem to know it.
Daffodils are not fussy.
Full sun, part shade — they’ll take either. Crummy soil? They don’t care. My mother once tossed extra daffodil bulbs into the woods without planting them — literally tossed — and they still come back every year. You won’t find a more forgiving perennial.
Daffodils Perennialize — *Most* varieties reliably return year after year. There are some exceptions, but they are few and far in between.
Daffodils Multiply — a small planting becomes a full, naturalized clump over time. So they are an excellent investment!
And yes — they are largely disease-resistant
They’re one of the easiest spring bulbs you’ll ever grow!
Farmer Tip 1-
Quick Guide to Planting Depth
For Daffodils, in particular, planting depth depends on variety, and typically the packaging will tell you — but if you find yourself bulb-rich and instruction-poor, the rule of thumb is:
Plant them three times as deep as the bulb is tall. So a 2-inch bulb gets planted 6 inches down. Don’t worry, it’s OKAY to eyeball it!
FYI- this actually applies to MOST bulbs not just daffodils, although there are some exceptions! This is especially useful for mixed grab-bags like I purchased this fall!
Farmer Tip 2- Spacing is Relative
It’s recommended to plant daffodils every 6–12 inches. The first year, I followed that exactly — and honestly? It looked ridiculous. A grid pattern of single daffodils in the landscape — not the natural, whimsical drifts we all envision.
Since they multiply, landscapes eventually look natural — but it can take awhile. So, I speed up the process and plant clumps of 5 or more closely spaced bulbs to achieve a natural look more quickly.
Keep in mind that eventually — no matter how you plant — daffodils will need to be divided every 3-5 years once blooming slows.
Wait! Do Daffodils Need a Cold Spell?
Yes. Daffodils require cold dormancy to bloom properly.
Plant after first frost but before the ground freezes.
Where Can I Buy Such Beauties?
Brent & Becky’s Bulbs is my favorite Daffodil Vendor! — they specialize in daffodils, have endless variety, and allow you to buy smaller quantities of specialty varieties, which is the perfect way to test new ones without committing to 50 bulbs right out of the gate.
ALLIUMS: Architectural. Elegant. Pollinator Magnets.
Everything above regarding daffodils applies to alliums as well — critter-resistant, cold-loving, perennializing bulbs that add stunning architecture to the spring garden — with two key exceptions:
1️⃣ Alliums must have well-drained soil
They will rot in heavy, waterlogged beds.
2️⃣ Alliums need full sun
Shade equals flopping, short stems, and sadness.
Farmer Tip 3 - Dry Those Seed Heads!
Not a planting tip — but a fun one: Allium seed heads dry beautifully. If you don’t cut them for fresh flower use, then leave the seed pods on the stem until mature and harvest when the stems are still green but after a dry stretch of weather (to insure no dampness which can lead to mold). Hang upside down to dry in a cool, dark, airy place for a couple of weeks.
You can even spray paint the allium heads once they are cured. How cool is that?!?!
Tulips: The Drama Queens of Spring
Tulips are a little trickier. You can plant them anytime before the start of the new year, as long as the ground isn’t frozen, because they need at least 12 weeks of consistent cold (soil temps below 50 deg F) to bloom properly. BUT, if for some reason you miss that window, have no fear!
FARMER TIP 4- Tulip Planting Window Cheat Code:
Tulip bulbs are now available in the form of “pre-chilled” (5C and 9C) bulbs. They are a bit more pricey but allow more wiggle room in planting windows. They can also be utilized if you live in a warmer climate or want to force tulips out of season.
Why don’t my tulips come back every year?
It’s a question I get a lot! So are tulips really perennials? Technically YES, however, there are so many issues with getting them established in our growing climate that most of the time you will find you only get one year out of any tulip crop. I tried for YEARS to grow tulips as perennials and failed year after year. So I only grow as annuals now. Here’s why:
Fancy tulip varieties, the ones everyone drools over, have been hybridized to put all their energy into one magnificent bloom, leaving little for bulb multiplication.
Voles and squirrels treat tulip bulbs like a gourmet snack.
They rot easily — especially in clay soil. After blooming, they require a season of dryness — and Maryland summer thunderstorms cannot be controlled.
Perennializing shortens your stems and holds your space hostage. To perennialize, you must leave a few sets of foliage, which gives you as shorter stem. Additionally, that space is taken up for at least another month or 2 while the leaves die back. As a small scale flower farmer, neither of those things were working to my advantage.
Farmer Tip 5 - True Perennial Tulips
If you are really dead-set on trying to perennialize tulips, there are 3 types that are *supposedly* better at perennializing that others:
- Darwin Hybrids
- Fosteriana (Emperor)
- Species tulips
Farmer Tip 6 - The FAST Way to Plant Tulips
If you are growing tulips as annuals — save yourself HOURS. I used to plant them like neat, perfect soldiers in lines — measuring spacing and making sure bulbs were pointed up.
Now? I dig out the section, toss bulbs in like potatoes on a baking sheet, spread, backfill, and call it a day.
Plants know which way is up and grow towards the sun no matter bulb orientation. Their survival instinct is stronger than our overthinking. And spacing is irrelevant since you pull the whole plant out once it’s bloomed.
Some Additional Things to Keep in Mind with Tulips
1️⃣ Tulip Fire (Botrytis tulipae) is a common tulip disease that spreads fast and is devastating. Plant in multiple locations to avoid complete crop loss.
2️⃣ Succession Planting — early-spring, mid, and late-spring tulip varieties allow you to stretch your tulip season. Consider planting some of each.
3️⃣ Critters Eat Bulbs — squirrels and voles especially love fresh-planted tulip bulbs. You can protect by planting in pots and/or covering with hardware cloth.
Ranunculus & Anemones: Not for the Faint of Heart
Ranunculus and Anemones are swoon worthy flowers. Who wouldn’t want to grow these beautiful, delicate, bouquet-ready darlings?
HOWEVER, If you’re a beginner, I’d hold off on these two. The cut flower varieties, the ones that yield long stems and the giant blooms you see in weddings and special events, are FINICKY, SENSITIVE and require specialized growing conditions/techniques.
In case you wanting to try something similar with a little less work and risk, there is an adorable little garden variety anemone that is much easier to grow. So give that a go!
🌸 To truly grow anemones and ranunculus well, you need a tunnel. A large, heated one is ideal, but a low, unheated tunnel works well enough for small or first-time growers. You can purchase kits — or DIY using plumbing conduit, rebar, and a little creativity (ask if you want the materials list).
🌸 Why the tunnel? Because both are native to Mediterranean climates. They hate temperature swings, need protection from cold snaps, and perform best with controlled moisture and ventilation.
FARMER TIP 7- Buy the Largest Corm Size:
- Larger Corms (4/4, 4/5): These produce sturdier plants with higher yields and longer stems
- Smaller Corms (2/3, 3/4): These are less expensive and may work well in moderate climates but can result in smaller plants and reduced yields.
Smaller corms may be more economical short-term, but the stem count difference adds up fast. It feels pricey at checkout, but larger corms produce:
- Higher yields
- Longer stems
- Stronger plants
FARMER TIP 8- Pre-Soak & Pre-Sprout:
Pre-soaking and pre-sprouting your ranunculus and anemone corms gives a stronger start and reduces disease risk. It also helps you to weed out the “duds” early on and prevent extra work and loss of precious garden space.
Want my step-by-step? Comment or email and I’ll share the details.
FARMER TIP 9- Succession Plant:
Did you know ranunculus and anemone crops can be succession planted? Yes! It all depends on when you start them.
I generally do one Fall succession (get in the ground in November) and then 2-3 more *Very Early Spring” successions (presprout in February through March and plant in March and April). If timed correctly, this gives me 6-8 weeks of non-stop blooming in the spring.
Corms typically take 12-16 weeks to bloom once you have started the soaking/planting process. So do the math and work backwards to determine your “planting” time.
FARMER TIP 10: Protect From Critters (and Cold):
As with tulips: squirrels, voles, and other critters love ranunculus and anemone corms too. Hardware cloth is your friend — so is a tunnel.
You could also try growing in a COLD FRAME which would serve as protection as well as give you some control over the environment.
Friendly Reminder! If you are growing in a tunnel or coldframe, you need to consistently brush off any snow that accumulates so that your structure does not collapse!
FARMER TIP 11- Reuse Those Corms!
Most farmers treat ranunculus and anemones as annuals — I don’t. They’re just too pricey in my opinion.
So, 2 years ago, I experimentally dug mine, dried and stored them. Then I replanted the following year. It WORKED!
To have success with this, You MUST wait until foliage dies back so the corm can mature, HOWEVER, don’t wait too long or finding them is like hunting for lost treasure!
Summary: Planting Fall Bulbs — A Recap
Summary: Planting Fall Bulbs — A Recap| Type of Bulb | Best Time to Plant | Soil Required | Light Required | Recommended Planting Depth |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Daffodils | After first frost — before ground freezes (fall) | Adaptable; tolerates most soils | Full sun to partial shade | ~3× bulb height (example: 2″ bulb → ~6″ deep) |
| Alliums | After first frost — before ground freezes (fall) | Very well-drained soil (avoid heavy clay) | Full sun | ~3× bulb height (varies by species; often 4–8″) |
| Tulips | Before the start of the new year (late fall — ideally by Dec) | Well-drained soil | Full sun | ~3× bulb height (commonly 6–8″ depending on bulb size) |
| Anemones (cut-flower) | Fall (or very early spring for successions) | Well-drained, light/loamy soil | Full sun to partial shade | Shallow: ~1–2″ for smaller corms; up to 2–3″ for larger |
| Ranunculus (cut-flower) | Fall (or very early spring for successions) | Loose, rich, well-drained soil | Full sun | ~2″ for medium corms; ~3″ for larger |
Final Thoughts on Planting Fall Bulbs
Planting fall bulbs is one of the most rewarding ways to add early spring beauty to your garden. Daffodils and alliums are dependable, low-maintenance, and critter-resistant. Tulips bring bold color and drama but often require extra attention or a willingness to treat them as annuals. Anemones and ranunculus are best for the adventurous gardener willing to invest a little more effort.
No matter which bulbs you choose, the key is understanding their needs, giving them the right start in the fall, and letting nature do its magic. With a bit of planning, patience, and experimentation, your garden can be full of vibrant spring blooms every year.
As always, feel free to reach out with any questions or comments: melissa@sowbetter.com
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