Summer bulbs, such as canna, calla and dahlia, can wait until spring. They do not enjoy winter chill during their dormancy like spring bulbs do. Spring bulbs become available at nurseries now because this is the time to plant them.
They wait patiently for winter to end before blooming. A bit of winter chill actually helps them to maintain their strict schedule.
That certainly does not mean that their strict schedule is not adjustable. Most early bulbs prefer interment into their shallow graves within weeks of Halloween. However, they can wait as late as New Year’s Day.
This allows for successive planting, which prolongs their ultimate bloom. Early planting promotes early bloom. Late planting promotes late bloom.
Most spring bulbs from nurseries are prechilled because winters are relatively mild here.
They are therefore less reliant on significant winter chill. However, some of such bulbs in several of the milder climates may bloom only once. They lack the winter chill they need to bloom for subsequent springs. Avid garden enthusiasts compensate with refrigeration.
That requires major diligence, though. Most who enjoy gardening do not want to dig and refrigerate dirty spring bulbs. Consequently, most who grow them enjoy them as annuals or disposable perennials. Unfortunately though, spring bulbs do not bloom for very long, and are not inexpensive. That is why they are not as prevalent here as in other climates.
Freesia and narcissus, including daffodil, do not need much chill. They can settle in and bloom for many years after their initial planting. Ranunculus and anemone may not need much chill either, but are less likely to regenerate from year to year.
Dutch iris and Dutch crocus are unpredictable. They might become reliably perennial, but may not cooperate.
Tulip and hyacinth may be more disappointing, since they require significant winter chill.
If they can not experience such chill naturally from the weather, they require refrigeration. Otherwise, they bloom only once for their primary season, and only after prechilling. Yet, both are among the most popular of spring bulbs.
Their blooms are simply too appealing.
Hyacinth
Most flowers that must attract pollinators do so with either color or fragrance.
Hyacinth is an exception that does both. It is as fragrant as it is colorful. Its intensely rich fragrance is supposedly comparable to that of lilac. Its floral color range includes many hues and tints of most colors but green.
It blooms for very early spring along with many types of daffodil.
Dormant hyacinth bulbs go into their gardens about now, but do nothing until after winter. They then bloom with several narrowly tubular florets on stoutly cylindrical trusses. Each floral stem is only about half a foot tall, but stands above its narrow leaves.
Foliage lasts for merely two months or so after bloom. It eventually withers with the warmth of summer.
Hyacinth crave rich soil, sunny exposure and regular irrigation after the winter rain stops. They can work nicely with cool season annuals, such as pansies or violas. They appear and bloom just before pansies and violas finish their seasons.
Alternatively, hyacinth are conducive to forcing. Unfortunately, they like more winter chill than they experience here after prechilling.
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