Gardening tips: flower bulbs
The authentic pleasure that flower bulbs provide is that nothing is easier to grow or brings more colorful gratification. Even most untrained gardeners can create, thanks to bulbs, a garden of breathtaking beauty.
Allow us to introduce you to the many possibilities of bulbs that bloom in spring and summer. May our numerous suggestions and beautiful photos inspire you!
What if you planted bulbs in your garden or on your balcony with the help of your children or grandchildren? They will love them!
You don't need a huge garden to welcome flower bulbs into your life. You can easily plant bulbs in pots and containers, and place them near your front door or on your balcony.
What is a bulb?
A flower bulb is a true underground storage organ and a flower factory. The bulb contains all the ingredients that the plant will need to grow and bloom at the right time. You will realize this by cutting a bulb in half.
At the base and center of the bulb is a small bud surrounded by leaves. (In many species, this bud already looks like a flower while it is still in the bulb!). The bud is surrounded by a white fleshy substance called "scales." In true bulbs, it is the scales that contain the food necessary for the bulb's development and flowering. The part that holds the scales and the flower stalk where the bud rests is called the plate. This plate, located at the bottom of the bulb, also contains the plant's roots. The whole is protected by a thin outer membrane called a tunic.
The only thing this remarkable organism expects from the gardener is to be planted at the right season and to be watered generously. The bulb takes care of the rest!
Difference between bulb, corm, tuber, and root
Technically, many very popular bulb flowers do not come from true bulbs at all. Crocuses and gladioli, for example, are corms, while dahlias and begonias, which are highly valued flowers, are true tubers.
There are slight differences between bulbs and corms that are actually very similar. The main distinction lies in the method of food storage. In corms, most of the food is stored in an enlarged plate rather than in the fleshy scales, which are much smaller. Corms are generally flatter than true bulbs, which have a rounded shape. Tubers and roots can be easily distinguished from bulbs and corms. They do not have a protective tunic and are actually swellings of the stem. They come in all sorts of shapes: cylindrical, flat, or any other imaginable shape. They are often grouped in clusters.
However, you can use the term "bulb" which commonly refers to any plant with the ability to store food underground.
Spring-flowering bulbs are said to be hardy and summer-flowering bulbs tender.
Bulbs are generally classified into two categories: spring-flowering bulbs (which are planted in the fall) and summer-flowering bulbs (planted in the spring). But another more precise classification divides bulbs into hardy and tender varieties.
It is generally said that spring-flowering bulbs are hardy bulbs. They should be planted in the fall, usually before the first frosts, and withstand the cold of winter (and even need it to grow). Many hardy bulbs, such as meadow daffodils, last a long time and can be left in the ground to bloom year after year.
Most summer-flowering bulbs are tender bulbs. These bulbs cannot survive harsh winter conditions and must be planted in the spring after the last frosts of the season. To enjoy these bulbs every year, they must be dug up in the fall and stored indoors during the winter. The lily is an exception to the rule. Many varieties of summer-flowering lilies are quite hardy and can be planted either in the fall or in the spring.
Bulb flowers are the most popular and appreciated in the world. Spring-flowering bulbs, such as tulips, crocuses, hyacinths, meadow daffodils, and irises are universal symbols of spring. Their lush flowers and bright colors are the first to bring life back to the bare garden after winter has passed. Summer-flowering bulbs, such as dahlias, begonias, and anemones offer variety, texture, exceptional colors, and long blooming durations to summer gardens. Planted carefully and at the right time, these bulbs will brighten the garden with their colors from the melting snow of winter to the first frosts of autumn.