If you haven’t yet planted your spring-blooming bulbs, try to get it done soon.
Planting bulbs can be a a very labor intensive task. Every autumn, we plant thousands and thousands of bulbs here at my Bedford, New York farm. Over the last couple of weeks, my gardeners and outdoor grounds crew have planted bulbs along my winding pergola, beneath my allee of linden trees, in the gardens outside my Winter House, and in various spots throughout the Japanese Maple Grove. Different planting methods are used depending on the area, the size of the bulbs, and the amount of bulbs selected for the space. My sources include two Connecticut companies - Colorblends Wholesale Flowerbulbs and Van Engelen Inc. Wholesale Flower Bulbs.
Enjoy these photos.
Nearly every garden bed is planted with new bulbs each fall. These beds are beneath my linden trees adjacent to my dovecote and peafowl pen. When to plant bulbs differs from one climate zone to the next, but in general, it is best to plant them a few weeks before the ground is expected to freeze.
Always be sure to add the proper bulb food to the bed. It should be a balanced fertilizer that has a good amount of phosphorous. Fertilizing spring-blooming bulbs also helps them fight off diseases and pests.
Ryan mixes a trug bucket full of Bulb-Tone and Bone Meal and sprinkles it evenly throughout the gardens.
For smaller bulbs, we use dibbers specifically made to create narrow deep holes. Here are two types – one with a pointed tip and one with a more rounded tip.
Ryan and Phurba are planting hundreds of Crocus ‘Tommies’ bulbs from Colorblends. All the bulbs are packed according to transport needs. They must be kept moist without being wet, and planted soon after arrival or stored in a cool, dark place until planted.
Crocus ‘Tommies’ are purple-pink early spring bloomers. The four-inch tall plants have egg-shaped blooms that open wide in the sun. Planted en masse, they create a carpet of color in late winter or very early spring. (Photo courtesy of Colorblends)
The crew is excellent at planting, and works in an efficient assembly line process. For these bulbs, Phurba first makes one hole and drops one bulb into the hole about three to five inches deep.
Then, Phurba uses the tip of the dibber to position the bulb, so it is facing up with the roots facing down. Don’t worry if it is accidentally placed upside down – the flower will find its way. It will just take longer.
Lastly, Phurba backfills the hole.
Bulbs are also planted in my Japanese Maple Tree Grove. I love this part of the farm. Over the years, I’ve planted hundreds of Japanese maples in this area.
At the edge of the gardens, Phurba and Brian plant Spanish bluebells, Hyacinthoides hispanica – shade-tolerant plants that bear spikes of lightly fragrant, blue flowers. These bulbs are also quite small.
This is what they look like in bloom. These flowers are bell-shaped and about three-quarters of an inch long. They prefer full sun in cooler climates and partial shade in warmer climates to avoid scorching. (Photo courtesy of Colorblends)
These holes made with the dibber are perfect for these medium-sized Spanish Bluebell bulbs. The general rule of thumb is to plant a bulb three times as deep as the bulb is tall.
Phurba places the bulb in the hole, always pointed end or sprouted end faced up. Phurba pushes it down, so it is at least three to five inches deep.
Here, one can see which holes are filled and which ones are not. For these, Phurba fills an entire space of holes before backfilling.
Once all the holes are filled, Phurba carefully covers them all up with soil.
We also planted hundreds of galanthus bulbs, or Snowdrops. Snowdrops are the early spring white flowering bulbs that open between January and March. Our snowdrops are from Van Engelen Inc. located in Bantam, Connecticut.
Galanthus, or snowdrops, start out as small bulbs that produce a delicate white bell-shaped blossom atop a sturdy rich green stem.
Galanthus ‘Hippolyta’ is an award-winning British hybrid featuring pendant, somewhat round, densely compacted, double white flowers with green spots, interior green petals with white margins and green-gray foliage. (Photo courtesy of Van Engelen Inc.)
Galanthus ‘Nivalis Flore Pleno’ is an heirloom double snowdrop. The flowers show double layers of milky-white, drooping flowers tipped with green. (Photo courtesy of Van Engelen Inc.)
And this is Galanthus ‘Elwesii.’ This is a great variety for naturalizing in the garden. It is a large-flowering Greek native, circa 1874, that has broad, ivory flowers tipped green with gray-green foliage. We have just a few more left and this bulb project will be complete for the year. And then we can move on to the next big fall task – covering all the outdoor planters and boxwood shrubs with burlap. There’s always lots to do in autumn at my farm! (Photo courtesy of Van Engelen Inc.)
My Bedford, New York farm is buzzing with fall activity - my gardeners and outdoor grounds crew are winterizing the greenhouses, blowing leaves, and planting thousands of spring-blooming bulbs.
During the first years of my farm ownership, I established a long daffodil border along one side of my property. This border extends from my Summer House past the stable and down to the Japanese maple grove. Every spring, when the flowers are in bloom, I carefully assess what areas need more flowers and color, and every autumn we plant in those spaces. This year, our daffodil bulbs are from Colorblends Flowerbulbs in nearby Bridgeport, Connecticut. The varieties we got include 'Tom Pouce,' 'Falconet,' 'Pipe Major,' and 'Accent.'
Here are some photos. And please tune-in to QVC later today at 2pm ET when I share some of my newest holiday decorating products. It's never too early to start planning for the holidays.
This is just part of my long daffodil border in April. It stretches down one side of my farm and erupts with gorgeous swaths of spring color every year.
I plant all different kinds of daffodils from crisp white to bright yellow. Over time, some have faded away and are being replaced with other varieties, while others flourish.
These blooms have developed so nicely along the border – it’s a joy to add to it every year.
There are a myriad of bulb planting tools available. These are traditional long handled bulb planters made with steel. The six inch barrel is perfect for planting most bulbs and has a 37 inch long handle for planting ease.
Brian starts by making a series of holes in the designated area. This space has not yet been planted, so there are no other daffodil bulbs under the soil.
Daffodils are medium-sized bulbs, so the holes are spaced about six-inches from one another on all sides. And the general rule of thumb for planting spring bulbs is to plant them two to three times as deep as the bulbs are tall. This means most daffodils will be planted about six inches down while smaller bulbs will be planted three to four inches below ground.
Once the holes are dug, they are sprinkled with fertilizer. The Espoma Bulb-Tone Plant Food is a blend of natural and organic ingredients and is recommended for all bulbs, including daffodils, crocus, hyacinths, and tulips. Bone meal fertilizer is a meal or powder made from ground-up animal bones. It is used to increase phosphorus in the garden, which is essential for plants to flower.
The two are mixed together in a large trug bucket and then sprinkled over the holes.
Here’s Ryan feeding the bed. It is so important to feed any plants and trees that are planted. As I always say, “if you eat, so should the plants.”
This is a daffodil bulb. Daffodil bulbs are round in shape with a pointed tip which is where the shoot will appear. Look closely and see the small roots on the underside of the bulb. Daffodil bulbs are usually around two to three inches in diameter. All bulbs should be stored in a cool, dry, dark place until they are planted. These bulbs are in good condition and ready to plant.
Brian places the bulb into the hole. Always plant with the pointed end face up. If it is planted upside down, the flower will still grow, but it will likely take longer.
Here is one bulb in its hole several inches deep.
Sometimes, daffodil bulbs may divide and produce bulblets. This bulb has two bulblets – one on each side.
If the bulb does not fit into the hole, it is okay to separate the bulblet from the parent bulb and plant them.
This double bulb now fits in the hole nicely. The bulblet that was pulled off is planted in another hole and will grow just fine.
When planting a variety of flowers, always consider the size of the flower when in bloom – smaller flowers in the front, and taller ones in the back. It’s also important to consider the light requirements of the plant. Since early spring bulbs such as daffodils bloom before most trees shrubs leaf out, they can successfully be planted under them. This variety is called ‘Falconet.’ These daffodils are sweetly scented, clear yellow flowers with orange cups. Since a bulb typically produces four stems, a planting of 25 bulbs can yield 450 flowers or more. (Photo courtesy of Colorblends)
‘Pipe Major’ is a yellow and orange daffodil with an intense orange-red corona, surrounded by large waxy petals. It also blooms later than most extending the floral display. (Photo courtesy of Colorblends)
‘Accent’ was introduced more than 50 years ago. This cultivar is an elegant and prolific daffodil boasting star-shaped flowers that are four-inches across, adorned with slightly reflexed, ivory-white petals and a contrasting, frilled funnel-shaped cup of deep salmon pink. (Photo courtesy of Colorblends)
And this is ‘Tom Pouce’ with creamy yellow petals, and an apricot cup. Named after the Dutch Napoleon-like pink pastry, ‘Tom Pouce’ remains a big favorite among gardeners. (Photo courtesy of Colorblends)
In production line fashion, Brian fills the holes in sections to ensure the varieties remain together.
And then Phurba follows to backfill all the planted areas before starting the next section.
I can’t wait to see all these bulbs erupt with gorgeous color come spring. This border looks more lovely every year. What bulbs are you planting in the garden? Share your comments with me in the section below.
My ostentation of peafowl is growing and thriving here at my Bedford, New York farm. I now have 17 of these magnificent birds.
All my adult peacocks and peahens live in a very safe and comfortable pen near my stable, where they get lots of attention from visiting friends and family. Peafowl can add an exotic element to any farm, but caring for them is a huge responsibility. Not only do they need high quality food and ample exercise, but birds must also have a safe place to roost - they like to be up high to see what is around them and to escape from predators if needed. All my outdoor birds have access to natural perches made from old felled trees here at the farm. Last week, the crew moved and "planted" an oak tree in the middle of their expanded pen - and they love it.
Enjoy these photos - and be sure to see more on my Instagram page @MarthaStewart48.
Peacocks and peahens are alert and curious animals. What do you think my handsome peacock is looking at?
A large tree on its side is resting in the corner of the peafowl pen. I hate to take any tree down, but sometimes it is necessary if it is damaged, diseased, or deteriorating. This oak tree was removed from its location and saved. It’s a great tree to repurpose as a perch for my peafowl to use during the day.
Using a post hole digger, my outdoor grounds crew digs a big hole for the tree in the middle of the pen, which was recently enlarged for the growing ostentation. The hole is about four to five feet deep, so it can safely secure the tall tree. Using the post hole digger is not difficult, but it does take time, especially if there are a lot of rocks in the area. The post-hole digger is lifted as high as possible and then the blades are dropped down into the soil, pulled outward to close the blades and lift the excavated soil from the hole.
Before the tree is even “planted,” the peacocks and peahens are already testing it out – I think they like it.
This peahen is watching all the activity from afar.
The oak tree is quite heavy, so the crew gathers together to strategize how they will carry it to its location. Oak wood is very dense – about 55 pounds per cubic foot when dry. In fact, do you know… the U.S.S. Constitution reportedly received its nickname, “Old Ironsides,” during the War of 1812 because of its live oak hull? That’s right, the hull was so tough that cannon balls fired from British war ships literally bounced off it – these trees are extremely tough.
Oaks are also one of the broadest spreading of the oak tree species – look at the branches – they grow straight out. They’re perfect for peafowl perching. The crew secures a heavy duty strap to the trunk and maneuvers it into position.
Slowly, the tree is carefully and gently lifted by hand, and inserted into the newly dug hole. It fits perfectly. How many strong crew men does it take to move an oaky tree? We have five!
Once the tree is level and straight, the crew backfills the hole with soil. Using a tamping bar, Chhiring packs the soil in, so it is tight and the tree is secure. Oak trees have bark with deep fissures and ridges, giving it a scaly look. The bark color of oaks ranges from whitish-gray to almost black.
It is important to pack the tree in very well, so there is no chance of it falling over.
Chhiring also walks on the soil to tamp it down.
Pasang, who is our resident tree expert, climbs up the tree to make sure it is secure enough for the peafowl – it is important that the peafowl feel safe when roosting on its high branches.
Because the peahens have been raised here at the farm, they’re all accustomed to the various noises. It did not take long before they approached the area to see what was happening.
Within minutes, the peacocks and peahens gather around the tree.
Meanwhile, look at what is happening nearby – this young peacock is fanning his short tail feathers. With all the males outside, this one wants to show how beautiful his tail is, even if it is short with no eyespots.
Full grown, peafowl can weigh up to 13-pounds, and peacocks with their majestic trains can reach body lengths of more than five feet. I’m so pleased my peafowl are healthy and happy at the farm.
We have one on the tree. Peafowl are beautiful birds, but do not underestimate their power – they are extremely strong with very sharp spurs. They will perch on anything above ground to get a better view.
Nearby, the pretty blue opens his tail. The males boast impressively sized and patterned plumage as part of a courtship ritual to attract a female. This peacock also turns in circles showing-off his tail feathers. This display is known as “train-rattling.” Researchers found that the longer the train feathers, the faster the males would shake them during true courtship displays, perhaps to demonstrate muscular strength. During this particular display, the females did not give much attention to the male.
And then there were three… more have flown up to roost on the newly “planted” tree.
This white peacock is on the roof of the nearby shelter.
Both male and female peafowl have the fancy crest atop their heads called a corona.
In the wild, roosting up high keeps them safe from predators. Here, there are six…
And then there were seven – each one on his or her own branch. My peafowl will love this tree. I know they will love roosting here and watching over all that happens here at the farm. Enjoy it, my dear peafowl.
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