Plant Bulbs in the Fall for Colorful Spring Blooms

If you start your gardening efforts in the spring you’re missing out on one of the season’s prettiest payoffs: the first flower bulbs bursting out of the ground. To ensure those early spring delights add color to your yard, get started in the fall. In October plant tulip, crocus, iris, daffodil, hyacinth and other perennial bulbs in the ground. They’ll stretch out their roots under the earth all winter long and reward you with bright pink, oranges and violet color as soon as the weather warms up.

Once you’ve purchased your bulbs, plant them as soon as you can. (If you have any unplanted bulbs, you’ll need to store them in a cool, dry place.) Then give them a nice long drink from the garden hose and cover them with mulch. After that, you can sit back and forget about them until they pop up in the spring.